During the Japanese occupation, Jose was obliged to service engines and fix firearms of both the Japanese and the guerillas. With his keen sense of mechanical trouble, no one could fool him. He assessed engine trouble by listening first to the running engine. There was another story that said Jose’s skill was tested when he was asked to dismantle and re-assemble a jeep. After he finished, the Japanese became regular customers of his shop. However, he almost lost his life again when some soldiers accused Jose and Leonardo (Marta’s brother) of scavenging and punished them by tying them to the end of a boat and dragging them along the river bank. Another time, Jose was accused of helping rebels and was imprisoned at Fort Santiago in Intramuros where food rations of salt-covered rice balls were rolled on the ground to the prisoners.
1945-1952: When the Second World War ended in the Pacific, the Americans found it too expensive to bring back their M-38 Jeeps and six-wheeler Chevy trucks (“weapons carrier”) so a lot of these were left scattered around the country. Jose saw an opportunity and, together with his brothers-in-law, Leonardo and Eugenio, they searched for spare parts for their delivery truck to resume their business of trading patis (fish sauce), bagoong (fish paste), and rice.
Public transportation was still in ruins. People just hitched a ride on passing vehicles, such as the