Philippine war time coin

To whom it may concern,

I am by no means a military historian but I have come across a 5 centavos coin from the Philippines, marked 'United States of America' and dated 1944. Wasn't the Philippines under Japanese occupation during all of 1944? And if so, why was the U.S. issuing money there? It just seems a little odd to me.

Thanks in advance for any light you could shed.

I would expect that it was minted in US controlled territory, in anticipation of the American liberation. Money NOT tainted by the Japanese would be necessary, so minting and printing 'liberation' money would only be a natural part of the civil affairs plan for the

We landed at leyte in Oct. 1944. I have coins of various denomintion dated 1944. Paper money had the word VICTORY stamped in black on one side. Troops were paid in the money of the country they happened to been in at the time. At least in the Pacific. The money was shipped in boxes stamped Play Ponys.

KIlroy was there.