PORT OF ALL CALM Sunset at the Manila bay (Photo by Lawrence Ruiz)
Manila Bay was a paradise for fish and fishermen in the years after the war. Its clean deep waters were littered with half-submerged wreckage of planes, ships, and war material from both sides of the conflict, which became ideal homes for aquatic life. Talakitok, lapu lapu, banak, kitang, and tanigue were among the high-value species sheltered by metal relics.
The price of scrap metal was so low it was not profitable to salvage the war souvenirs.
Like hundreds of weekend fishermen, my father spent Sundays trying his luck among the wrecks. He was a swimmer in school, but his competing years were cut short by World War II. To catch fish, he swam after them with a homemade spear gun.