VoF claimed that the three transports sunk went down before they could make port, drowning “thousands” of Japanese troops. On the heels of VoF’s statement that all our bombers returned safely, La Vanguardia announced that the whole Bay Area would be blacked out starting tonight — from Parañaque to Caloocan (or Nichols to Grace Park airfields). There’s much wasting of fuel patrolling Manila skies at the moment. The shortage of fuel is such that the Japanese commandeered 60 carretelas and their cocheros in the last two days. The cocheros will receive P3 for a whole day’s work. They used to get P4 for a half-day before the war.

Office of Census and Statistics Director, Leon M. Gonzales, said the cost of living has gone up 38% since the war. The figure doesn’t take into account the severe cut in salaries or the many people thrown out of work.

The Japanese offered to drop mail to Philippine soldiers in Bataan, even “anonymous letters” in sealed envelopes. Each would serve the same purpose as a propaganda leaflet and may even lead to a harvest of names. Manilans are too suspicious to fall for the stunt. The offer, however, indicates that the Japanese believe Bataan is not about to fall yet.