About the author: Rodolfo R. Alba (September 12, 1925 — May 16, 2012) Valedictorian of his class in Manila High School and in first year Engineering at the University of the Philippines when he was selected to be a pensionado or government scholar, in Japan. These were known as the Nampo Tokubetsu Ryugakusei (Special Overseas Scholars from the South), sent from the Philippines to Japan in 1943 and 1944.After the war he obtained a degree in Chemical Engineering at the Rensselger Polytechnic Institute. Taught at the University of the Philippines and then joined Caltex.
About the diary: Published as Against the Wall: A Commentary on a Story of a Filipino Student’s Life in Wartime Time, 1943-1944 by the author’s son, Gary M. Alba.
The contents of the diary were provided by Mr. Alba and used here with his permission. We are grateful for his allowing us to do this and encourage readers to purchase the book.