The Preparatory Committee for Philippine Independence (PCPI) was the drafting body of the 1943 Philippine Constitution during the

Japanese occupation of the Philippines The Japanese occupation of the Philippines (Filipino language, Filipino: ''Pananakop ng mga Hapones sa Pilipinas''; ) occurred between 1942 and 1945, when the Empire of Japan, Japanese Empire occupied the Commonwealth of the Philippines during Wo ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The constitution was signed and unanimously approved on September 4, 1943, by its members and was then ratified by a popular convention of the KALIBAPI in

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

on September 7, 1943.

Background

In mid-1942, Japanese Premier

Hideki Tōjō was a Japanese general and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1941 to 1944 during the Second World War. His leadership was marked by widespread state violence and mass killings perpetrated in the name of Japanese nationalis ...

had promised the Filipinos "the honor of independence" which meant that the committee would be supplanted by a formal republic. The PCPI was welcomed by some, especially by Filipino nationalists who had long-awaited of a "Genuine Asiatic independence". The PCPI was composed, in large part, of members of the prewar Philippine National Assembly and of individuals with experience as delegates to the convention that had drafted the

1935 Philippine Constitution The Constitution of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas'' or ''Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas'') is the supreme law of the Philippines. Its final draft was completed by the Constitutional Commission on October 12, 1986, and ra ...

. The 1943 draft constitution was limited in duration; provided for

indirect election An indirect election or ''hierarchical voting,'' is an election in which voters do not choose directly among candidates or parties for an office ( direct voting system), but elect people who in turn choose candidates or parties. It is one of the o ...

of the legislature; and a stronger executive branch.

Leadership

Presidents

José P. Laurel José Paciano Laurel y García (March 9, 1891 – November 6, 1959) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, and judge, who served as the President of the Second Philippine Republic from 1943 to 1945, which was a Japanese ally during World War II. ...

Vice Presidents

* Benigno Aquino, Sr. * Ramon Avanceña

Other members

Jorge B. Vargas Jorge Bartolomé Vargas y Celis (August 24, 1890 – February 22, 1980) was a Filipino lawyer, diplomat and youth advocate born in Bago, Negros Occidental, Philippines. He graduated valedictorian from Negros Occidental High School in 1909 an ...

Antonio de las Alas Antonio de las Alas y Noble (October 14, 1889 – October 5, 1983) was a Filipino politician and business leader. Biography Antonio de las Alas was an acting Secretary of the Interior, four-term representative of the 1st district of Batang ...

Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who became the first List of presidents of the Philippines, president of the Philippines (1899–1901), and the first pre ...

* Claro M. Recto *

Quintin Paredes Quintin (; ) is a commune in the Cotes-d'Armor department (Brittany (administrative region), Brittany region) in the northwest of France from Saint-Brieuc, the department capital. History The area around Quintin has been occupied since the Neo ...

José Yulo José Yulo Yulo Sr. (September 24, 1894 – October 27, 1976) was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines (May 7, 1942 – July 9, 1945) during the Japanese Occupation and was Speaker of the National Assembly of the Philippines ...

* Vicente Madrigal *

Manuel Roxas Manuel Acuña Roxas (; January 1, 1892 – April 15, 1948) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the fifth president of the Philippines from 1946 until his death in 1948. He served briefly as the third and last President of the ...

* Alauya Alonto * Emiliano Tria Tirona *

Melecio Arranz Melecio Arranz y Alivin (May 24, 1888 – April 24, 1966) was a Filipino politician and engineer, born in Alcala, Cagayan. Early life and career He obtained his degree of Bachelor of Arts from Colegio de San Albero Magno and his Bachelor ...

Camilo Osías Camilo Olaviano Osías Sr. (born Camilo Osías y Olaviano; March 23, 1889 – May 20, 1976), was a Filipino people, Filipino politician, twice for a short time President of the Senate of the Philippines. Along with American Mary A. Lane, Osías ...

* Rafael Alunan * Pedro Sabido * Teofilo Sison * Manuel C. Briones *

Drafting

External links

* * {{Authority control Political history of the Philippines History of the Congress of the Philippines Philippines in World War II 1943 establishments in the Philippines Organizations established in 1943