For Filipinos, For Japanese: The Significance of Some of President Jose P. Laurel’s Decisions to Philippine-Japan Relations

As a president of the Republic of the Philippines, Jose P. Laurel acted as a true president and primarily thought of what is best for the Philippines. It is a fact that the period of his presidency was different compared to the period of other political leaders but he tried his very best to balance things. He faced the pressures given by the Japanese and thought of the rights of the Filipinos. These things were evident in his acts, speeches, messages, and statements. This paper presents some of those decisions made by Laurel that became significant to the Philippine-Japan relations. The decisions of Laurel were powerful during the time of his presidency. This paper covers only the period, 1942-1945. This paper does not cover all those significant acts and decisions done by Laurel. Thus, the researcher chooses only those, which are considered essential to show and justify the significance of the decisions, actions and words of Laurel to Philippine-Japan relations. The compilation of speeches, messages and statements of Jose P. Laurel that was published by the Lyceum of the Philippines serves as the main reference. To further enhance the work, different books about Jose P. Laurel and other publications helpful to the study is utilized. The leadership characteristics of Laurel are evident in his decisions. He was always after balancing things and favoring both Japanese and Filipinos. He was a proponent of peace, an economic stabilizer and a defender of human rights.