[p.73] I write this as I wait for a visitor who will inform us of all the conspiracy going on behind the Liberal Party. [Sergio] Osmeña [Jr.] has just delivered a privilege speech in the Senate denying his connection with the demonstrations and the riots and rehashing his charges about the elections.
Villalon testifying before the Senate-House Joint Committee should blast this claim to pieces. Col. [James] Jimmy Barbers has asked for an opportunity to present him next Wednesday at 9:00 AM.
Went out of the Palace (for the first time since January 30, 1970) to attend the 31st Anniversary of the Phil. [Philippine] Navy set at 9:00 AM. Stayed until 11:00 AM. Commissioned the new 25-knot 87-ft. patrol craft made in Singapore. Our Navy will duplicate it. We have a 100 ft. ferro-cement fishing boat in the making.
Official Gazette for February 9, 1970:
After doing his usual early morning desk work, President Marcos headed for the Philippine Navy headquarters on Roxas boulevard to attend the rites celebrating the 31st anniversary of the nation’s sea arm as guest of honor. Given the usual military honors on arrival, the President afterward delivered an address calling on the Navy to help preserve civil liberties, to increase vigilance against subversion, and to set the example in self-discipline as the country confronts the big problems and tasks of nation-building.
After conferring awards on servicemen, PN civilian employees and plain civilians for outstanding accomplishments in service to the Navy, the President inspected new products of the naval shipyard, then [he was] whisked back to Malacañang. He worked for a while on papers that had come afresh to his desk, then took time out to receive James Conway, president of Rotary International, and local Rotary officials including Francisco Delgado. David Sycip and Antonio Roxas Chua, among others. For the rest of the morning, the President was busy with state affairs issuing among others orders to investigate violations of the minimum wage law in Sugarlandia, the reported illegal detention of a labor leader and the dismantling of the alleged tobacco blockade in the Ilocos.
He also issued an executive order slimming down the Cabinet to a more handy and efficient size, by pulling out several offices from his official family and integrating them into other offices involved with the same responsibilities. Henceforth the regular members of the Cabinet shall be limited to the following: 1.Department of Foreign Affairs 2.Executive Office 3. Department of Finance 4. Department of Justice 5. Department of Education 6. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources 7. Department of Labor 8. Department of National Defense 9. Department of Health 10. Department of Commerce and Industry 11. Department of Public Works and Communications 12. Department of Social Welfare 13. Department of General Services 14. National Economic Council.
The heads of the National Science Development Board, Civil Service Commission, Office of Economic Coordination, Commission on National Integration, and the Budget Commission shall maintain their cabinet rank, but shall attend Cabinet meetings only upon call by the President.
In the afternoon, the President’s day was highlighted by the ceremonies launching the preparation for the celebration of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines’ Golden Jubilee in 1973. Among other callers in the afternoon were William Campbell and Antonio Delgado, who are Scouting leaders; and later, Rufino Cardinal Santos and Julio Cardinal Rosales.
Was gratified to see the people waving at me and clapping their hands. The public sympathy has returned to us since the attack on the Palace on Jan. 30th.
Apparently the crisis is over—unless the February 12th rallies turn into violent riots, God forbids [sic].
The whole family was in Scout uniform at the 5:00 o’clock investiture of Imelda and the opening ceremonies of the preparation for the 50th Anniversary of Scouting in 1973.
Conferred with the two Cardinals, [Rufino] Santos and [Julio] Rosales, on the Jesuits and bishops propagating radical ideas—like Father [Pacifico] Ortiz, Murphy (Tom) and [Jose] Blanco as well as the seven bishops who sent the open letter.
[p.74] Now even the student leaders are divided. They seem to be in a state of confusion. Tonight 25 students from the UP [University of the Philippines] have seen the First Lady. Uncivil, arrogant but uniformed, naïve and confused.
I see the KM [Kabataang Makabayan] and Labor leaders with Blas Ople tomorrow at 5:00 PM.
But the NUSP [National Union of Students of the Philippines] is following the script of making demands which I am supposed to grant—to strengthen their hand. And they are supposed to picket Malacañang tomorrow.
Even if the demonstrations should turn violent because the latest intelligence is that Commander Dante [Bernabe Buscayno] is supposed to be collecting hand guns in Concepcion and supposedly in the province of Tarlac, it would still be favorable to us for the people are against violence—specifically if it is against Malacañang Palace.
We must recast the plans for a total solution of the communist problem. We must prepare for a long, tedious legal fight with the military stepping up the drive in Central Luzon and harassing raids in Novaliches, Caloocan and Paranaque where the HMBs [Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan] and the Mao’s hole in when they escape from the PC raids in Central Luzon.
[p.75] Gov. [Gregorio] Licaros sent a message through [Roberto] Bobby Benedicto who is agreed to going out on leave from the Presidency of the PNB [Philippine National Bank], that his mission is a complete success.
We will get the third tranche of $27.5 million, $40 million from our gold, $40 million from the Federal Reserve Bank and $120 million from the consortium of banks plus a five-year extension of our debts. If we can get $100 million from Japan, we will have all we need.
Now all I am asking for is to be allowed to start working.