Central Bicol State University of Agriculture-Sipocot
Sipocot, Camarines Sur

Interview on
Local Undocumented Japanese Period
In Iriga

Submitted by:
Alcedo, John Paul Laurence A.

Submitted to:
Ma. Expedita Artiaga

BIOGRAPIES

THE PRIMARY SOURCE

Her name is Mercedez Blanco born in San Juan Iriga, Albay. She died at age of 69 in Cristo Rey Lupi, Camarines Sur. Because of the poverty, she only finished Grade 2 at San Juan Elementary School. Her religion is Roman Catholic. Her spouse is Juan Albalate (+) and they gifted 4 children but when her spouse died she married again and gifted 2 child. Because of poverty and afraid to the Japanese, she and together of her family went to Cristo Rey Lupi, Camarines Sur. Her occupation when she’s living is farmer and sometimes she sells kakanin for extra income. According also to my grandfather, she loves telling stories and she is very religious woman.

THE SECONDARY SOURCE

His name is Orlando Albalate y Blanco born on January 11, 1944 in San Juan Iriga, Albay. He is 72 years old now. He only finished Grade 4 at San Juan Elementary School. His religion is Roman Catholic. He is the oldest child of Mercedez Blanco (+) (the primary source) and Juan Albalate (+). He married at the age of 19 to Emelda Sanez (+) and gifted 10 child. He served as barangay captain of Cristo Rey Lupi, Camarines Sur in 18 years. Now he is paralyzing since 2009.

SOCIAL LIFE According to my grandfather (interviewee), the relationship of the some Japanese in the Pilipino is bad because when the Japanese is coming they fired their gun in order to scare and to follow them. But some Japanese is good because they helped the Pilipino when they need help.

ECONOMIC ASPECT The life of the Pilipino in the time of the Japanese is very difficult especially the family of Mercedez Blanco because her occupation is only a farmer and sometimes she sell a kakanin to support the needs of her family. Sometimes they only eat once in a day. According also to the story of my great grandmother (Mercedez Blanco) to my grandfather that in the time of Japanese it have money that called Mickey Mouse Money because it look like play money and they are not sure those money have correspond value so that sometimes those money are not accepted by some store. POLITICAL ASPECT
In the era of the Japanese in Iriga, the life is very difficult because the governance of the Japanese is very strictly. When the night comes the people must be in the house and it must not in the outside or what else if the Japanese soldier saw them, they will arrest. In the time of Japanese, the Pilipino is prohibited to use radio in order to do not know the happening or the current news in the country.

EDUCATIONAL ASPECT According to my grandfather in the studying or in the story of Mercedez Blanco, she tell that in the era of Japanese Period, the education is very difficult because the language that taught is Nihongo and also they taught the culture and tradition of the Japanese. This information about the education in the time of Japanese is come from the friends of Mercedez Blanco because in the biography of her, she only finished grade 2.

HEALTH ASPECT
In the time of Japanese in Iriga, it has a hospital but the things that need in healing are not complete. According to the story of Mercedez Blanco to my grandfather, because of the poverty, many Pilipino are not go to hospital when they are in sick or having diseases they rather went to the traditional doctor (esperetista or albularyo).

RELIGIOUS ASPECT In the time of Japanese in Iriga, every week having a mass and many people are attending on it. The girl was having belo on their head.