DEFINITION OF COMMONWEALTH

A POLITICAL COMMUNITY FOUNDED FOR THE COMMON GOOD.

FOUNDED ON LAW AND UNITED BY COMPACT OR TACIT AGREEMENT OF THE PEOPLE FOR THE COMMON
GOOD.
A GROUP OF COUNTRIES OR STATES THAT HAVE POLITICAL OR ECONOMIC CONNECTIONS WITH ONE
ANOTHER
(BUTLER HARE,HARRY HAWES, & BRONSON CUTTING)
OSROX MISSION (WHICH STANDS FOR OSMEA AND
ROXAS) SUCCESSFULLY LOBBIED FOR THE ENACTMENT OF
THE HARE-HAWES-CUTTING ACT, WHICH WAS PASSED BY THE
CONGRESS ON JANUARY 13, 1933 OVER PRESIDENT HERBERT
HOOVERS VETO IN 1932. THE U.S. SENATE APPROVED THE BILL
FOUR DAYS LATER ON JANUARY 17, 1933. IT REQUIRED THE
PHILIPPINE SENATE TO RATIFY THE LAW.REJECTED BY THE
PHILIPPINE LEGISLATURE DUE TO TARIFF, IMMIGRATION
PROVISIONS, AND INDEFINITE RETENTION OF U.S. MILITARY
BASES IN THE ISLANDS.
(MILLARD TYDINGS & JOHN MCDUFFIE)
IN 1934, A NEW MISSION (THE QUAQUAL MISSION, MADE
UP OF QUEZON, BENIGNO AQUINO SR., AND RAFAEL
ALUNAN) NEGOTIATED THE TYDINGS-MCDUFFIE OR THE
PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE ACT, WHICH SET A TEN-YEAR
TRANSITION PERIOD TO BE KNOWN AS THE
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES, FOLLOWED BY
THE RECOGNITION OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE
PHILIPPINES BY THE UNITED STATES.
 1935 CONSTITUTION
A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION WAS CONVENED IN MANILA IN JULY 1934. IT WAS
PRESIDED OVER BY CLARO M. RECTO WITH 202 ELECTED FILIPINO DELEGATES WHO
DECIDED THAT THE CONSTITUTION TO BE WRITTEN WOULD COVER NOT ONLY THE
TRANSITIONAL COMMONWEALTH, BUT WOULD APPLY TO THE REPUBLIC AS WELL
THE CONVENTION FINISHED ITS WORK ON FEBRUARY 8, 1935 AND SUBMITTED IT TO
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT, FOR CERTIFICATION
THAT ITS PROVISIONS COMPLIED WITH THE PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE ACT.
IT WAS CERTIFIED ON MARCH 25, 1935 AND IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY RATIFIED BY
THE FILIPINO PEOPLE IN A PLEBISCITE ON MAY 14, 1935.
 1935 CONSTITUTION

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES PROVIDED FOR A

PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WITH A UNICAMERAL LEGISLATURE. IT HAD
THE POWER TO ENACT LAWS FOR THE PHILIPPINES, KNOWN AS COMMONWEALTH ACTS,
THROUGH THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.
 1935 PHILIPPINE GENERAL ELECTION
ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1935, A MILLION FILIPINOS HAD TROOPED TO THE POLLS TO ELECT THEIR TWO
HIGHEST OFFICIALS THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT.
CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENCY INCLUDED:
1. *FORMER PRESIDENT EMILIO AGUINALDO
2. *IGLESIA FILIPINA INDEPEDIENTE LEADER GREGORIO AGLIPAY
3. *MANUEL QUEZON
SENATE PRESIDENT MANUEL L. QUEZON AND HIS RUNNING MATE SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE
SERGIO OSMEA WERE ELECTED AS PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT, WHILE VOTERS ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE NEW UNICAMERAL NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND FOR LOCAL POSITIONS.
COMMONWEALTH INAUGURATION
ON NOVEMBER 15, 1935 THE NEW PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH WAS INAUGURATED AT THE LEGISLATIVE
BUILDING IN MANILA.
THE NEW GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED NATION-BUILDING POLICIES IN PREPARATION FOR INDEPENDENCE.
THESE INCLUDED NATIONAL DEFENSE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CONTINUED FILIPINIZATION OF THE
GOVERNMENT, REFORMS IN EDUCATION, IMPROVEMENT OF TRANSPORT, INDUSTRIALIZATION, AND THE
COLONIZATION OF MINDANAO.
AMENDMENT OF THE 1935 CONSTITUTION

