LIFE AFTER WAR : THE STRUGGLES ENCOUNTERED BY THE
LIPEÑOS IN THEIR FIGHT FOR OUR TERRITORY
BY GROUP 8:
DE ROMA, ALGEN
ESTRUPIGAN, JOHN PATRICK M.
MANGUBAT, ETHEL ROSE B.
SUBMITTED TO:
FRITZ LIWAG
Introduction
We would like to explore and understand the by the lipeños after the war. Through this research, we
seek to understand the challenges faced by lipeños after the war and the impact these challenges in their
everyday life back then. The primary goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of the struggles
encountered by the lipeños in their fight for our territory . By conducting this research, we aim to contribute
valuable insights that can inform all of us. Through exploration of their challenges, our research intends to
provide a knowledge for young generations about the life of lipeños after war in lipa city.
Life after war
February, 1945. The Lipeños lifted up their bowed heads in a universal gesture of being freed from
bondage. They could now smile with relief despite the aches and pain, despite the sorrow and bereavement
of those who lost their loved ones.
During the rest of that year, the people were reeling from past experiences. They mourned for the
dead and tried to provide for the living. They built shacks and lean-tos amid the ashes and the scattered
debris. They scrounged for food. Even the small children helped to make ends meet. Because horse-drawn
carriages were the most common form of transportation, the kids gathered grass for the horses and were paid
for their labor.
Upon the restoration of civil government in the Philippines, Dr. Jose M. Katigbak was appointed
Mayor of Lipa. But his hands were tied because of the scarcity offunds and the enormity of what should be
done. He could do nothing beyond giving encouragement to a people who had been plunged to the lowest
depth of human misery. After serving for less than one year, he relinquished the post to Hon. Esteban Mayo.
To be able to rise again was a question which plagued the people and the leadership. But they could
never utterly be defeated. They could smile in the face of despair. They could celebrate in the midst of
desolation and complete deprivation. Thus, confronted with grim reminders of past events, they celebrated
the town fiesta in 1946.
The January affair was complete with all the trimmings of a traditional town fiesta. There were games
for the children and young adults. The farmers could display their products in the Livestock Exhibits. For
those who had hidden talents, an amateur hour was held. Those who found pleasure in dancing until the wee
hours of the morning had the satisfaction of attending a popular ball which also included some folk dance
numbers, courtesy of the elementary school children. Everybody, children and adults alike, had their fill of
the sights and sounds as they listened to a band concert, enjoyed free shows and watched the agricultural and
civic parade. And for those with unwavering devotion to St. Sebastian, there were Masses ad infinitum and a
religious procession.
Yet the memory of past events continued to haunt them. The souvenir program, which was published
to commemorate the occasion, echoed with the savagery of the Second World War. In his greetings, the
honorable Mayor articulated every painful bit of suffering which his people endured;
“Our dwellings have been destroyed. The beautiful mansions, which for generations had been glorified by
the grandeur of their ancient architecture, which stood as eloquent monument of the Lipa that was, were
reduced to ashes. Nothing remained intact in this little world we fittingly called home but the traditional
hospitality of our people treasured in the heart of our lineage like a precious stone hidden in the recesses of
mother earth. The blessed memories of our unfortunate brothers, of our sisters, of our mothers and of our
dear ones who were mercilessly tortured and massacred by the barbarians of modern times, evoke a pathetic
feeling no human heart could bear. Their cries and moanings which reverberate among the ruins of our
towers and Cathedral and in the fields and hills around, which still portray the placidness of our primitive
and simple life, constitute the touching poesy of our misfortune. Our yesteryear is indeed too painful to
recall. The brief interruption of joy that comes to alter the sorrows in our life as a design of Providence will
be observed by us in the annual celebration of our town fiesta. Let us forget the sacrifices we had in the dark
hours of our history in order to welcome our guests from other places with the cordiality that comes from the
depth of our souls. Let us be merry with solemn devotion for the peace and prosperity of our people.
( Esteban M. Mayo; Municipal Mayor)
The same message resounded through the other pages of the commemorative magazine. Messages
which stressed the devastation but at the same time upheld the indomitable spirit of a people who refused to
be vanquished.
