 On 20 June 1944, during the time of World War II, the Japanese took over the orphanage and the nuns transferred the children to Welfareville in Mandaluyong for safety.Although the board gave Sr. Consuelo Muró, then overseer of White Cross, the authority to close down the institution, she continued the mission and fed the children in its temporary home in Welfareville.When the war ended and through the help of the American liberation forces, they restored White Cross and the children and the staff returned to San Juan in 1946.