THE SECOND PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC: LAUREL’S PRESIDENCY UNDER THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION John Edward E. Alfonso Mabalacat City College Generally, governments are established to safeguard the welfare of the state and assure its survival, particularly in times of crises. It thus makes one wonder how President Jose P. Laurel secured the welfare of the Filipinos during the Japanese Military Occupation. This emergency situation called for a government that entrusted the executive branch with more power than usual to do what was necessary for the promotion of the welfare of the people and the survival of the nation. On December 22, 1941, Philippine Commonwealth President Manuel Luis Quezon, prior to his departure for Corregidor island, gave his final orders to the officials who would be left in the Philippines to handle civic affairs. The order was to “do everything in their power to minimize the sufferings of the civilian population” and to keep faith in the United States (Agoncillo, 1984, 13). The burden of fulfilling this task fell on Jose P. Laurel. Hesitant at first because of the unavoidable cooperation with Japan and a possible misunderstanding of his actions, Laurel eventually gave in to Quezon’s wishes with assurance from General Douglas McArthur that he and the other officials would not be branded as traitors as long as they did not take the oath of allegiance to Japan (Agoncillo, 1965, 302-303). He was sworn in as President of the Second Republic on October 14, 1943. SECURING THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE Laurel made the most out of the “liberty” that was granted to them by the Japanese. He made sure that the executive was given sufficient power to handle the situation of the country through the Constitution. He surrounded himself with advisors who could help him in the formulation of his policies and in making his decisions. Laurel structured the government such that he could enact the proper statutes designed to ensure the welfare of the people. Through his authority, he interceded in behalf of the people who were maltreated by the Japanese. As the steward of the nation, he helped his constituents as much as his power could offer. Although the Japanese continued to interfere in Philippine affairs despite their grant of independence, Laurel resisted and secured the welfare of the people to the best of his abilities. THE 1943 CONSTITUTION Laurel, as president of the Preparatory Commission for Philippine Independence, explained that the provisions of the Constitution were based on what was happening in the country then. The Constitution was structured in such a way as to prioritize the welfare of the people above all other matters. Its guiding principle was derived from Andres Bonifacio’s words 1 , emphasizing the welfare of the people as the prime purpose of all governments 1 According to Agpalo, this principle was not from Bonifacio, but from Emilio Jacinto in his “Liwanag at Dilim.” Exact statement are as follows: Ang kadahilanan nga ng mga pinuno ay ang Bayan, at ang kagalingan at kaginhawahan nito ay siyang tanging dapat tunguhin ng lahat nilang gawa at kautusan. (in Gripaldo, 2001, p. 124)