I write this as I wait for the guests to leave from the inner dining room. Guests are Vincent Recto and wife [Offie] and Zita Feliciano.
But I continue this at 12:55 AM as I had to project some of the 8 mm. films for them.
Spent the whole morning in bed luxuriously dozing. And lazily conversing with Imelda—tenderly about us and how tolerant and broad-minded we had become of each other and other people.
A certain Dr. Brown, a lecturer on world politics, came to see me at eleven but had to wait till 11:50 with his wife. Then had lunch with [Felipe] Baby Ysmael whom I intend to appoint as a representative of the private sector to help government study trade opportunities in Asia with the rank of Ambassador.
Saw the movie False Witness with Bongbong, napped from 4 to 5 then appeared over ABS-CBN radio hook-up on education. Met the Malacañang reporters who protested Larry Cruz’ unguarded but off the record remarks that they and reporters who followed me in the campaign had been given an allowance. This is treated with jest by everyone except the publishers who seem to have lost their sense of humor.
Official Gazette for July 19, 1970: President Marcos said that the primary target of the administration now is the development of a well-balanced agro-industrial economy.
The President told a visiting political science professor that the country is now engaged in the task of increasing and diversifying exports and decreasing imports. The President said that with the stoppage of car imports the government expects to encourage local car assemblers to put up local plants to use local materials wherever possible in the assembly of cars. Later, the President held the first conference of the air with student leaders and local government officials to discuss national and local problems. The conference which was conducted through the facilities of the ABS-CBN radio was participated in by, among others, Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas, Mayors Angel Tiongco of Sta. Rosa, Laguna and Floro Roxas of Limay, Bataan, and Edgar Jopson of the National Union of Students of the Philippines, with Johnny de Leon as moderator.
During the conference, the President discussed with the conferees the improvement of the quality of education and the school problems in general, the flood control plans for Manila, and the release of funds for public works.
Quijano de Manila, writing in the Philippines Free Press of July 1970 [available online], provides the background to this issue between the Malacañang Press Corps and the Malacañang Press Office under Francisco Tatad and Lorenzo J. Cruz. See “Kit and Larry: The boys in the back room.” He details the power struggle between a Palace faction led by Jacobo Clave and Jake Tuvera against them who were recommended by Blas Ople, in addition to Nereo Andolong who wanted tatad’s position.