Commonwealth of the Philippines

Commonwealth of the Philippines
source
Conventional long name	Commonwealth of the Philippines
Native name	Komónwelt ng Pilipinas (Filipino), Mancomunidad de Filipinas (Spanish)
Era	Interwar period • World War II
Status	Associated state
Empire	United States
Government type	Unitary dominant-party presidential constitutional republic
Year start	1935
Date start	November 15
Year end	1946
Date end	July 4
P1	Insular Government of the Philippine Islands
S1	Second Philippine Republic
S2	Philippines
Flag s2	Flag of the Philippines (1936–1985, 1986–1998).svg
Symbol type	Great Seal
National anthem	"Philippine National Anthem", File:Philippine National Anthem (Instrumental).ogg
Capital	Manila, (1935–1941, 1945–1946), Corregidor, (1942), Washington, D.C., (Exiled government, 1942–1945), Baguio, (1945), Iloilo City, (1942), Cebu City, (1942), Bacolod, (1942), Danao, (1942), Oroquieta, (1942), Bukidnon, (1942)
Common languages	Filipino • Spanish • English, Other regional languages
Title leader	President
Leader1	Manuel L. Quezon
Year leader1	1935–1944
Leader2	Sergio Osmeña
Year leader2	1944–1946
Leader3	Manuel Roxas
Year leader3	1946
Title deputy	Vice President
Deputy1	Sergio Osmeña
Year deputy1	1935–1944
Deputy2	Elpidio Quirino
Year deputy2	1946
Legislature	National Assembly, (1935–1941), Congress, (1945–1946)
Currency	Philippine peso

Commonwealth of the Philippines was a transitional administrative body that governed the Philippines from 1935 to 1946, replacing the Insular Government and preceding full sovereignty. Established under the Tydings–McDuffie Act, it was designed as a ten-year period of self-governance under United States supervision to prepare the nation for complete independence. The period was dominated by the Nacionalista Party and its first president, Manuel L. Quezon, but was profoundly disrupted by the Pacific War and Japanese occupation.

History

The Commonwealth was created following decades of revolutionary struggle and political campaigning by Filipino leaders like Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña. The passage of the Hare–Hawes–Cutting Act and its successor, the Tydings–McDuffie Act, by the United States Congress provided the legal framework. The 1935 Philippine Constitution was ratified in a plebiscite, and the first national elections were held, resulting in a victory for Manuel L. Quezon over rivals such as Emilio Aguinaldo and Gregorio Aglipay. The formal inauguration occurred on November 15 in the presence of High Commissioner Frank Murphy.

Government and politics

The government operated under a unitary presidential constitutional republic framework established by the 1935 Philippine Constitution. Executive power was vested in the President of the Philippines, with Manuel L. Quezon and later Sergio Osmeña leading the dominant Nacionalista Party. The legislature was initially a unicameral National Assembly, restored to a bicameral Congress of the Philippines in 1945. Key political figures included Vice President Sergio Osmeña, House Speaker José Yulo, and Senate President Manuel Roxas. The Supreme Court of the Philippines was headed by Chief Justice José Abad Santos.

Economy and society

Economic policy focused on social justice programs and national economic preparation, encapsulated in Quezon's "Social Justice" agenda. The government established the National Economic Council and pursued land reform through the National Land Settlement Administration. Major infrastructure projects were undertaken, often in collaboration with American advisors like Dwight D. Eisenhower. The period saw the promotion of Filipino language and national identity, with institutions like the Institute of National Language being established. Public education expanded significantly under the Department of Education.

World War II and the Japanese occupation

The Commonwealth's development was catastrophically interrupted by the outbreak of the Pacific War. Following the invasion by the Imperial Japanese Army, Manuel L. Quezon and his war cabinet, including Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur, evacuated to Corregidor and later to the United States, establishing a government-in-exile in Washington, D.C.. The Battle of Bataan and the subsequent Bataan Death March marked a brutal chapter. The Japanese established the puppet republic under José P. Laurel. Resistance was carried out by groups like the Hukbalahap and USAFFE guerrillas throughout the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

Transition to independence

Following the Allied liberation led by Douglas MacArthur and the recapture of Manila, the Commonwealth government was restored under President Sergio Osmeña after the death of Manuel L. Quezon in Saranac Lake. The first post-war elections in April 1946 were won by Manuel Roxas of the newly formed Liberal Party, defeating Sergio Osmeña. The United States Congress passed the Philippine Rehabilitation Act and the Bell Trade Act, which shaped post-independence economic relations. As scheduled, full sovereignty was transferred on July 4, marking the end of the Commonwealth and the birth of the Third Philippine Republic. Serguezon and the Philippines|Commonwealth of the Philippines|Commonwealth of the Philippines|Philippines|Philippines|Philippines|Philippines|Philippines|Philippines|Philippines|Transition to the Philippines|Philippines|transition to the Philippines|Philippines|Philippines