DURING the most tumultuous periods of World War II, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) was converted into an internment camp for nearly 4,000 civilians — mostly American and European — from January 1942 to February 1945.
The UST Main Building was chosen as the site of the camp because it was the property of Spain, which had declared itself neutral during the war.
Tomoyuki Yamashita, a Japanese general during World War II, who took command of the occupation forces on campus, described the internment camp as “the greatest aberration,” acknowledging the unusual nature of turning an educational institution into a prison camp.
The campus was deemed “too magnificent” to be transformed into a prison for American and European civilians and their families, according to Fr. Fidel Villaroel, O.P, in his book “A History of the University of Santos Tomas.”
The Main Building housed foreign nationals, who were crammed into makeshift barracks within the campus, as the Japanese military grew increasingly wary of guerilla resistance and potential spies.
The internees suffered from hunger and malnutrition, with the death toll reaching 465.
Despite the grim conditions, they adapted by setting up booths and makeshift shops selling books, pastries, and other goods. A “camp canteen” and a “personal service store,” funded by the camp’s resources, provided internees with a semblance of normalcy amid the war.
As the number of booths grew, thousands of individuals were packed into the Main Building’s rooms. Still, moments of humanity persisted — hope cultivated through small acts of survival, including concerts, plays, small gatherings, and a shared sense of community.
On Jan. 29, 1942, the first musical and theatrical performance was held at the UST Main Building’s west quadrangle. A year later, a new stage called “The Little Theater Under the Stars” was built to accommodate even more internees eager to watch performances.
The UST Main Building holds historical significance as the first building in Manila to be liberated from Japanese occupation on Feb. 3, 1945.
Before that day, rumors spread that Japanese forces might execute able-bodied internees. But the arrival of American tanks marked a turning point, and soon, the tanks breached the University’s walls.
The first casualty during the liberation was Capt. Manuel Colayco, a UST faculty member and part of the United States Army Forces in the Far East. He was killed at the gate of UST as he guided the American forces sent to liberate the campus from Japanese control.
The site behind the Main Building was later named Colayco Park in honor of him, but it was renamed Alumni Park and, subsequently, Quadricentennial Park.
After enduring months of hunger and deprivation, the internees’ long-awaited freedom was within reach as tanks dashed toward the Main Building. As the tanks rolled closer, internees began to sing “God Bless America,” “America the Beautiful,” and “The Star-Spangled Banner,” filling the campus grounds.
It took two days for the Japanese to surrender and retreat to Intramuros, abandoning their weapons and ending the internment.
The University, after years of darkness, was finally free — restored to its place as a beacon of education and resilience.
Eighty years later, the University has continued to commemorate the liberation of the UST internment camp, keeping alive the memories of the war and the sacrifices of the heroes it housed.
In previous milestone years, UST hosted commemoration activities attended by university officials, the city government of Manila, the Japanese and American embassies, and other national government leaders.
On Thursday, Feb. 6, the University marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation, with key figures in attendance, including U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, National Historical Commission of the Philippines Chair Regalado Trota Jose Jr., and Manila’s Department of Tourism, Culture, and Arts Director Charlie Dungo, among others.
