2. The government established by the americans inthe
Philippines was Democratic and Republican in form;a
government that was patterned after the United
states. Nevertheless, the short period of
apprenticeship in governance was a testimony not
only to the liberal tradition and tolerance, but also to
the Filipino talent in learning the complex process of
running a government. As President of the
Commonwealth, Manuel L. Quezon ably steered a
country that was beseigned by internal problems
while it tried to survive a government in transition to
independence.

4. In his inaugural speech as the First
President of the Commonwealth, Manuel
L. Quezon said in part:
... We shall build a government that will
be just, honest, efficient,and strong so
that the foundations of the coming
Republic may be firm and enduring—a
government,indeed, that must satisfy not
only the passing needs of the hour but
also the exacting demands of the future.

6. Soon after the american occupation of the Philippines, some
American statesmen felt that the Philippines was Difficult to
defend. When World War II broke out, the U.S which was hesitant
about joining it at first, was not prepared to defend the Philippines
as their colony. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt, for example, believed
that to avoid war with Japan, the U.S should given the Philippines
it’s independence. In the succeding years, Japan invaded Korea,
Manchuria, and finally China.
Because there was not enough money to finance the construction
of costly battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, MacArthur thought
of the so called “Mosquito fleet.” this was composed of small, fast,
and well armed boats. Filipino pilots were trained in aor warfare
and prepared for possible war. These were the preparations made
by Quezon to secure the military defense of the country againts
any foreign invader.

8. The agrarian problems that Quezon faced during the Commonwealth period
could be traced to the Spanish period. The Filipino masses, particularly the
peasants, had been exploited on the issue of friar estates by the few influential
peoplein the community. This dire condition of the masses led many to rise in
revolt, as noted in the various agrarian uprising under Spanish rule. In Central
and Southern Luzon and in the Visayas, the peasants also rose in revolt in the
1920’s and 1930’s. In particular, the uprising in Tayug Pangasinan in 1931 was a
reaction to the oppresion of some landlords. It attacked graft and corruption in
the government. It fought for immediate independence and, therefore, againts
the Tydings Mcduffie Act. On May 23,1935, the members Sakdalitas or
members of the sakdal organization revolted againts the government. Through
unions and associations, they worked for reforms beneficial to their class. But
because the government did not have enough money with which to purchase
landed estates, Quezon tried to implement laws to improve the welfare of the
rural population. However the big and powerful landlords and Quezon’s private
circle of friends anf supporters resisted these social legislations. Thus,
Quezon’s social justice program failed

10. Other economis problems occupied Quezon’s attention. Since
the Spanish period, the Chinese had been dominating the
retail trade industry in the country. When free trade between
the Philippines and the United States began in 1909,
Philippine products like sugar, coconut oil, abaca fiber, copra,
and others, entered the American market free of duty. This
led to artificial prosperity because those products had ready
market in the United States . The committee studied the
economic problems of the Commonwealth. It recommend
that Philippine-American free trade relations be extended so
that the Philippines could have enough time adjust its
economy before independence. Some Philippine products
would be allow to enter the United States in limited
quantities, while others would enter without export duties.

12. Quezon also realized the serious Language Problems.
The Philippine s has more than a hundred languanges
and dialects. Filipinos had to use a foreign languange
to communicate with one another. To solve this
problem, Quezon asked the National Assembly to pass
the law providing for the creation of the national
languange institute which would study the languange
problem. The National Languang, composed of
representatives from the different regions, Quezon
proclaimed that Tagalog would would be used as the
basis of national languange.

14. In a span of five years, from the
1935,to the outbreak of the war in
1941, the Commonwealth government
had achieved progress in commerce
and industry, transportation and
communication, public welfare, and art
and literature. Foreign trade was made
possible through the orts of Manila,
Mindanao, and Southern Luzon.

15. Quezon improved the country’s
Transportation And Communication Facilities.
Inter-Island shipping was encouraged and the
railways lines were improved and extended to
La Union and Legazpi, Albay. The number of
buses, cars, vessels,and taxicabs increased a
great deal, thus making tranportation and
communication accessible at relatively cheap
fares. The Telephone and Wireless services
were improved and radio broadcasting was
inaugurated in Manila.