Gov. Vicente del Rosario of Batangas exhorted the people not to be disheartened, “We are facing a
new era. All that we see around are grim spectres of destruction and desolation, devastation and degeneration
wrought upon us by a soulless people. But let us forget the past. The sad past of a struggle during which the
Lipeños showed nothing but fortitude which in no small degree contributed to the victory of the cause of
Liberty. Let us take increased devotion from these bitter sacrifices of our people and face the future with a
resolute decision to make Lipa once more the cradle of liberal thought, the citadel or learning of the highest
type and the seat of prosperity and happiness of liberty-loving Batangueños”
The others, who also perpetuated the memory of that heroic era, spoke along the same line. Thus, the
Chief of Police, Roman Pilapil, assured the guests that “our hospitality has survived the ruins of war”. But a
sense ofloss was expressed by the Municipal Treasurer, F.G. Centeno; “It is regrettable to see Lipa, once a
magnificent and grandeus home of peaceful and enlightened people, now a gloomy town of ruings”. The
Agricultural Inspector, Jose T. Tapay, on the other hand, advised his townmates to “forget and erase in our
thoughts the animosities of our past life conjured by a mishappen rhapsody”. Still, in the face of everything,
there should be some feeling of exaltation. Joe Alexander wrote,
“This year of all years we must celebrate. We should feel happy because we have discovered some very vital
traits of our character: our resourcefulness, our industry, and our firm faith in the ideals of civilized
humanity…….. The booming of enemy guns were still resounding from the slopes of our hills, and the
bloody traces of the terrible disaster were still visible on what was left of our town, when our people rolled
up their sleeves and began the work of reconstruction……..Our Cathedral and our chapels had either been
burned to ashes or broken to shambles, but the flame of Catholicism still burns fiercely in the altar of our
hearts…….. Our people’s characteristic hospitality still exists today as it did in the years of prosperity. The
poverty, deprivation, and suffering entailed by the war has not by any means affected it.. The enemy has
failed. Why should we not be happy?”
And with that joyous note, which was much like the smile on a tear-stained face, or like a ray oflight
piercing the clouds, an era came to a close. The most tragic era in the history of the Philippines.
The dawn of an entirely new era came when the Municipality of Lipa was suddenly catapulted to an
exalted position. At that precise moment when it had not. Yet recovered from the throes of war, when it was
lamely trying to rise from the heaps of charred rubble.
In 1947, the Municipality of Lipa joined the ranks of chartered cities by virtue of Rep. Act No. 162,
sponsored by Speaker Jose B. Laurel, Jr. Therefore, against a backdrop of misery and gloom, the people
celebrated the birth of a city.
Like a new-born infant, the fledgling city was weak and helpless. Maimed by the ravages of war, it
presented a heart-rending sight of desolation and wretchedness. It was infinitely different from any modern
city of today. The people themselves ached with the pain of shattered lives and shattered dreams.
It took a man of tremendous determination and courage to face the herculean task of rebuilding the
city. Of giving it the semblance of a city. Of providing inspiration and encouragement to the people in their
attempt to rise from the ruins and despair.
The man, destined to do the job, was equal to the [Link] was Hon. Esteban M. Mayo, the first city
mayor of Lipa. A man of rare insight and intellectual powers. A man of respectability.
The municipal mayor for many years (1931-1934; 1941;January, 1946 until that moment), the father
of the infant city was honed to do the enormous task of being anything and everything to his bewildered
people. Those people whom he knew so well; with their aches and pains, their aspirations and desires, their
strength and weaknesses. He knew the city so well; its pulse, its throbs, its every heartbeat. He could thus
shoulder the great responsibility of guiding the young city, of making it a certainty that the city would
survive during its tender years and beyond.
The fight for survival was a colossal undertaking. There was no city hall. The local government was
given accomoda-tions at a movie house (Koumintang Theatre) where the sessions were also held. Due to the
fact that the destitute Lipeños could not pay their taxes, the city coffer was [Link] of such an
overwhelming poverty, the city govern: ment could hardly provide the most vital services to the people who
needed those services badly. The city was therefore caught in a vicious circle from which it was immensely
difficult to extricate itself. But the work of rehabilitation and all the efforts needed must be sustained.
And by all means, the city would survive. Like the narra tree at the Plaza Independencia.
As old as the city itself, the tree grew in years and in strength. Battered by the elements, it nevertheless
developed sturdy trunks until it became a haven for singing birds and provided ample shade to those who
strolled beneath its branches. It weathered all storms until it became a beautiful reminder to everybody that
they could face all disasters and misfortunes which would come along.