THE 1935 CONSTITUTION WAS AMENDED IN 1940 TO PERMIT THE RE-ELECTION OF THE
PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT, TO RESTORE THE SENATE AND THUS SHIFT THE
LEGISLATURE BACK TO THE BICAMERAL SYSTEM, AND TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL
ELECTORAL AUTHORITY, THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS. THE PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS WERE RATIFIED IN A PLEBISCITE HELD ON JUNE 18, 1940.
SOME SIGNIFICANT FACTS
THE COMMONWEALTH WAS MEANT TO LAY DOWN THE FOUNDATIONS FOR AN INDEPENDENT, FULLY-FUNCTIONAL
STATE. ITS PRIORITIES COULD BE SEEN IN THE FIRST LAWS ENACTED BY THE NEW NATIONAL ASSEMBLY:
1. COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 1 - ESTABLISHED THE PHILIPPINE ARMY AND A NATIONAL DEFENSE POLICY
2. COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 2 - ESTABLISHED THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL
3. COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 3 - CREATED THE COURT OF APPEALS.
WOMES SUFFRAGE ACT GAVE THE WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND TO RUN FOR A POSITION IN THE
GOVERNMENT.
DECEMBER 1937 PROCLAIMING THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE OF THE PHILIPPINES BASED ON TAGALOG
LANGUAGE.
 WORLD WAR II: THE THREAT OF JAPAN
WITH WAR LOOMING OVER THE WORLD FOLLOWING GERMAN AGGRESSION IN EUROPE AND
THE JAPANESE ANNEXATION OF MANCHURIA, THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CONFERRED
EMERGENCY POWERS ON THE GOVERNMENT. THE PHILIPPINE ARMY WAS PLACED UNDER THE
COMMAND OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FAR EAST (USAFFE), HEADED BY DOUGLAS
MACARTHUR.
FILIPINOS RE-ELECTED QUEZON, OSMENA, AND LEGISLATORS TO FILL SEATS IN THE NEWLY
CREATE BICAMERAL CONGRESS ON NOVEMBER 11, 1941.
WAR IN ASIA BROKE OUT ON DECEMBER 8, 1941 FOLLOWING THE JAPANESE BOMBING OF
PEARL HARBOR. JAPANESE BOMBED CAMP JOHN HAY IN BAGUIO CITY, CLARK AIR BASE IN
PAMPANGA, AND, NICHOLS FIELD OUTSIDE OF MANILA.
 WORLD WAR II
ON DECEMBER 24, 1941, PRESIDENT QUEZON AND HIS WAR CABINET EVACUATED TO THE ISLAND STRONGHOLD
OF CORREGIDOR IN MANILA BAY AND TWO MONTHS LATER LEFT FOR AUSTRALIA, EN ROUTE TO THE SAFETY OF
THE UNITED STATES.
THE COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO FUNCTION IN EXILE, GAINING RECOGNITION FROM THE
WORLD COMMUNITY AS A MEMBER OF THE UNITED NATIONS. PRESIDENT QUEZON CONTINUED TO REPRESENT
THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
DURING THIS EXILE, QUEZON BECAME ILL WITH TUBERCULOSIS, AND LATER HE DIED OF IT. OSMEA REPLACED
HIM AS THE PRESIDENT.
OSMEA GAVE HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., MAKING HIM THE ONLY PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT
THUS FAR TO DELIVER AN INAUGURAL ADDRESS OUTSIDE THE PHILIPPINES.
 WORLD WAR II
MANILA WAS DECLARED AN OPEN CITY TO PREVENT ITS DESTRUCTION ON DECEMBER 26, 1941, AND IT WAS OCCUPIED
BY THE JAPANESE ON JANUARY 2, 1942.
WHEN GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR LEFT THE PHILIPPINES TO ESCAPE TO AUSTRALIA ON MARCH 1942, HE LEFT
GENERAL JONATHAN WAINWRIGHT IN COMMAND. GENERAL WAINWRIGHT TOOK HIS COMMAND ON THE ISLAND OF
CORREGIDOR AND PLACED MAJOR GENERAL EDWARD P. KING IN COMMAND OF THE TROOPS ON BATAAN.
 THE FALL OF BATAAN

