Spent half of the morning visiting settlers’ farm lots in the poblacion of Banga as well as the hospital. Found the settlers’ home lots well planted and in sanitary condition, The dispensary was deplorably constructed. It is floored with bamboo and as the nights in Banga are cool the patients are subject to draft. Instructed Dr. Patag to requisition for enough sawale to be used for flooring until we are able to change the floor to wood. I suggested that we procure this material from the settlers who are already thru threshing their palay and their need for it is no longer imperative. Also found the beds were without any mattresses.
At Tupi, had a brief conference with Mr. Tiongson regarding the handling of personnel to be moved to Tupi.
Instructed Mr. Apuzen in the afternoon to demolish the building’mear the road leading to the rubber project, as it is too conspicuous for the enemy and may endanger the safety of the evacuees at Matutum.
In the evening, Mr. George T. Peabody, a wealthy plantation owner in Davao and with whom I have had a series of correspondence, arrived from Malaybalay with Lieut. Rodolfo Mercado. Mr. Peabody is now attached to the office of General Vachon and he came to Koronadal with Lt. Mercado on military mission.
Mr. Peabody escaped from war torn Davao thru sheer luck and courage and he related to me his epic experience. He described the atrocities of the Japanese and their indiscriminate killings of civilian population, women and children. He said all the Americans in Davao were brutally killed after putting up a pitiful resistance against the Japanese.
After dinner, chatted again with Mr. Peabody and Lt. Mercado.