holds the highest position of power for a Filipino during the Philippine Executive Commission. Only to be replaced by
Jose P. Laurel as the president when the
Second Philippine Republic was created.
Establishment The Philippine Executive Commission (PEC) was established on January 3, 1942, with
Jorge B. Vargas as its first Chairman. It largely mirrored the Civilian Emergency Administration earlier appointed by President
Manuel Quezon to administer the
open city status of Manila and composed by the same officers that comprised the latter PEC. The PEC was created as the
provisional caretaker government of the
City of Greater Manila and eventually of the whole
Philippines during the
Japanese occupation of the country during
World War II. The PEC formally abolished all political parties on December 8, 1942, by virtue of Proclamation No. 109 creating the
Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas (Association for Service to the New Philippines) or better known as the
KALIBAPI. The KALIBAPI was established to aim at the mental education, moral regeneration, physical invigoration, and economic rehabilitation of the Philippines under the guidance of the Japanese Military Administration. It was tasked to foster strong cooperation with the Japanese as part of the Order Great East Asia that promotes the lifting of the "great Oriental race." The KALIBAPI was appointed as a strong right arm of the Japanese occupational forces of the Philippines. While the PEC consisted of many former members of the
Commonwealth, President Quezon and Vice President Osmeña of the Commonwealth were forced to flee the country.
Economic control In addition to the reallocation of food resources, the Japanese military government maintained tight economic control over the Philippine Republic by controlling the price of goods and services and taking control over private assets. Cooperation with the occupying government by Philippine authorities was common, Enterprises which were allied with the imperial government aided the Japanese by taking acquisition of key industries in the Philippine economy. The Japanese government also exerted its power over the Philippine National Bank in order to control the Philippine economy as well as contribute to the war effort. The Philippine economy's rapid decline during Japanese occupation contributed to post-war anti-Japan sentiments. As the occupying government tried to maintain its control over the Philippine Republic, the public's attitude toward the government became increasingly strained, and the Japanese government resorted to even harsher treatment of its subjects. On the same day, a Pact of Alliance was signed between the new Philippine Republic and the Japanese government that was ratified two days later by the National Assembly. The Philippine Republic was immediately recognized by Japan, and in the succeeding days by
Germany,
Thailand,
Manchukuo,
Burma,
Croatia and
Italy while
neutral Spain sent its "greetings." The first act the National Assembly and the Laurel administration passed was the creation on December 3, 1943, the Food Administration Office that grouped together under its umbrella all existing food control agencies. The new administration that was crafted out of the establishment of a Japanese-sponsored Philippine Executive Commission was barely managing a food shortage that grappled the whole country, allocating basic food stuffs left available by the Japanese military who prioritized allocation in favor of sustaining their war efforts. == Composition ==