Blue Book of the First Year of the Republic (1947)

This book chronicles the Philippines' first year as a republic, recording the accomplishments of the executive branch as well as those of other government agencies. Preparing the Blue Book fell to Dr. Jose M. Hernandez, Pedro Padilla, and Manuel C. Garcia, all of the Public Relations Office. On July 4, 1946, the United States formally recognized the independence of the Republic of the Philippines, the culmination of a process that began in 1916, when the Jones Law pledged eventual independence, and continued with the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1933, which set a 10-year transition period to prepare the country for self-rule. Independence was marked when Manuel Roxas took a new oath as President of the Republic, one that no longer required the pledge of allegiance to the United States mandated under the Commonwealth.