LIFE IN MANILA

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 147, 23 June 1945, Page 7

LIFE IN MANILA

A BUN COSTS 3/2

TRAGEDY OF INTRAMUROS

R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service LOS NEGROS, June 18. The wholesale devastation of Manila, the desperate state of its civic amenities, and the fantastic prices prevailing for food were among the impressions brought back by Squadron-Leader Cecil W. Franks, of Wellington, who has returned to the Admiralties from a short business visit to the Philippines. Squad-ron-Leader Franks, who is supply representative for the R.N.Z.A.F. in the area, was formerly Equipment Officer with a New Zealand fighter squadron in Malaya.

Nichols Field, where his aircraft landed, presented a scene at once fascinating and depressing, said Squadron-Leader Franks. The destruction was appalling-and represented the desecration of modern warfare at its worst. Manila, which was reached after a hair-raising drive through the strangest assortment of traffic—from military vehicles and modern limousines to pony carts and oxen-drawn conveyances—was a more amazing spectacle.

"The Japanese demolished nearly all Manila's public buildings and the modern prosperous business community," said the squadron-leader. "One could gain some idea of the devastation if one imagined all of Wellington's public buildings razed to the ground and the whole business area fired and destroyed. Graves Plundered The cemetery received its full share of plunder and pillage. The Japanese used it as an ambush during the American Army's drive into the city. Before that they had ravaged it for plunder. 'An ancient Oriental custom demanded that the rich be buried together with rare gifts for the gods. The Japanese excavated many imposing tombs to secure rich prizes of gold and silver. The remains of old caskets were to be seen near the excavations.

Most engrossing of all the sights was the Intramuros, the ancient and historic walled city of Manila, in the heart of the metropolis, said Squad-ron-Leader Franks. Built by the Spaniards in the 17th Century, its high stone walls of up to 40 feet in thickness surrounded a Vatican City of the East. A city of churches, universities and private residences lay behind those moated grey walls. Gnce the main attraction of Manila's pre-war tourist trade, it stood now in complete ruins. This was the scene of the enemy's last desperate stand before yielding Manila to the American liberators.

More than a thousand Filipino civilians, interned after the capture of the city by the met their death behind the ancient walls. The Japanese, at the point of the bayonet, had forced them on to the parapets during the American artillery fire, making the invaders' task a heart-breaking one. When the end became inevitable the Japanese poured gasoline over the defenceless prisoners and burned them to death. Their charred bodies 'still lay amid the desolate ruins of Intramuros.

No lighting In. City Discussing conditions within the city Squadron-Leader Franks said the position, though desperate, showed signs of some improvement. Water was still the greatest problem. In their frenzied work of demolition the enemy had connected the city sewers with the main water supply.

There was no telephone service and no lighting in the city. It was hoped that lighting would be restored by July. An emergency civilian postal service was operating. The main' banks had resumed business on a limited scale.

The effect of the war on retailers' prices was startlingly shown by a few figures which Squadron-Leader Franks auoted. Buns of very poor quality were on sale for one hundred centavos (3/2). Biscuits with a small jelly centre were 200 centavos (6/3). A steak, very rare but procurable, cost 31/. A pair of sunglasses, which in New Zealand would cost about 1/6 at a department store cost 15/6. and an old wrist watch of doubtful serviceability had sold for nearly £12. Money as yet had little real value. Japanese occupation money, peddled by street urchins at surprisingly respectable prices, littered the dusty streets of the capital.

The night clubs at Cavite were well-patronised by the Americans and were very costly. At two wellknown establishments Filipino liquors were dispensed at 7/9 a glass. Dusky hostesses followed the crazy evolutions of new dance routines at 6/3 a whirl. You could be entertained between times by the pros-perous-looking Filipino proprietor relating vivid accounts of Japanese atrocities. Considering his three years' privations, however, the proprietor looked surprisingly well.