This marks the end of the month that is identified with tragedy, “the Ides of March” and Magsaysay’s death, etc.
Had the weekly Tuesday caucus of Congressional leaders. Worked out the details of the export tax bill. Looks like sugar and desiccated coconut, the first the Lopezes and the second [Gil] Puyat as well as canned pineapple represented by [Emmanuel] Pelaez (Del Monte Canning) have succeeded in getting a categorized or classified bill of Relatively processed, Semi processed and Processed at tentatively 15-10-5% although it may be brought down to 12-9-6%.
Decided to increase the minimum wage. Seven Pesos is the starting point. It could go up to Nine.
Met Bert [Roberto] Oca of the Pinagbuklod nang Mga Manggagawang Pilipino to present a day’s stoppage of work which he agreed to but after a meeting with his group tomorrow morning—he, Pedro Fernandez, Jose Hernandez, Cipriano Cid, [Eulogio] Lerum and others.
Official Gazette for March 31, 1970: President Marcos had a long meeting with Nacionalista Party senators and Congress leaders on measures pending in Congress, particularly bills pertaining to labor welfare. He asked the prime movers in Congress during the 3-hour meeting starting at 10:30 a.m. to expedite the movement of the bills through the legislative mill in view of the need for them. Present at the caucus were Vice-President Fernando Lopez, Senate President Gil J. Puyat, Speaker Jose B. Laurel, Jr., Senate President Protempore Jose J. Roy, Speaker Protempore Jose Aldeguer; Senator Arturo M. Tolentino, Dominador Aytona, Wenceslao R. Lagumbay, Helen Benitez, Leonardo Perez, Lorenzo Teves, Emmanuel Pelaez, Lorenzo Sumulong, Salvador Laurel, Rene Espina, Mamintal Tamano; Reps. Marcelino Veloso, Jose Alberto and Natalio P. Castillo; Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata, NEC Chairman and PES Director-General Placido Mapa, Jr. Central Bank Governor Gregorio S. Licaros, Bud get Commissioner Faustino Sy-Changco, Assistant Executive Secretary Flores Bayot, and Presidential Executive Assistant Jacobo C. Clave.
The President saw no other outside group during the day, except a delegation of some 59 press photographers who presented their views on the right of Malacañang photographers to cover student demonstrations. They were headed by Manuel Silva and Domingo Suba of the Manila Times.
For most of the working day, the President focused on his desk work. Among other actions, he named four more members to the PTTA board, leaving only one vacancy; and ordered Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr. to study the feasibility of putting up a village for handicapped persons, in response to the petition of an organization of blind people, Tinig ng mga Pinagkaitan ng Liwanag, for such a place where they could live and work.
Appointed to the PTTA board were: Firmo Liwanag, president of the Manila Jaycees; Antonio Delgado, Jose Cobarrubias, and Immigration Commissioner Edmundo Reyes.
The President also appointed Francisco G. Abrogar as member of the Provincial Board of Misamis Oriental.
[Vicente] Ting Paterno does not seem to be too eager to join BOI [Board of Investments]. So I may have to put [Placido] Mapa [Jr.] or [Roman] June Cruz.
Met the Press Photographers with Kits [Francisco] Tatad.
Have written Cesar Lanuza and Leo [Leonides] Virata to prepare two projects on abaca pulp and paper by Friday.
Proposed a railroad for Mindanao in the caucus.