Japanese Period
Japanese Period
Background
The Japanese period is known as the era with the most brutalities in Philippine history. Unlike our previous capturers, the Japanese had no shame in hiding the cruelty that they imposed on the Filipino people. With their aim of capturing the Philippines in a span of 50 days, they did not hold back on the means of getting what they wanted. No one could escape the torture and hardships, and some could not even escape death. The Japanese had motives. They wanted the Filipinos to stray from the western culture, and become part of the east-asia co prosperity sphere. They wanted a complete reformation of the people, for them to forget about their materialistic ways and to focus on vocational education and love of labor. Whenever someone would go against what they wanted, they would result to imprisonment and torture. They had no mercy for those that they suspected were against them.
Conditions of the Prison The Kempei-Tai, or the Japanese military police would usually pick up Filipinos on the streets or in their houses, and throw them in prison cells either in Fort Santiago, in Bilibid prison, or in any compound that the Japanese have taken over. Some accounts say that the Japanese would keep them in small rooms, with nothing to do. Whenever they would look out the window, all they could see were ill-fed and unhappy Filipinos roaming the streets. Everyday, they would do the same things, and they would be fed tasteless and inadequate food twice a day. Most times, it’s just boiled vegetables and rice. Sometimes, they would add fish to the prisoners’ food, but only the heads and the parts that they have thrown in the garbage. One source told his story of being kept in a hospital by the Japanese. He mentioned that two garbage dumpsters were located right outside the building where they were staying in, so flies would come in thousands each day. Whenever they would close their eyes, after about five minutes, the bed would be covered
Background
The Japanese period is known as the era with the most brutalities in Philippine history. Unlike our previous capturers, the Japanese had no shame in hiding the cruelty that they imposed on the Filipino people. With their aim of capturing the Philippines in a span of 50 days, they did not hold back on the means of getting what they wanted. No one could escape the torture and hardships, and some could not even escape death. The Japanese had motives. They wanted the Filipinos to stray from the western culture, and become part of the east-asia co prosperity sphere. They wanted a complete reformation of the people, for them to forget about their materialistic ways and to focus on vocational education and love of labor. Whenever someone would go against what they wanted, they would result to imprisonment and torture. They had no mercy for those that they suspected were against them.
Conditions of the Prison The Kempei-Tai, or the Japanese military police would usually pick up Filipinos on the streets or in their houses, and throw them in prison cells either in Fort Santiago, in Bilibid prison, or in any compound that the Japanese have taken over. Some accounts say that the Japanese would keep them in small rooms, with nothing to do. Whenever they would look out the window, all they could see were ill-fed and unhappy Filipinos roaming the streets. Everyday, they would do the same things, and they would be fed tasteless and inadequate food twice a day. Most times, it’s just boiled vegetables and rice. Sometimes, they would add fish to the prisoners’ food, but only the heads and the parts that they have thrown in the garbage. One source told his story of being kept in a hospital by the Japanese. He mentioned that two garbage dumpsters were located right outside the building where they were staying in, so flies would come in thousands each day. Whenever they would close their eyes, after about five minutes, the bed would be covered