1. A Report on: Society, Economy, Politics & Government During Japanese Occupation of the Philippines (a.k.a. Of rice & papaya leaves)

2. The Filipino’s lack of initiative and capital led the foreigners, particularly the Americans , the Chinese and the Japanese, to invest heavily in various industries and business enterprise. The foreign capitalists centered their attention on the extractive industries, mining and lumbering. At the outbreak of the war:

3. American investment - 537M
200M sugar, coconut & abaca plantations, mining lumber operations and public utility enterprises
  Chinese investment – 200M
Japanese investment – 100M
Spanish investment – 180M
Other foreign nationals – 180M
The retail trade of the country was almost entirely in the hands of the Chinese

4. Japanese textiles began to invade the Philippine market when the US and Japan entered into an agreement allowing the latter to “supply the Philippines with half of its textile requirements”.
Thus, in 1941 Japan found herself enmeshed in diplomatic difficulties which arose out of her desire to expand economically to the region of East and Southeast Asia. Such expansion necessarily demanded strong armed forces depended on Japan’s economic puissance. Thus born the idea of “Co-prosperity Sphere”… (pp 516 – 517)

5. The Japanese laid out plan designed reorganize the economy of what they called “Area A” which embraced British Malaya, the Dutch East Indies, Borneo, and the Philippines.
The plans envisaged securing all necessary resources with which to carry on the war and the prevention of the inflow of the resources of the countries comprising “Area A” to the enemy countries, namely, the US and Great Britain.

6. Economic Strategy:
Outline of Japan’s economic blueprint (broad policies):
The acquisition of materials necessary for Japan’s war efforts.
The striving for the self-sufficiency of the Japanese troops in a particular country through the exploitation of the natural resources of that country.

7. Jan. 5, 1942 – issuance of Notification by the Imperial Japanese Army urging manufacturers and dealers (in arms, ammunition, food products, textile, etc.) to return immediately to their occupations and to make their representations to the Headquarters of the Imperial Japanese Forces in the Philippines.

8. Before the end of January, men, women and children began to learn their first lessons in “buy and sell”: looted canned goods, American cigarettes , imported wines and liquors, and other goods were being peddled along busy streets.

9. The situation was not relieved by the Japanese introducing to the public the Japanese military notes or military pass-money as currency on par with the Philippine peso.
The reluctance and refusal of the venders to accept the “war notes’ which were stamped with different symbols, led the Japanese authorities to issue a “Notification” to the effect that the Peso military notes found on the face thereof have absolutely nothing to do with their genuineness and value.

10. action
The continuous flow of the “war notes” and the accompanying dearth of consumer goods led to extremely high prices of commodities. Hoarding, profiteering and black marketing became common practice

11. Reaction:
To ease the financial situation, the Japanese authorities ordered the opening of the Yokohama Specie Bank, the Bank of Taiwan and the Mutual Credit Association of Japanese in Manila. PNB, BPI, Bank of Commerce.

12. Cotton Action: Reaction:
With the outbreak of the war in the Pacific, Japan was deprived of her rich source of cotton importation for she was now at war with the US, and her Indian, Chinese and Egyptian sources were cut off owing to the outbreak of the European war in 1939.
Reaction:
Japan had to look elsewhere for new sources of cotton supply in order to meet not only local demand, but the demands of her war machine. Hence Japan’s interest in converting excess sugar lands in the Philippines to cotton lands….(p.528)

13. Shortage in Cotton
Lack of spindles
Low cotton yield
Japanese policy of manufacturing cotton goods for the Japanese military

14. Ramie
Action: Cotton growing was followed by a campaign to develop the production of ramie.
Reaction:
The step was taken to ensure an adequate supply of raw materials for clothing, find a substitute for cotton fiber and at the same time develop and reconstruct Philippine agriculture.