16. The National Assembly, upon the
recommendation of Quezon created the
National Economic Council whose primary
duty was to “advise the government on
economic matters.” It also established
government companies such as the National
Food Products Corporation, the National Rice
and Corn Corporation, and ohters, whose
main duty was to protect the people from
being exploited by unscrupulous producers
or merchants.

17. Public welfare was given priority as the
government strengthened certain agencies
like the bureau of public welfare, the
Associated Charities, and the National Relief
Administration in order to improve and extend
the scope of service to the people, especially
to the poor. Likewise, the jobless were given
full or part time jobs by the National Relief
Administration, which also distributed food to
victims of natural calamities like flood,
earthquakes, fires, and the like.

18. The arts and literature were encouraged by
the government through contest and
competitions for Artist And Writers. A
contest in painting was held under
Government Auspices in 1936. A National
contest on writing the biography of Rizal
was conducted by the government in 1938.
The contest included writings for
Biographies, History, Poetry, Short Stories,
Novel, Dramas And Essays.

20. The preparations of the commonwealth for an
independent Philippines was interrupted when the
war in the Pacific broke out in 1941. On Dec. 7,
1941, Hawaiian time , Japanese bombers attacked
the American fleet in Pearl Harbor , Hawaii.
Provoked by the attack, President Franklin
Roosevelt spoke before the joint session of the
American Congress and urged it to declare war
againts Japan.
On Dec. 8 British time, england also declare war
againts Japan and the war in the Pacific was on.

22. The Japanese naval, military and air forces
took the offensive againts the United
States, Britain, and Holland . On Dec. 8 and
the succeding days, the Japanese bombed
many places, including Manila and the
suburbs.in order to save Manila from
destruction, General Douglas MacArthur
declared it an Open City. All guns and other
defenses were withdrawn from Manila.

24. Quezon was very sick when the war broke out. His
illness became serious when he learned that
thousands of Filipinos died as a result of Japanese
bombing in Bataan and Other places. Realizing that
Bataan would soon to fall, Pres. Roosevelt ordered
Quezon to be transferred to Australia. Having
suffered not only from hunger and diseases but
also from the enemy bombs and cannon fire.
Hundred were killed during the transit of Filipino
and few American prisoners of war to Capas,
Tarlac. This atrocious event was referred to as the
“Death March”.

26. Shortly after the occupation of Manila by
the Japanese forces, General Masaharu
Homma, the Japanese commander-inchief, ordered the reorganization of the
central government . This was renamed
Central Administrative Organization
composed of six executive departments,
Interior, Finance, Justice, Agriculture, And
Commerce,education,health, And Public
Welfare, And Public Works And
Communications.

28. To gain the sympathy of the Filipinos, the
Japanese Military authorities declared that
Japanese educational policy would be based on
the Spiritual rejuvenation of the Filipinos; the
propagation of Filipino culture; the propagation
of Japanese Language and culture; the
encouragement of vocational and Elementary
Education; the promotion of Love of Labor. To
implement this policy, the Japanese military
authorities ordered the opening of schools,
especially those giving courses in agriculture,
fisheries, medicene, and engineering.

30. To win the trust of the Filipinos, the Japanese
authorities in Japan decided that the
Philippines should given its Independence.
Consequently, a commision created for the
purpose of framing a constitution was
headed by Jose P. Laurel as president. On
Sep. 4 1943, the constitution prepared by the
Commision was approved by a convention.
On Sept. 25, the National Assembly elected
Jose P. Laurel as President of the Second
Republic.

32. Throughout the Philippines,guerilla outfit
sprang like a mushrooms. These in turn sent the
reports to General MacArthur in Australia.
Among the moat famous guerilla leaders Were
Governor Tomas Confesor Of Ilo-ilo, Colonel
Macario Peralta Of Panay, Colonel Ruperto
Kanleon Of Leyte; Tomas Cabili, Salipada
Pendatun,and Wendell Fertig Of Mindanao ;
Wenceslao Q. Vinzons Of Camarines Norte;
Miguel Ver And Eleuterio Adevoso, Who
Headed The Marking’s Guerilla; And Luis Taruc
Who Led The HUKBALAHAP.