APAYAO

One of the five semi-autonomous sub-provinces which, during WWII, comprised the Mountain Province.

Following the surrender on May 6, 1942 of all USAFFE forces, provincial officials of Mountain Province subsequently surrendered to the Japanese, in the remote sub-province of Apayao, the surrender orders were ignored. Deputy Governor Milton Ayochok assumed, for the duration of the emergency, authority to print emergency currency which President Quezon had previously given to the Mountain Province.

On September 11, 1942 the Apayao Provicial Board adopted Resolution No. 4, authorizing the printing of emergency currency to provide funds for fiscal year 1942-1943. A Currency Committee was formed composed of Deputy Governor Ayochok as Chairman, with Deputy Treasurer M. Medina and Deputy Auditor F.A. Enciso as Members.

The first issue of Apayao notes was printed from hand-carved plates at Kabugao in late 1942. A total of 102,495 pesos was issued. (Note: The fourth issue of Cagayan notes was also printed at Kabugao during the same period which accounts for the similarity between the two issues.)

A second issue of Apayao notes was produced by mimeograph in 1943 after Japanese military forces had driven the Provincial Government to a remote area. On April 1, 1943, Governor Ayochok was captured by the Japanese. He was among those killed in a mass execution of officials and civilians at Ripang in mid-1943. Subsequently the Japanese also captured the official records of the Currency Committee, so no information survives as to the quantity printed. It would appear from recorded serial numbers that this second issue equaled, and possibly even exceeded, that of the first issue.


From Catalogue.