Government in exile of the Commonwealth of the Philippines

Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines in exile Gobierno de la Commonwealth de Filipinas en el exilio (Spanish)
1942–1945
War flag[a] Coat of arms
Anthem:  "The Philippine Hymn"
Status	Government-in-Exile of an unincorporated and organized U.S. commonwealth
Capital-in-exile	Melbourne (1942) Washington, D.C. (1942–1944) Tacloban (1944–1945)
Common languages	English Spanish Tagalog Philippine languages
President
• 1942–1944	Manuel L. Quezon
• 1944–1945	Sergio Osmeña
High Commissioner
• 1942–1945 (acting)	Harold L. Ickes
Vice President
• 1942–1944	Sergio Osmeña
• 1944–1945	Vacant
Historical era	World War II
• Japanese invasion	8 December 1941
• Japanese occupation	3 January 1942
• Government evacuation	12 March 1942
• Return to the Philippines	20 October 1944
• Restoration	27 February 1945
• Surrender of Japan	15 August 1945
Preceded by Succeeded by Commonwealth of the Philippines Commonwealth of the Philippines
^ National flag displayed inverted as the war flag

The Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines in exile (Spanish: Gobierno de la Commonwealth de Filipinas en el exilio, Tagalog: Pámahalaáng Kómonwélt ng Pilipinas sa pagpapatapón) was a continuation of the government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines after they had been evacuated from the country during World War II. The Commonwealth of the Philippines was self-governing, although under the ultimate control of the United States.

During the conquest of the Philippines by the Empire of Japan, the government evacuated to Australia following the prior evacuation of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur in March 1942. From Australia they traveled to the United States, where they established themselves in Washington, D.C., on 13 May 1942.^[1] While in Washington, the government, led by President Manuel L. Quezon, worked to maintain American interest in the Philippines, and issued shortwave broadcasts to the Philippines. Their legitimacy was supported by the U.S. government led by Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Quezon joined the inter-governmental Pacific War Council. While in exile, Quezon signed the Declaration by United Nations.

While the government had been granted emergency powers by the Philippine Legislature shortly after the invasion, the term of President Quezon was constitutionally limited to end in November 1943. Shortly before this date, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution extending the term until "constitutional processes and normal functions of government shall have been restored to the Philippine Islands." Quezon died in August 1944, and Vice President Sergio Osmeña was sworn in at Washington, D.C. The government returned to the Philippines later that year as part of the American reconquest of the islands.