Malacañang has declared Monday, December 15, 2025, a special non-working day in the municipality of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro in celebration of the 81st Liberation Day of Mindoro Island from Japanese forces during World War II.

The holiday is contained in Proclamation No. 1103, signed by Acting Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto by authority of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Imperial Japanese forces occupied Mindoro in early 1942 as part of the wider Japanese campaign in the Philippines.

The island remained under occupation until late 1944, when Allied forces launched an assault to secure airfields needed for the coming invasion of Luzon.

The liberation of Mindoro began on December 15, 1944, when the U.S. Sixth Army under Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger initiated Operation LOVE III, an amphibious landing at the beaches near San Jose, then part of the barrio of Mangarin.

The assault was carried out primarily by the 19th Infantry Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division, with support from elements of the 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team, which landed by sea.

The American forces landed under heavy Japanese air attacks, including kamikaze strikes against the invasion fleet, but faced only light ground resistance from the small Japanese garrison in the area.

By the evening of December 15, U.S. troops had secured San Jose and established a beachhead.

U.S. Army engineers and Navy Seabees soon began constructing airstrips, including Hill Airfield and Elmore Airfield, which were completed within weeks.

These bases became critical staging points for Allied air operations, providing fighter cover for the January 1945 landings in Lingayen Gulf and supporting the aggresive campaign to liberate Luzon.

Mindoreño guerrilla forces (organized in Mindoro and operating independently in most districts) also provided intelligence and conducted harassment actions against Japanese positions prior to the landing.

While scattered Japanese troops remained in the island’s interior after the main battle, organized Japanese resistance on Mindoro largely collapsed soon after the December 15 operation.

San Jose has commemorated December 15 as Liberation Day for decades, marking the anniversary with ceremonies honoring Filipino guerrillas, American soldiers, and civilians who endured the occupation.

The annual program typically includes a wreath-laying, civic activities, and LGU-led commemorations.

With the proclamation of a special non-working day, residents are expected to fully participate in the 81st anniversary events honoring the combined Filipino-American heroism that contributed to the liberation of Mindoro and the eventual freeing of the Philippines from Japanese occupation.