Today is San Benito, my late father’s feast day. I asked an Philippine Army Chaplain to say mass at Detrick’s hotel. I took Communion.
During the morning I visited the military camp and the buildings destroyed by the aerial bombardment of December 20th.
In the afternoon I visited the Moncado Colony. Quite a sight. At the right of the main entrance there is a concrete boat representing Noah’s Arc with the statue of Mr. Lorenzo Reyes, Moncado’s assistant piloting it. Inside are two animals of each kind, a pig feeding 10 little pigs and a man killing a pig to make the proverbial lechon.
After the main entrance one finds the statue of Moncado in cap and gown and in a cement plate underneath is his biography. It states that Moncado was sent by his father to India at the early age of six years and graduated there at the age of nine with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Kabala. One year later he obtained the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Numerical Science and a little later the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Human Nature. At the age of 14 was appointed Professor in that Indian School. In the walls around the monument are written the speeches delivered by him before the National Convention and other occasions. The people working in the colony do not get any salary and are happy to work free for Moncado. I saw his bedroom and adjoining rooms finely decorated.
I spoke to Mrs. Quezon and asked her advice. I told her I believed my duty was to remain in the Philippines with my men. She disapproved and said the life of President more important.