1945 in the Philippines

Incumbents

Philippine Commonwealth

President: Sergio Osmeña Chief Justice:

* José Yulo '
* Manuel Moran 'Congress: [1st Congress of the Philippines|Congress of the Commonwealth of the Philippines|1st]

Second Philippine Republic

President: José P. Laurel '
Prime Minister: Jorge B. Vargas '
Chief Justice:
* José Yulo '
* Manuel Moran '
Vice President: Benigno Aquino, Sr. '
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Claro M. Recto '
Minister of Justice: Quintin Trance
Minister of Home Affairs: Teofilo Sison ''''

Events

January

January–September – Battle of Maguindanao
January 6–9 – Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
January 9–August 15 – Battle of Luzon
January 30 – Raid at Cabanatuan: 121 American soldiers and 800 Filipino guerrillas free 813 American Prisoners of war from the Japanese-held camp in the city of Cabanatuan in the Philippines.
January 31–February 21 – Battle of Bataan (1945)

February

February 3–March 3 – Battle of Manila United States forces enter the outskirts of Manila to capture it from the Japanese Imperial Army, starting the battle.
February 5 – The first jeepney arrives in Manila.
February 7 – General Douglas MacArthur returns to Manila.
February 16–26 – Battle of Corregidor American and Filipino ground forces land on Corregidor Island in the Philippines.
February 16 – Combined American and Filipino forces recapture the Bataan Peninsula.
February 21–April 26 – Battle of Baguio (1945).
February 23:
* Raid at Los Baños – The 11th Airborne Division, with Filipino guerrillas, freed the captives of the Los Baños internment camp.
* The capital of the Philippines, Manila, is liberated by combined American and Filipino ground troops.
* American and Filipino troops enter Intramuros, Manila.
February 28–April 22 – Invasion of Palawan.

July

July 4 – MacArthur declares the military campaign on Luzon as closed.
July 5 – The Philippines is declared liberated.

August

August 17 – Philippines President José P. Laurel issues an Executive Proclamation putting an end to the Second Philippine Republic, thus ending to his term as President of the Philippines.

September

September 2 – Japanese general Tomoyuki Yamashita surrenders to Filipino and American forces at Kiangan, Ifugao.
September 26 – The province of Catanduanes is created through Commonwealth Act No. 687.

Holidays

As per Act No. 2711 section 29, issued on March 10, 1917, any legal holiday of fixed date falls on Sunday, the next succeeding day shall be observed as legal holiday. Sundays are also considered legal religious holidays. Bonifacio Day was added through Philippine Legislature Act No. 2946. It was signed by then-Governor General Francis Burton Harrison in 1921. On October 28, 1931, the Act No. 3827 was approved declaring the last Sunday of August as National Heroes Day.

Births

January 8 – Rolando Guaves, Filipino cyclist.
January 28 – Bernardo Bernardo, actor
January 30 – Boots Anson-Roa – Filipino actress, columnist, editor, and lecturer.
February 2 – Eric Eloriaga, Filipino broadcaster
February 15 – Julian Daan, radio personality, actor, comedian, incumbent Talisay City, Cebu councilor, former Cebu provincial board member and vice-governor
February 22 - Peter Musñgi, Voice Over Talent of Kapamilya Channel and DZMM, and Radio News Host of DZMM's "Balitapatan".
March 6 – Angelo Castro, Jr., Filipino broadcast journalist and actor.
March 11 – Jose Mari Chan – Chinese Filipino singer, songwriter and businessman
March 17 – Angelo Reyes – Filipino general and politician
March 18 – Anthony Villanueva – Filipino Olympic Boxer
March 23 – Val Sotto, singer, composer, comedian and Filipino actor.
March 26 – Josephine Acosta Pasricha – Filipino indologist
March 28 – Rodrigo Duterte – 16th President of the Philippines, was Arrested by President Bongbong Marcos of Marcos Jr. Administration and ICC last March 10, 2025.
April 19 – Ignacio Bunye – Filipino public official
May 7 – Helen Gamboa, veteran Actress, former beauty queen and singer
May 20 – Ernesto Presas, founder of Filipino martial arts system Kombatan.
June 3:
* Benhur Salimbangon – Filipino Politician
* Ramon Jacinto – Filipino musician, radio jockey, TV host and entrepreneur.
June 15 – Miriam Defensor Santiago – Filipino Politician
June 27 - Jose Miguel Arroyo, former First Gentleman of the Philippines.
July 23 – Philippe Jones Lhuillier, Filipino diplomat, businessman and philanthropist.
August 5 – Richard Gordon, politician
August 20 – Pete Lacaba, Filipino film writer, editor, poet, screenwriter, journalist and translator.
September 8 – Cheche Lazaro, Filipina broadcast journalist
September 13 – Gil Portes, film director
September 15 – Evelyn Fuentebella, Filipino Mayor
September 16 – Carlos Dominguez III, businessman and former chief executive of Philippine Airlines
September 30 – Victor Ziga, Member of the Senate of the Philippines
October 7 – Ross Rival, Filipino actor
October 26 – Vicente del Rosario Jr., Filipino media executive
October 29:
* Reynaldo A. Duque, Ilokano writer
* Arnulfo Fuentebella, politician
November 11:
* Eddie Peregrina, Filipino singer
* Walden Bello, Filipino author, academic and political analyst
November 28 – Franklin Drilon, Filipino politician
December 2 – Lualhati Bautista, Filipino female novelist
December 18 – Renato Diaz, Filipino businessman, economist and congressman
December 31 – Liwayway Vinzons-Chato, Filipino politician

Unknown birth

Isagani R. Cruz, Filipino writer

Deaths

January 6 – Josefa Llanes Escoda, Filipino advocate of women's suffrage and founder of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines
January 15 – Pedro Abad Santos, Filipino politician.
February 10 – Anacleto Díaz, Filipino jurist
February 12 – Antonio Villa-Real, Filipino jurist
February 13 – Maria Orosa, Filipino food technologist, pharmaceutical chemist, humanitarian and war heroine.
February 21 – Pablo Amorsolo, Filipino painter
July 31 – Artemio Ricarte, Filipino general