February 27, 1945: MacArthur restores Philippine Commonwealth

MacArthur
General MacArthur restores the Philippine Commonwealth.

On this day in history, legendary American General Douglas MacArthur signed the papers to restore the Philippine Commonwealth.

General Douglas MacArthur declared that on the behalf of the Government of the United States, “the full powers and responsibilities under the Constitution restored to the Commonwealth of the Philippines whose seat is here reestablished as provided by law”.

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The declaration is the culmination to restore the Philippines which began on October 23, 1944, in Tacloban – shortly after MacArthur returned to the Philippines in the famous Leyte Landing. This was the legendary fulfilment of his promise made years earlier that “I shall return”.

MacArthur escaped to Australia from Corregidor on March 11, 1942, to avoid capture by Japanese Forces.

At the ceremonies in Malacañang, President Osmeña declared that the executive and judicial branches of the Government would be reestablished immediately. On this same day, by executive order, he not only restored all of the executive departments as they existed before the war, with some necessary modifications, but also called on “all duly elected members of our Congress who have remained steadfast in their allegiance to our Government during the period of the enemy occupation, to be in readiness to meet in Manila as soon as conditions permit of the reestablishment of the Legislative Branch”.

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