ON APRIL 3,1942 JAPANESE ATTACKED AMERICAN AND FILIPINO TROOPS IN BATAAN.

WHILE IN EXILE, MCARTHUR ORDERED A GENERAL COUNTERATTACK AGAINST THE JAPANESE. THE
COMMANDING OFFICER ON LUZON, MAJOR GENERAL EDWARD KING, IGNORED THIS RIDICULOUS ORDER
TO AVOID FURTHER DESTRUCTION.
TRUSTING TO THE MERCY OF THE JAPANESE, HE SURRENDERED HIS TROOPS ON APRIL 9,1942.
 THE FALL OF BATAAN
INFURIATED BY THE LENGTHY AMERICAN RESISTANCE ON BATAAN, AND
THE HEAVY LOSSES THEY HAD SUFFERED THEMSELVES, THE JAPANESE
VENTED THEIR RAGE ON THEIR SICK AND EXHAUSTED PRISONERS OF WAR
WHOM THEY SUBJECTED TO THE ATROCITIES OF THE BATAAN DEATH
MARCH AND THE HARSH CONDITIONS OF JAPANESE "HELL CAMPS".
THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH WAS A 60-MILE (96.56KM) FORCED MARCH
UNDER BLAZING SUN WITHOUT FOOD AND WATER OF AMERICAN AND
FILIPINO PRISONERS OF WAR BY JAPANESE FORCES DURING WORLD WAR
II.
THOUSAND OF TROOPS DIED BECAUSE OF THE BRUTALITY OF THEIR
CAPTORS, WHO STARVED AND BEAT THE MARCHERS, AND BAYONETED
THOSE TOO WEAK TO WALK.
THE FALL OF CORREGIDOR
AFTER THE FALL OF BATAAN, THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY THEN
CONCENTRATED ON THE ISLAND OF CORREGIDOR. LT. GENERAL JONATHAN
WAINWRIGHT REFUSED TO SURRENDER.
THE ISLAND WAS RELENTLESSLY PUMMELED BY THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE
ARTILLERY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. THE ISLAND WAS SURROUNDED AND CUT OFF
FROM RECEIVING ANY REINFORCEMENTS AND SUPPLIES FROM THE UNITED
STATES. FOOD, WATER AND AMMUNITION HAD DROPPED TO CRITICAL LEVELS.
ON THE NIGHT OF MAY 5, THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE LANDED TROOPS AND
TANKS. THEY QUICKLY BEGAN ADVANCING TOWARDS MALINTA TUNNEL WHERE
THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS AND NURSES.
 THE FALL OF CORREGIDOR
TO AVOID A MASSACRE WAINWRIGHT WAS FORCED TO SURRENDER THE TROOPS ON CORREGIDOR AND THE
OTHER THREE FORTIFIED ISLANDS BUT GENERAL MASAHARA HOMMA REFUSED WAINWRIGHT'S OFFER OF
SURRENDER.
GENERAL HOMMA WARNED WAINWRIGHT DURING SURRENDER NEGOTIATIONS THAT HE WOULD EXECUTE ALL
PRISONERS OF WAR UNLESS THE SURRENDER APPLIED NOT ONLY TO CORREGIDOR BUT TO ALL AMERICAN AND
PHILIPPINE TROOPS STILL RESISTING THE JAPANESE ON OTHER ISLANDS OF THE PHILIPPINE ARCHIPELAGO.
THE AMERICAN-FILIPINO TROOPS ON THE OUTER ISLANDS WERE GETTING CONFLICTING MESSAGES FROM
GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR. MACARTHUR DID NOT WANT THESE ISLANDS TO SURRENDER BUT WANTED
SHARP TO CREATE GUERRILLA UNITS AND HIDE IN THE HILLS. FINALLY COLONEL TRAYWICK, WAINWRIGHT'S
