The Japanese claim that 93,000 Dutch troops and 5,000 Australian, British and American troops in Java surrendered unconditionally. "A couple of the strong guys are weakening," is how Schaer put it at the Astoria. Stung by much bad news, no one here doubted it. An additional report that Pearl Harbor was bombed on Wednesday, March 4 — "Bombers Rain Explosives, Destroying Facilities" — proved too much to swallow.

Pio Duran has a picture in the Tribune adorning his pro-Japanese article. Excerpt:

No one can say that Japan has violated any of her commitments to the Philippines. No one can say that Japan has been unfair in her dealings with the Philippines even during the period of Sovereignty.

I paid eight centavos for two coconuts today, which Ma was pleased to get. A handy fruit, the coconut is: Split it and pour the water into a bottle, add a certain spice and leave the mixture in the sun for five days. Presto! You've got a form of vinegar. Take the pulp and squeeze it to extract milk that's almost as good as cow's milk. Take the battered pulp, add nuts and sugar then boil it to make various kinds of candy — all good. Or buy a stale coconut, open and boil it, let it cool, and extract the oil that floats to the top as a substitute for Crisco. Today a friend sold a rare one-pound tin of powdered milk for an incredible P7.50. He figures on using the proceeds to buy 200 coconuts — thus ensuring eight-months' supply of milk for his coffee!