Intelligence funds transferred to my office in 1969-1970 is supposed to total P34.6M but most of this was transferred to Congress for the expenditure of congressmen’s offices. And I am held liable for this. In the breakfast with Sen. [Dominador] Aytona and Cong. Jose Alberto, chairmen of the Senate and House Ways and Means, I asked that the Congress now assume responsibility for their expenses. And I asked the inclusion of contingency funds in the unprogrammed budget for any eventuality. The areas of contingency would be AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines], National Emergency Plans, Natural Calamities, Health, Labor. Information would be included in National Emergency Plans. I convinced them of the danger by calling attention to the training camps of subversives in their areas.
Official Gazette for April 1, 1970: President Marcos pledged the government’s continuing commitment to positive change while standing fast for the preservation of orderly society and the country’s democratic tradition. In a speech delivered for him by Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile at the annual field day of the Manila ROTC and PMT units at the Quezon City stadium, the President said that “continuity and change” must be every citizen’s responsibility. “The continuity of democracy” the President stated, “remains today the strongest element in our national life.”
Official business started at breakfast for the President when he had as guests Senator Dominador Aytona, Rep. Jose Alberto, Secretary of Finance Cesar E A. Virata, NEC Chairman Placido Mapa, Jr. who is also concurrent PES director-general; Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr. and Budget Commissioner Faustino Sy-Changco. As may be gleaned from the composition of his breakfast companions, the talk at the table focused on economic fiscal matters.
After breakfast, the President worked for a spell at his desk, during which he received PANAMIN Secretary Manuel Elizalde, Jr. and Antonio Delgado, recently named member of the BTTI board.
At 10 a.m., the President sat down with Congress leaders and labor bosses for a thorough study of the various minimum wage proposals. After this conference, the President received individually congressmen who called, it being Congressmen’s Day at Malacañang. For the rest of the day, the President continued to receive congressmen who sought consultations with him, while tending to his desk work in-between.
Among other actions, the President:
1) Signed Administrative Order No. 213, which created a committee to study budget concepts as they relate to national plans. In signing the order, the President ordered that budgets should henceforth be formulated to reflect income sources and provide financial support for duly approved national plans and programs; 2) Appointed Mario R. Reyes acting administrator of the National Cottage Industries Development Authority (NACIDA), vice Mrs. Pacita M. Gonzales, resigned. Reyes’s nomination was forwarded to the Commission on Appointments for confirmation; 3) Issued a proclamation declaring Thursday, April 2, a special public holiday in Bulacan, to give the people of the province the opportunity to celebrate appropriately the birth anniversary of Francisco Balagtas, Prince of Filipino poets, who was a native of the province; 4) A Memorandum Circular enjoining all government offices, agencies and instrumentalities to use Pilipino in all official communications on April 2, which is Balagtas Day, was also issued.
Malacañang also released the text of Memorandum Circular No. 340 signed by the Executive Secretary, Alejandro Melchor, Jr. prescribing new work hours for the summer season, covering the period April 1 to June 15, 1970.
Then I had a conference with the labor leaders and congressional members on the minimum wage to establish a dialogue to prevent a strike.
Caught a cold but had lunch with Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile and Eddie [Fidel] Ramos on the need to strengthen our hold on the Army. Gen. [Rafael] Ileto may have to be sent on a mission to the U.S. and the Camp Bonifacio commander, Col. Potenciano to “Deputy Commander of the 1st Brigade.”
Gen. [Rafael] Zagala should take the place of Col. [Rimseng?] as Deputy Phil. Army Chief and ultimately to command if the need arises.