page 11

AGE 25 TO 50

HOW WERE COPING WITH LIFE AT THIS STAGE OF YOUR LIFE:

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..to put it in the boundary of Banga and New Washington. When they saw the group of Japanese going towards their direction they throw away their flag and run back. When they reach our place they made sign for us to run to safety. So each of us has to run any direction with other evacuees. We waded in swamps in the middle of nipa plantation. There we stayed for a day. When we return some evacuees who happen to hide on the way of the Japanese were all gathered in one house and burned them alive. That time many male persons who went to meet them when they enter the town were massacered. One of them was Pael Ferrers' brother. When the Japanese seems calm we return to live in the town. We live in a dug out near the municipal building with other evacuees then. Here I gave birth again to my third child Oscar. Everyday the Japanese soldiers go around the town. At night time the USAFE soldiers would also visit us telling that American aid is coming. We were afraid that when the Japanese might learn about their presence we would surely be liquidated. Then we plan again to go to Manila. We hiked 7 kilometers from Banga to Albasan. here we ride a "batil" again for Manila. we reach Alcantara a village of Romblon. When we learn from people whom we met who came from Manila, they told us that Manila was declared close door, meaning the people could not go out. So we decided to remain in this place. This place is free of Japanese so the people indulge in gambling. Ferrer always lucky so we had enough food to eat.