Met Ambassador [Henry] Byroade on Cambodia. He showed me the latest dispatches from American sources. And it is certain that the Americans and S. Vietnamese have destroyed plenty of ammunition, guns, supplies, communications and
Official Gazette for May 11, 1970: President Marcos again held a round of conferences with both public and private officials, while also receiving a number of callers. In-between, he worked on state papers in his study. In addition, he attended the organizational meeting of the League of City Mayors as guest speaker, held at the Manila Hotel.
The President’s first conference was with officials of the Philippine Air Lines, attended by PAL President Benigno Toda, Jr., Buenaventura Velos and Rafael Igoa, both of PAL; and Secretary of Commerce and Industry Ernesto Maceda and MIA Manager Luis Tabuena.
After this conference, the President met with representatives of the Philippine Public School teachers Association (PPSTA) with Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr., GSIS Chairman Benjamin del Rosario and Fernando Santico, GSIS board member, also present. The PPSTA delegation sought representation of public school teachers in the GSIS boud of trustees. Those who spoie for the organization were Ardres M. Fonacier, PPSTA president: Arturo U. Armas, vice president; Santos P. Pascual, general manager; Leonido V. Razo, Manuel B. Adivoso, Cayetano Tejano, Melanio L. Mallari, Gregorio Baguioro, Prisco F. Castro, Pacifico A. Lota and Esmeraldo R. Acorda, president for Zamboanga del Norte, Camarines Norte, Bohol, Davao City, San CarlosCity, Masbate, and Enlisted Personnel of the Philippines, respectively; Board Members Celta P. Reyes, Fictoriano A. Pasiliao, Francisco P. Orillos, Trinidad R. Estrada, Matilde F. Padernal, Johnny A. Santos. Paciano T. Simbajon and several others.
The third conference of the day was with Budget Commissioner Faustino Sy-Changco, Representative Jose Alberto and Senator Dominador Aytona. The President took up the government’s fiscal concern with the three officials.
He also received Ted Tyderligh, Australian business executive, who made a courtesy call. The visitor was accompanied by Senator Helena Benitez and local business executive Rey Navarro.
In the afternoon, the President motored to the Manila Hotel to attend the founding ceremonies of the League of City Mayors, where he gave the keynote speech and inducted the League officers.
“In government, I can see no group of officialdom more qualified to take the vanguard in generating and managing change than local executives, particularly those in our cities,” lie said. “In many ways, they will be the leaders in this decade and the nest most deeply engaged because the cities are the political economic and social centers of the country.” he added.
The President urged the city mayors to begin participating more actively in the planning and implementation of programs that will enhance the growth of their communities.
He appealed to the city executive to initiate plans for the development of industries, creation of more job opportunities for the steadily increasing metropolitan population, to upgrade the maintenance of peace and order, to promote the effort against air and water pollution and to press slum clearance, beautification and other urban improvement programs.
The President pledged the assistance of the Presidential Economic Staff, the National planning Commission and other national government agencies in the formulation and implementation of these development program.
Returning to Malacañang, he relaxed briefly, then resumed his work in his study. The President directed the National Economic council to prepare a formal request for a pilot housing project under the United Nations Development Program with the Asian Development Bank providing the financing.
The President also directed the presidential Economic Staff and the Presidential Assistant on Housing and Resettlement to coordinate with the NEC in pushing through this project.
installations to paralyze them for 8 months and the Vietcongs have broken off after 4 hours battle because of lack of ammo.
P[h]nom Penh is however still encircled but since the Vietcong have taken it if they wanted to, and they have not, they must have other intentions.
Pres. Van Thien says the Americans may withdraw, but the South Vietnamese will stay longer.
[Henry] Kissinger in a press conference has said that even if the Americans and South Vietnamese had not attacked in Cambodia, they would have been attacked from there.
Even if we have not met the Foreign Policy Council, I have decided that we should only participate in the Djakarta conference and not send aid except medical or humanitarian aid to the Cambodians. But we should try and get Lon Nol to invite the Djakarta conference to request an observation team of civilians to go to Cambodia and report back to the conference or to a bigger one called by the U.[N]. Sec. General.