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Jorge B. Vargas (right) with Japanese General Homma (center-front), 1943
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The next day following the occupation of the City of Manila by the Imperial Japanese Forces on January 2, 1942, the Japanese Commander-in-Chief proclaimed the Military Administration under martial law over the districts occupied by the Army. In said proclamation, it was provided that "so far as the Military Administration permits, all the laws now in force in the Commonwealth, as well as executive and judicial institutions, shall continue to be effective for the time being as in the past", and "all public officials shall remain in their present posts and carry on faithfully their duties as before".


The PEC abolished all political parties on December 8, 1942, by virtue of Proclamation No. 109 creating the "Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas" (Organization in the Service of the New Philippines) or better known then as the "KALIBAPI."


The "KALIBAPI" was established to aim at the mental education, moral regeneration, physical invigoration, and economic rehabilitation of the Philippines under the guidance of the Japanese Military Administration. It was tasked to foster strong cooperation with the Japanese as part of the Order Great East Asia that promotes the lifting of the "great Oriental race." The "KALIBAPI" was appointed as a strong right arm of the Japanese occupational forces of the Philippines.


On October 14, 1943, the Republic of the Philippines, during the Japanse occupation, was inaugurated with Jose Laurel as President. It is said that Vargas was asked to assume the presidency but declined.


Jorge B. Vargas was born on August 24, 1890 in Bago, Negros Occidental. He was a lawyer and diplomat. He graduated valedictorian from Negros Occidental High School in 1909 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1911 and a Bachelor of Law degree with honors in 1914, both from the University of the Philippines. He was a founding member of the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (now the Philippine Olympic Committee) in 1911 and served in its Executive Committee in 1918. He served as its second Chairman from 1935 to 1955. He was also the first Filipino member of the International Olympic Committee.


After being admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1914, he was appointed as law clerk in the Philippine Commission. He quickly rose through the ranks and was promoted to the position of Chief Clerk of the Department of the Interior in 1917. In 1918 he served as the legislative secretary to Speaker Sergio Osmeña of the House of Representatives and in 1936 was appointed by President Manuel L. Quezon as his Executive Secretary, becoming the first in the country to serve in such a position.


Vargas served as Chairman of the National Planning Commission from 1946–1954 and was a member of the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines from 1961-1965. In 1960, the Republic of the Philippines conferred on him the Legion of Honor with the rank of Commander.


Vargas died on February 22, 1980.




Sources: 

<ol class="article-sources">
<li>
The law of treason : (including other crimes againts national security) by Vicente J. Fransisco, Manila, April 1945
</li>
<li>
Wikipedia
</li>
</ol>

Today in Phillippine history, January 23, 1942, Jorge Vargas was appointed chairman of Philippine Executive Commission