16. Reasons for Failure
Delay in the commencement of the work in the fields due to the late arrival of the personnel of the cotton managing companies;
The unfavorable climatic conditions which brought too much rain soon after the seeds germination;
The unusual drought since December followed by heavy-attack of pests and diseases;
The inexperience of the farmers in cotton culture.

17. JUTE  
There was also a plan to increase the production of jute for the purpose of insuring “an adequate supply of raw materials for gunny bags and others.

19. Rice
Rice was becoming scarce not only because the farmers in general were producing only enough for themselves and their families but because the Japanese helped themselves to whatever rice there was in the warehouses and sheds of the farmers.
May 14, 1942 – Vargas issued an executive order initiating a “nation-wide campaign for the cultivation of rice, corn, camote, cassava, gabi, and other short-time food crops suited to local conditions.

20. Real Situation
In spite of government campaign the shortage continued to be acute. The result was black marketing, profiteering and hoarding of essential commodities…. (p.537)
The condition spawn immoral transactions and influence peddling even among some City Hall Officials and employees.
Mayor Leon Guinto forced to issue a general circular …. …( p. 538 ) to curb rampant graft and corruption in the city markets but these fell on deaf ears.

21. Symbolic Words Action: “Mayroon ba tayo riyan?” Anything for us,
“Kumusta tayo?” How are we?
The us and we, employed with finesse became the keys to the vendor’s strictly guarded beef, pork, rice or eggs.
Reaction: The vendor having shut up the mouth of the City Hall employees, avenged himself on the consumers by increasing the price of the food stuffs many-fold.

22. Media Played
Only the Japanese authorities could tell accurately whether the Japanese workers were carrying the sacks of rice to or from the Manila Harbor.
City newspapers tried to console the people by assurances of a sufficient supply of rice. The daily experiences belied the newspaper accounts. Thus, the derisive term “Tribune price” ---presyong diyaryo .
News items and photographs of rice coming from other parts of Southeast Asia, but the photographs were deceptive

23. Action Reaction Rice smuggling Hunger stalked the city (p. 544)
 Action
1. Issued an ordinance designed to control the supply and distribution of rice and corn “in order to secure an equal distribution of those commodities as required by the present emergency. ….
(p. 544)
Reaction
Rice smuggling
Hunger stalked the city
--- Men, women and children were in the streets begging and imploring the passers-by for money or a slice of bread.

24. 2. Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of the Ordinance “shall be punished with a fine of not exceeding ten thousand pesos or imprisonment of not exceeding ten years…
Food situation was irretrievable ---Producers and threshers of rice found loopholes or excuse to continue selling the harvest at astronomical prices. The Japanese continue depending upon the Filipino farmers for their food supply ---with the help of the bayonet or samurai sword

25. Government’s Action
Laurel issued ordinance providing for the “cultivation of all available lands for production of food crops.”“Magtanim upang mabuhay” .
  By the middle of 1944, a great number of people were no longer eating rice but leaves, corn and cassava.
Rationing of some food items continued but it was not even enough for two persons.

26. Government’s Action
Agencies such as NARIC, PRIMCO, Food Control Association, Manila Fishing Association and even Food Administration Office were created to assure “an adequate supply and equitable distribution of foods and other articles essential to the needs of daily….but the more regulations and rules were issued the more essential commodities, particularly rice, disappeared from the market.

27. Collapsed of Filipino Values
The people had come to accept irregularities in the distribution of prime necessities as part of the “game”.
It was a source of wonder and astonishment to many people why there were a few naïve and honest men who continued to live by their “old-fashioned” honesty. Cheating was the rule.

28. Economy
Reaction
There was very little that Laurel could do under the circumstances for the Japanese were backed up by the might of their armed forces. It was the fear of this might that Section 7 and 8, article XI in the Constitution was inserted:… (p 554)
Action
One bright spot in the overall picture of the economy was the transfer of the retail trade from Chinese to Filipino hands.
Filipino control of the retail trade did not erase the fact that the national was reeling under Japanese dominance.