Indeed, in the post war era, tragic moments came. And the city survived. Like the old narra tree at the
Plaza Independencia.
The survival of the city depended largely on the people themselves. Though there was a dearth of the
resources needed to rebuild the place, human resources abounded. Assistance, coming from all directions,
was in profusion. Even the wife of the City Mayor gave her utmost.
The First Lady of Lipa, Mrs. Basilisa Atienza Mayo, was at the forefront of all activities which were
aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the people. At providing them with the basic things needed for survival.
The proper distribution of relief goods was her main concern. To provide health services to the citizens
was an obsession. Years later, when the Puericulture Center and Maternity House became a beautiful reality,
the modest structure was the fulfillment of a dream for her.
But better things were in store for the people who were at the brink of despair. In 1948, when Lipa
celebrated its first anniversary as a city, the government treasury started to be filled. One source of income
was the public market which had already been repaired.
Indeed, that year was a most auspicious year. And a blessed one at that. It was in 1948 when the Holy
Mother of God condescended to come down to earth, to visit her people and to demonstrate a special love
for the City of Lipa. When she came, she introduced herself as Mary Mediatrix of All Grace. Mediatrix,
meaning someone who mediates. She would intercede for the Lipeños and for all those who would seek her
intercession and assistance.
The publicized apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to a young Carmelite nun threw the city into the
[Link] more people heard of the apparitions and the showers of roses, more devotees poured to the
city. People from everywhere came tes detentonte to secure rose petals, to ask for healing water, to be cured
of various illnesses, to venerate the image of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace. The Catholic Church was flooded
with letters which documented the cures which had been wrought through the rose petals and the water
where petals had been immersed. Newspapers and magazines carried items concerning the city and the
miraculous showers of roses. And more people came.
The Influx of both believers and curiosity seekers provided the inhabitants with a big opportunity of
displaying their hospitality to the utmost. Private individuals offered their homes to countless followers of
the Virgin Mary who came everyday to seek her assistance. Despite the fact that the Lipeños were still
reeling from the effects of the previous war. Still, Lipa and her people felt truly and singularly blessed.
Soon, however, the faith and the fidelity of the people were tried when the Church ordered the image of
the Virgin to be kept inside the convent, away from public view. The Sisters were prohibited from
distributing petals and from talking about the events. A total ban was imposed. Even the City Mayor was
helpless in the face of a Church decision.
But the undying love of the people, reciprocated by a greater love from the Mother of God, would never
ever be suppressed.
Sadly enough, the doors of the chapel were shut. The convent was enveloped by a hermitic silence. The
devotees of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace kept their distance. But behind the silence and a lukewarm exterior,
an intense devotion kept burning. The silence was a lull. There was an ember which only needed to be
fanned in order to swell into a blanze.
It took a long time for that ventle breeze of devotion to pass through the smouldering fire. But it did
sweep through the dying embers. Four decades after, the tiny sparks grew into a blaze, then into a
conflagration which engulfed the entire city and many places and people as well.
Towards the end of decade eighty and into the following decade, groups of people revived the cause of
Carmel. They gathered documents which, they hoped, would convince the Church that the apparitions at
Carmel were authentic. They awakened the people’s devotion to Mary Mediatrix of All Grace. They
implored the Archbishop of Lipa, Msgr. Mariano Gaviola, to lift the ban.
Their entreaties did not fall on deaf ears. By the middle of 1991, the Image of Mary Mediatrix of All
Grace was once more enshrined at the Carmelite Chapel, in full view of pilgrims who started to come in
hordes. The Archbishop of Lipa broke the silence of many years.
It is interesting to note that one of those who worked for the cause of Carmel was Mrs. Carmen Mayo
Kalaw, the daughter of the 1948 Mayor. She was a young girl then. Naturally, she did not know at the time
that such developments would occur. That she would be involved. The last pilgrim came and left. Life in the
city returned to normal.
In 1949, the two-year-old city had a home. Financed by the Rehabilitation Fund, a city hall was
completed. Like-wise, the people had started to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.
Actually, the city had somehow acquired the appearance of a city. New houses had replaced make-shift
hovels. Business ventures had provided the most enterprising in the community with solid footing.
