To be awarded the Philippine Independence Medal, a service member must have previously received both the Philippine Defense Medal and the Philippine Liberation Medal. The service member must also have served on active military duty in the Philippines after July 4, 1946. The award criteria effectively awarded the medal to anyone who had participated in both the initial resistance against Japanese invasion and also in the campaigns to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation in 1945. A famous recipient was General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur.