Returned to Manila at 8:15 AM.
Worked on the retirement on April 1st of all generals including Task Force Lawin Commander [Rosso] Saballones, who will be replaced by Col. [Cesar] Jasmin, his deputy to be Lt. Col. Tomas Diaz, Gen. Sangalang of the 2nd PC Zone who will be replaced by Col. Zosimo Paredes, his deputy, Gen. Benjamin Reyes of the 3rd PC Zone who shall be replaced by Col. [Pantaleon] Dumlao, C-2 presently, Gen. Oanes of the 4th PC Zone who shall be replaced by Col. Avila. Col. Tutaan, C-1 presently will become the Deputy Chief of Constabulary.
All the officers of PMA [Philippine Military Academy] Class ’44 and ’45 are retired except those who need nine days to attain their fifth fogey pay who are extended
Official Gazette for March 30, 1970: President Marcos arrived about 9 a.m. in Manila after an early morning flight from Baguio City where he spent most of the Holy Week, with side trips to the Ilocos provinces where he surveyed conditions and conferred with local officials on the region’s problems.
Soon after settling down to his Malacañang schedule, the President summoned various officials for impromptu conferences on urgent state business. Most of the talks were held in private in his study. Among others, he conferred with Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile and AFP brass; Budget Commissioner Faustino Sy-Changco, and close aides.
Among other actions, the President created two special committees, one to look into the Tondo foreshore lands problems and the needs of residents in the area; the other to study the salary and wage scales of personnel of government-owned or controlled corporations.
The Chief Executive also ordered Government Corporate Counsel Leopoldo Abellera to act within three days on all contracts of government corporations coursed through his office. The President noted with concern the adverse financial effects of the delay in the processing of contract documents for projects proposed by the various government corporations, which are usually coursed through the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel for evaluation ultimately resulting in loss of income among implementing government Corporations.
He also directed Secretary of Labor Blas F. Ople to mediate immediately the strike called by some 50 employees of Rizal Park against the park management. The President said he could not grant off-hand the demands of the striking workers without first conducting an investigation. He stressed that both sides in the dispute should have a fair hearing.
Because of the pressure of work, which built up during his sojourn in the Pines City, the President rescheduled the meeting of the Foreign Policy Council, formerly set for this week, to a date still to be decided next week. The Council will assess the events in Cambodia, in relation to the country’s interests.
The President worked at his desk through the afternoon and early evening.
He took time out from his paper work late in the afternoon to confer with the prospective members of the Price Control Council on the implementation of the Price Control law which was enacted by Congress recently. Present were Vice President Lopez, who is also the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Secretary of Commerce and Industry Ernesto Maceda, NEC Chairman Placido Mapa, Jr. and Secretary of Health Amadeo H. Cruz. Also present was Agriculture Undersecretary Arturo Tangco, Jr. The council also have a representative of the consumers as member.
nine days to April 10th. This includes Commodore [Manuel] Cabal, CG [Commanding General] of Sowescom [South West Command] and his deputy, Col. Irlanda.
Got the senate moving on the export tax. It seems they want to classify exports into processed, semi-processed and not processed on the basis of the UN [United Nations] classification on the basis of 12%, 10% and 4%. We hold a caucus tomorrow.
Met with ASAC and kept it under my office. Sam Salientes and Gen. Balao as well as Com. [Faustino] Sychangco.
Ordered Sec. [Antonio] Syquio and Dir. Decena to finish the plans for the Manila Bay Road.
Met with VP [Fernando] Lopez, [Ernesto] Maceda, [Placido] Mapa [Jr.] and later [Amadeo] Cruz as well as [Arturo] Bong Tanco [Jr.] to organize the Price Control Council with the VP as Chairman, Maceda as Vice Chairman and the Department of Commerce and Industry furnishing the secretariat.
I am most interested in organizing cooperatives in every town to tie up with the APC [Agricultural Productivity Commission], ACA [Agricultural Credit Administration] and the PACD [Presidential Assistant on Community Development]—as well as the consumers’ cooperatives and the GMFTM [Greater Manila Food Terminal Market]. This will answer the problem of prices and the middlemen.