Moreover, the people were still in a state of euphoria, relishing the memory of past events when busloads of
people poured to the place, when the city was constantly in the limelight. They were blissful moments, too
good to be true. But fleeting moments which could never be arrested. Eventually, however, the Lipeds were
jolted from their complacency. The spell was broken.
Like a squall which suddenly mars an otherwise peace-fuljourney, social unrest gripped the entire
Philippines and hindered all efforts at making progress. The days and months that followed were
distressingly turbulent.
During the Japanese occupation, there were guerillas who banded together and organized the well-
known Hukbalahap or Hukbong Bayang Laban sa Hapon. When the Japanese were gone, when the
Philippines had been liberated, this citizens army metamorphosed into an organization of Communist
insurgents which aimed to overthrow the government. And it sowed fear everywhere, especially when its
strength and power became really threatening.
The people of Lipa were once again seized with terror. The ominous presence of fully armed military
men at strategic places kept the faint-hearted inside their homes. Literally cowering with fright, they could
not venture into the streets at night. They were afraid of the insurgents who might be lurking in the
neighborhood. It was believed that the surrounding mountains were their stronghold. There was always the
possibility of an encounter between the government forces and the Huks. The danger of being caught in a
crossfire could not be ignored. What kept the people going was the courage of Mayor Esteban Mayo. They
drew their strength and confidence from the fearless mayor who was never intimidated by the rebels. Who
could face them anywhere and at anytime and who could hold dialogues with them. But courage alone could
not vanquish a foe. And courage could not be transmitted.
The worsening situation took Its toll. It triggered the exodus of rich landowners from Lipa. Afraid of the
rebels, they sought safer grounds and greener pastures. Many of them moved to Manila, bringing along their
wealth in cash which they would use as capital in new business ventures.
And the city they left behind continued to [Link] social unrest was crippling it. In a little while,
however, it would rise again. And this time, with renewed vigor.
Meanwhile, democracy in the Philippines was teetering in a precarious situation. The Huk movement
had strengthened considerably. In 1950, its armed troops attacked the environs of Manila but were repulsed.
As a matter of course, the Philippine government resorted to drastic [Link] the recommendation
of the then Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay, Pres. Elpidio Quirino suspended the privilege of the Write
of Habeas Corpus. Eventually, insurgency was contained and peace was restored.
But the past events left a lasting effect on the City of Lipa. A dramatic change occurred in its social
structure.
Because of the departure of many of the city’s wealthy families for Manila and elsewhere, the people
from the barrios had the chance to buy residential lots in the city proper. They thus moved to the urban
center where they started to live. Inevitably, the wall separating the rich from the poor, and the barrier
between the city folks and the barrio people started to shake and to crumble.
The exodus of barrio folks to the urban center strengthened the city's grip of the economic situation. A
situation which was volatile for the most part, subject to periodic booms and busts.
CONCLUSIONS
After World War II, Lipa struggled to rebuild from devastation, but under Mayor Esteban Mayo’s
leadership, the city rose from the ashes. Celebrations like the 1946 town fiesta and the city’s 1947 chartering
marked its resilience. Despite the Hukbalahap insurgency and social unrest, Lipa’s spirit remained strong,
especially with the 1948 apparition of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace, symbolizing hope and renewal for the
city’s future.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Strengthen Community Spirit
Continue organizing events like town fiestas to foster unity and resilience in the community,
celebrating progress despite hardships.
2. Prioritize Infrastructure Rebuilding
Focus on restoring essential public facilities, such as city halls and markets, to provide necessary
services and create economic opportunities for residents.
3. Preserve Historical Landmarks
Protect and restore historical sites, like the Cathedral and Plaza Independencia, as symbols of
survival and hope for future generations.
4. Promote Tourism
Leverage the city’s unique history, including the 1948 apparitions of Mary Mediatrix, to attract
pilgrims and tourists, boosting the local economy.
5. Enhance Public Safety
Strengthen local law enforcement and community engagement to address security concerns during
periods of unrest, ensuring stability and peace.
6. Empower Local Leadership
Encourage leadership that understands the community’s needs, fostering strong connections between
government officials and citizens for effective governance.
REFERENCES
Book entitled “LIPA”
Book entitled “ the battle for batangas “
(Villa, 1992, pg. 38-49)
(Glenn anthony, 1993, pg. 270 – 285)
