No Tribune today as there was one yesterday. Ignoring a slight fever, I went to town with Manny and George Schultze, paying P20 each for a carretela ride from Santa Mesa to Quiapo, and double that to return. I was staggering by then and went straight to bed. I am writing this on Friday, January 5, from my notes after being floored for a few days. I agreed to call Dr. (Nene) Alberto when the fever reached 40 on Wednesday.

Odds and Ends: The Manila Gas Corporation shut because the Japanese could not afford to give up 700 tons of coconut oil fuel a month. That's just a small fraction of the output of Laguna, which is not even the main coconut center (Tayabas is). The Japanese were blunt: "The Imperial Army has more important uses for the oil." Meanwhile, explosions coming from the Port Area indicate the Japanese have begun to sabotage installations in Manila. An officer expressed hope of being evacuated to Taiwan because of his large family. He added wistfully that few ships could break the American sea and air blockade.

A few people are still leaving Manila for the provinces, but on foot. Schaer's waiter, Claudio, left with a pushcart carrying a small aparador [wardrobe] with his belongings.

A report says the grapevine beat the Japanese when they went to Balintawak to get labor. All the males had vanished. Their wives said they went to Manila to work or to the market. It proved too much for one frustrated Japanese, who administered the slapping treatment to a mother with a two-week old child.

The exchange rate is 47 to 1, and the price of food remains high. One Calamansi (a marble-sized native lemon) reached five pesos. Meanwhile, I saw F.C. de la Rama riding around in his "bulletproof" Packard — an ex-Quezon car, I believe. It's enough of a feat to have a car and fuel these days.

JOE: Finally received confirmation from another source that carrier planes hit a ship off Olongapo carrying Japanese civilians and American POWs on December 14 or 15. A Japanese lady survivor who lost her baby refused to talk about the fate of the American POWs.