The Short- lived Japanese
Period
When the
Second World War broke out, the airport of Davao City was bombed by the
Japanese planes (camouflaged as U.S. planes) on December 8, 1941. But the
actual landing of the Japanese Imperial Forces was on December 20, 1941, a
couple of weeks after the bombing. When the fearful Dabawenyos heard that the
Japanese soldiers have landed, they evacuated to the outskirts but some opted
to stay in the city. Davao was occupied by the Japanese Forces under the
command of Admiral Shiroya. The Japanese settlers in Davao, planters as well
laborers, became soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Army. These Japanese,
together with the soldier of the invading forces, became the occupation units
and controlled Davao City. Those who came as business executives during the
late 30’s turned out to be military majors and colonels.
When order
was reestablished in the city, Engineer Alfonso Oboza became the mayor followed
for a while by Atty. Donato Endriga. When peace and tranquility reigned in the
community, most of the people who evacuated to the outskirts came back to the
poblacion. The prevailing means of livelihood of most of the people were
farming, ,”buy and sell” business. Salt making (by boiling seawater) became an
industry.
Public
elementary and secondary schools in the poblacion were opened and the Japanese
language (Nippongo) was taught to the students side by side with the National
Language and English but few students attended classes. Life seemed not normal
to many Filipinos because many were victims of the atrocities committed by the
Japanese soldiers. Clothes were difficult to secure and food became a big
problem.
About the
end of the Japanese rule in Davao when the city was constantly bombarded by the
American Air Forces, the seat of government was transferred to Tugbok, west of
the city proper. Again, it was moved to the hills of Tamugan.
The Liberation of Davao
City (1945-1946)
The
Davaoenos were awaiting expectantly the coming of the Liberators. For some
months before the Americans actually landed and liberated Davao City, The
Filipinos were already aware of the impending invasion because of the frequent
aerial reconnaissance of American B29 planes during night time. The United
States Air Force began the series of night air raids against Japanese positions
in Davao. Because of the situation, many Filipino families left the poblacion,
where the Japanese were concentrated, and evacuated to the outskirts in order
to be safe. In their places of evacuation families had to eat their supper as
early as 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon everyday just to avoid the use of
lighted lamps in the evening. People had to sleep early at night but when bombs
were heard dropped they scamper for safety and rushed to the air-raid shelters
which they themselves built. As weeks and months passed by the situation got
from bad to worse because of the frequent bombings by Americans B29 planes of
their Japanese targets, many Filipino families evacuated and sought refuge in
the far and high mountains where they can be safe. There they planted corn,
camotes, and vegetables for subsistence. The American Air Forces held on to
their continual night air attacks.
The
Filipino families who opted to be left behind in the poblacion, because either
they were proud to stay or brave enough to face the consequences, come what
may, were tortured, their houses pillaged, and were massacred by the retreating
Japanese soldiers when the latter learned that the American-Filipino liberators
were already advancing. However, some members of the families massacred were
able to save their necks in the process when they feigned death that the
Japanese left them for dead.
Unlike
in the Leyte, Pangasinan and Nasugbu, Batangas invasions where the American
Forces landed on beach heads, Davao liberators composed of Philippine-American
soldiers came all the way from Cotabato by land.
As
early as April 17, 1945, the assault units of the 24th Division of
the United States Forces landed in Mindanao in the area of Cotabato on the west
coast. The Americans landing forces made rapid progress meeting no opposition
from the Japanese took Parang.
The
same 24th Division began a combined amphibious and land operation
against Fort Pikit, in cotabato. The Filipino-American forces advanced to
within four miles of Davao taking Talomo and the airfields at Daliao. Then on
May 2nd the troops ran into determined resistance by the Japanese on
the Davao River but managed to establish a small bridgehead over it. On May 3rd
units of the 24th Division occupied the ruins of Davao City. The
Liberation Forces were under Maj. Gen. Woodruff.
The
troops of Lt. Col. Thomas Clifford of the United States 24th
Division were the first to liberate the Davao City poblacion from the Japanese
Imperial Forces. (Lt. Col. Thomas Clifford earlier received the Distinguished
Service Cross, a Presidential unit Citation for his action in the Battle of
Leyte Gulf). But it was in Davao City where Lt. Col. Clifford was killed in
action that a park was named in his honor after the Liberation.
As
soon as the Filipinos who evacuated to the far-flung areas and mountains heard
of the arrival of the Liberation Forces composed of Filipino-American soldiers,
they came down to the poblacion to join the other jubilant Filipinos who stayed
behind but were spared of Japanese atrocities. After all the sufferings
experienced by many Filipinos during the Japanese occupation they became happy
again because they were free again to move about without fear. The G.I. Joes
(as the American Liberation soldiers were called then) distributed to the
Filipinos the food and other things they bought along. Life returned to normal
again when Davao was liberated from the Japanese occupation that peace, unity
and progress now reign.
The
vast landholdings of the Japanese in Davao were reverted to the Philippine
government after liberation. These same tracts of land were given to our
soldiers and civilians.
Among
the officials who came back to Davao City after the Liberation was Atty.
Pantaleon, Sr. He was again appointed as City Mayor. Apolinario Cabigon
succeeded Mayor Pelayo when the latter was assigned to Zamboanga. After Mayor
Cabigon, Atty. Fundador Villafuerte served as City Mayor up to June 1946.
Davao
City’s onward march to progress took place after the Liberation Period. The
principal industries were logging, copra, banana, corn, ramie, mining and
fishing. When the logging industry declined, next to flourish was the banana
industry. The coconut industry emerged as the Philippine’s biggest dollar
producing and earning industry after the Second World War.
Updated on April 13, 2017@8:02pm by Rhey Mark H. Diaz
Updated on April 13, 2017@8:02pm by Rhey Mark H. Diaz
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