EMISSARY, REACHED GENERAL SHARP TO EXPRESS THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION WHERE EVENTUALLY THE
U.S. COMMANDERS ON THE VISAYAN ISLANDS, MINDANAO AND CEBU SURRENDERED.
 WORLD WAR II
MEANWHILE, THE JAPANESE MILITARY ORGANIZED A NEW GOVERNMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES KNOWN AS THE
SECOND PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC, WHICH WAS HEADED BY PRESIDENT JOS P. LAUREL. THIS GOVERNMENT
ENDED UP BEING VERY UNPOPULAR.
THE RESISTANCE TO THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION CONTINUED IN THE PHILIPPINES. THIS INCLUDED
THE HUKBALAHAP ("PEOPLE'S ARMY AGAINST THE JAPANESE"), WHICH CONSISTED OF 30,000 ARMED PEOPLE
AND CONTROLLED MUCH OF CENTRAL LUZON. REMNANTS OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY ALSO FOUGHT THE
JAPANESE THROUGH GUERRILLA WARFARE, AND IT WAS SUCCESSFUL, SINCE ALL BUT 12 OF THE 48 PROVINCES
WERE LIBERATED.
THE AMERICAN GENERAL DOUGLAS MCARTHURS ARMY LANDED ON LEYTE ON OCTOBER 20,1944, AND THEY
WERE ALL WELCOMED AS LIBERATORS, ALONG WITH PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH TROOPS WHEN OTHER
AMPHIBIOUS LANDINGS SOON FOLLOWED. FIGHTING CONTINUED IN REMOTE CORNERS OF THE PHILIPPINES
UNTIL JAPAN'S SURRENDER IN AUGUST 1945, WHICH WAS SIGNED ON SEPTEMBER 2 IN TOKYO BAY.
RESTORATION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF
THE PHILIPPINES
AFTER THE WAR IN THE PHILIPPINES, THE PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH WAS RESTORED.
ON APRIL 23, 1946, THE FIRST POSTWAR ELECTION WAS HELD, IN WHICH MANUEL ROXAS AND ELPIDIO
QUIRINO WERE ELECTED PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT.
ROXAS TOOK HIS OATH OF OFFICE ON MAY 28, 1946 AS THE THIRD AND LAST PRESIDENT OF THE
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES IN FRONT OF THE RUINS OF THE LEGISLATIVE BUILDING IN MANILA. IN
THE SUCCEEDING WEEKS, PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE ACT, THE
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES BECAME THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESTHE THIRD REPUBLIC.
THUS, ON JULY 4, 1946, ROXAS WOULD AGAIN TAKE HIS OATH AS PRESIDENT, THIS TIME AS PRESIDENT OF THE
NEWLY-INAUGURATED AND INDEPENDENT REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES. HOWEVER, THE ECONOMY REMAINED
DEPENDENT TO THE US, WHICH WAS DUE TO THE BELL TRADE ACT (PHILIPPINE TRADE ACT) WHICH WAS A
PRECONDITION FOR RECEIVING WAR REHABILITATION GRANTS FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.