, ▁Cub ao , ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁District . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁combined ▁Filip ino ▁and ▁American ▁troops ▁under ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army , ▁Philipp ine ▁Commonwealth ▁Army , ▁and ▁Philipp ine ▁Const ab ul ary , ▁with ▁help ▁from ▁recognized ▁gu err illa ▁units , ▁liber ated ▁and ▁re capt ured ▁Que zon ▁City ▁in ▁a ▁few ▁months , ▁exp elling ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁forces . ▁ ▁He avy ▁fighting ▁occurred ▁near ▁Nov al ich es , ▁which ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁was ▁in ▁R iz al ▁Province ▁and ▁New ▁Man ila ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁strong point . ▁ ▁Tow ard ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Man ila , ▁Pres . ▁Ser gio ▁Os me ña ▁dissol ved ▁the ▁Gre ater ▁Man ila ▁Complex , ▁which ▁included ▁the ▁Japanese - created ▁districts ▁of ▁Bal int aw ak ▁and ▁D il iman ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁formed ▁from ▁the ▁pre war ▁Que zon ▁City . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁Republic ▁Act ▁No . ▁ 3 3 3 , ▁which ▁re defined ▁the ▁Cal o oc an – Que zon ▁City ▁boundary , ▁was ▁signed ▁by ▁President ▁El pid io ▁Qu ir ino ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁declaring ▁Que zon ▁City ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁national ▁capital , ▁and ▁specifying ▁the ▁city ' s ▁area ▁to ▁be ▁. ▁The ▁bar rios ▁of ▁Ba esa , ▁Bag bag , ▁Ban lat , ▁Kab u ya o , ▁Nov al ich es ▁Pro per , ▁Pas