When the Japanese started their reign of terror, they exercised authoritarian rule and used brutal force to subjugate the population. Severe punishments were meted out for minor offenses, and humiliating slaps greeted those who did not bow low enough to the Japanese guards. Civil liberties were removed, personal freedoms lost, and anyone suspected of anti-Japanese sentiments were tortured and killed. These cruel treatments, coupled with many incidences of rape, looting, and plunder spurred the formation of the resistance.

Many women, with axes to grind, joined the resistance to seek retribution for loved ones killed or persecuted by the enemy. They served a gamut of roles: as doctors and nurses tending the sick, the wounded and the dying; as fierce commanders leading their men int he frontlines, as spies, saboteurs, couriers, recruiters, and organizers. Like their male counterparts, these Filipina resistance fighters took on their share of the ordeals of war, enduring starvation and malaria in the mountains and jungles, risking life and limb for the love of country. No other occupied country in SE Asia had more women involved in the resistance than in the Philippines. historians have estimated that 1 in every 10 Filipino guerillas was female, there were possibly more-but due to their status as female, and the non-combatant roles many played, countless more were not officially recognized. Despite this, women's role in the resistance gets far less attention than it should get.

With her deep interest in World War II history, Desiree Benipayo founded the Philippine World War II Memorial Foundation with her husband Mario in 2017. The foundation aims to initiate, develop, and carry out projects and activities that will educate the Filipino people about our World War II history via multimedia platforms such as films, books, and other works.

She is currently the VP of Research and Education of the Foundation, and Secretary of the Memorare Manila 1945, an organization which aims to preserve the memory of the innocent civilians killed during the Battle of Manila in February of 1945. She is also the Philippine Tour Manager of the National World War II Musem's "Victory in the Pacific Tours".

Her book "HONOR: The Legacy of Jose Abd Santos" won 2019 Best Book of Nonfiction Prose in English at the 38th National Book Awards. The film adaptation of the book, of the same title, was given the highest rating of "A" by the Philippines Cinema Evaluation Board. Aside from indulging her love for history, Des manages several companies and raises 4 children with her husband in Manila.