Surrender of Datu Mapantilan of Agusan del Sur.
Two sultans.
Dr. [Melquiades] Gamboa on Constitutional Amendments.
Appointments to the Judiciary.
Reorganization Commission
Official Gazette for July 29, 1970: President Marcos received a group of Datus from Agusan and Davao, notably Datu Manpatilan of Agusan, who has been in the news allegedly as the man behind the killing of some lumberjacks. The Datu denied this.
After this meeting, the President’s next visitor was Dr. Melquiades Gamboa, who took up specific matters. The President as usual carried on his paper work, and in the afternoon he again sat down for a conference on land problems, particularly those affecting national minorities and small settlers, with Vice President Fernando Lopez and other officials. It was decided that Vice President Lopez will have direct control and administration of the agencies involved with the resolution of land disputes and other problems affecting- settlers, minorities and small farmers.
Others at the conference were Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr., Undersecretaries Isosceles Pascual of natural resources, Arturo Tarico, Jr. of agriculture, Guillermo Santos of justice and Efren Plana of national defense; Directors Jose Viado of forestry and Fernando Busuego of mines; CNI Commissioner Mama Sinsuat; Land Authority Gov. Conrado Estrella, Brig. Gen. Eduardo Garcia and Datu Manpatilan.
In an effort to coordinate government operations against unfair trade practices the President reorganized the Fair Trade Board, vesting it with greater powers and authority “in consonance with the demands of the times.” The board’s reorganization was prompted by the serious increase in cases of imitation products, alteration and substitution of lawful trademarks and trade names, misbranding, mislabelling, fraudulent designation of origin, false description, adulteration, fraudulent refilling of empty containers and other methods of unfair business competition and. unethical trade practices.
Also noted were increased violations of laws against “monopolies and combinations in restraint of trade,” such as collusion in price fixing, conspiracies to prevent by artificial means free competition in the market, and transactions prejudicial to lawful commerce. As constituted, the new Fair Trade Board will be composed of the Secretary of Commerce and Industry as chairman; the Undersecretary of Justice as vice chairman; and the chairman of the Price Control Council, commissioner of customs, commissioner of internal revenue, the food and drug administrator, the chief of the Philippine Constabulary, and the presidents of the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Consumers Union of the Philippines, and the Chamber of Filipino Retailers as members. The director of commerce will be the secretary and executive officer of the board.
Among other actions, the President directed the Philippine Virginia Tobacco Administration to start paying this year its indebtedness of ₱300 million to the Agricultural Credit Administration and the Central Bank.The President said payment of this indebtedness should be completed within three years with at least ₱50 million to be paid immediately this year.
Met the Vice President, Land Reform Sec. [Conrado] Estrella, Small Settlers’ [Raoul] Beloso, CNI Com. [Datu Mama] Sinsuat, Dir. Of Forestry, of Lands, Fisheries—the Undersecretaries of Agriculture and Nat. [Natural] Resources to get them organized as a coordinating committee to establish policy and settle land disputes and charges of land-grabbing.
The VP has been complaining of not being given any powers and yet has not been doing anything on matters that come under his jurisdiction. So I have directed him to take a direct hand. This puts him on the spot if he does not work.
Created the Development Management Group by Executive Order. This integrates the loose efforts of various agencies on development and saves me wear and tear.