I would hardly call $500,000 in 1941 dollars a drop in the bucket, but he did receive a rather large salary as well. Again from the VIP papers, he received a salary as Field Marshal of 36,000 pesos a year (about 18k U.S.) and a petty cash fund of another 30,000 pesos, (15k U.S.). That is a pretty large salary even for a Field Marshal. MacArthur also insisted on being provided with a seven room fully air conditioned suite at the Manila Hotel.
Also, it is important to note that MacArthur was in command of the forces on the Philippines since the end of 1935 (though I think he didn’t actually arrive in the Philippines until the beginning of 1936). MacArthur was specifically sent to the Philippines to develop the Filipino Army. This “citizen army” that MacArthur had been trying to develop represented a large contingent of the combatants against the Japanese. Even the U.S. forces he inherited only four months before the beginning of hostilities were composed of over 50% Filipino Scouts. MacArthur had a pretty heavy hand in the composition of the defenses on the Philippines for the last 5 years, so it’s hard to give him a pass just because the 11,000 some odd Americans added to his forces were a last minute addition.
I'll have to look it up but I seem to recall MacArthur having received a much larger compensation package from the Philippines.
Also, it is important to note that MacArthur was in command of the forces on the Philippines since the end of 1935 (though I think he didn’t actually arrive in the Philippines until the beginning of 1936). MacArthur was specifically sent to the Philippines to develop the Filipino Army. This “citizen army” that MacArthur had been trying to develop represented a large contingent of the combatants against the Japanese. Even the U.S. forces he inherited only four months before the beginning of hostilities were composed of over 50% Filipino Scouts. MacArthur had a pretty heavy hand in the composition of the defenses on the Philippines for the last 5 years, so it’s hard to give him a pass just because the 11,000 some odd Americans added to his forces were a last minute addition.
During the 1930's, American men in the U.S. army trained by pointing wooden rifles and saying "bang, bang". Simultaneously, the Philippines were an American territory and dependent upon American largesse. Because production of American defense related items was near zero during the 1930's, I'm not sure what MacArthur could have done differently. American training and equipment was not even second rate and the Filipinos had to make do with American cast-offs.
Many like to skewer MacArthur but they should pause and consider that the Japanese were not happy either. Corregidor held out until May 1945 and denied Japan use of Manila Harbor for that period thereby upsetting Japans entire timetable for conquest in New Guinea, Australia and the Pacific. The Japanese were so unhappy they recalled general Homma to Japan and forced him into retirement.