29. Government
This intention to control the Philippines economically even the declaration of independence was obvious in two memoranda: “Memorandum on Questions Between Japan and the Philippines Arising from Independence” and the “Basic Principles and Policies”.
These memoranda outlined the “understanding” arrived “for the compete Japanese control of all major industries together with the major industrial establishments in the Philippines, including mines, sugar mills, machinery, manufacturing, etc. etc.”..
(p. 555)

30. The year 1944 was the worst under the Japanese.
Action
Japanese resorted to compulsion to get from the Filipinos
Starvation led thousands of city people to migrate to the hinterland to escape death not only from shrapnel but more so from hunger.
Reaction:
Barrio men and women true to their traditional hospitality and moved by compassion, gave the fugitives food and drink and offered their humble abode to the weary and weak.

31. FILIPINO CUSTOM OF DAMAYAN AND HOSPITALITY
Danza:
 Kung ang hanap mo ay ligaya sa buhay,
Sa Libis ng nayon doon manirahan;
Tagabukid man, may gintong kalooban;
Kayaman at dangal ng kabukiran.

32. GOVERNMENT’S ACTIONS
Laurel continued exerting efforts to help the people carry their cross. He abolished NARIC upon hearing its graft and corruption engagements (p. 557)
Created Bigasang Bayan (BIBA) to take charge of the control of production, supply and distribution of rice and such other cereals. The aims of BIBA: …
(pp )
Laurel abolished the National Planning Board and created in Economic Planning Board, chairman by Manuel Roxas.

33. FILIPINO’S REACTION: Coping Mechanism
Smuggling of rice from one locality to another could not be stopped, for the smugglers either had the money or the rice or both with which to pay off the authorities who were supposed to implement the laws. Rice hoarding and speculation became rampant, and the guardians of the law became its violators. It was a simple case of “to each his own” ---“matira ang matibay”.

34. House Rental
When the war broke out thousands of residents left Manila, thus forcing the landlords to lowered their house rental. When conditions returned to normal, rental gradually increased until it became oppressive. (Provisions on house rentals p. 566)

35. Buy and Sell
“Buy and Sell” Business - consisting of all basic commodities, to all kinds of machineries and practically everything from secondhand nails to second hand clothes.

36. Improvise Food Substitutes
Families ate substitutes like sweet potato, cassava, gabe, green leaves, etc.
“Operation Sisid Rice”
Cow’s milk - rice or corn served with coconut milk
Tea - mango or avocado leaves
Cigarette - papaya leaves
cigarette paper – newsprint
Soap
Ukay - ukay ( p. 583)
Meat served were cats, rats or dead babies -
and even dogs

37. Any second hand suit or dress was diyenwain.
Cigarette - if its light died several times
Liquor – manufacture directly from alcohol
Coffee – made of roasted rice or corn
Cows milk - coconut milk
Widow – with several children
Girl – seen in the company of several men at different times
Aspirin tablets - starch manufactured into tablets
Gold fillings of teeth - North and La Loma Cemetery

38. Status Symbols Shifted
From the wealthy to the much-maligned peasants.
The farmers, whose position now became enviable owing to their possession of the precious grain, happily exchanged their surplus rice with the property of the wealthy and the socially prominent.

39. RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND MORALITY COLLAPSED
In the face of starvation and disease, many people ignored morality in order to live.
The instinct to survive subordinate all other instincts to it and made men and women ruthless and unprincipled
Physician illegal manufactured of popular brand of medicine
Lawyer engaged in forgery and other illegal practices
Policemen found themselves in quandary
Parents selling their children
Society girls, matron, film star having affair with Japanese officials

40. Society had become an untamed jungle in which men and women and even children fought one another for no other purpose than to survive.
People committed sins, venial and moral, not because they were naturally pervert, but because in the rough rugged context of the times the overruling passion was that of SURVIVAL.