Official Gazette for November 23, 1970: President Marcos met with top Congress leaders and Cabinet officials to discuss additional measures to speed tro rehabilitation of typhoon victims.
Present at the meeting were Senate President Gil J. Puyat, Speaker Jose B. Laurel, Jr., Sen. Gerardo M. Roxas who is the Liberal Party president, Sen. Dominador Aytona, Speaker Protempora Jose Aldeguer, House Majority Floorleader Mareelino Veloso and Borne Minority Floorleader Justiniano S. Montano. The Cabinet officials present were Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr., Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile, Secretary of Finance Cesar &. A. Virata, Budget Commissioner Faustino Sy-Chang-co, Assistant Executive Secretary Roberto V. Reyes, Commerce Undersecretary Troadio Quiazon, Jr., and Agriculture Undersecretary Arturo R. Tanco, Jr.
It was agreed at the meeting:
1. That the President need not call for a special session of Congress as there exists ample authorization in the current Appropriations Act to spend funds for the required rehabilitation. 2. That, instead, the President should avail of existing executive authority to raise or generate additional cash for the funding of massive rehabilitation work.
Following the meeting, the President issued additional instructions to government agencies concerned. In order to speed up the government’s relief and rehabilitation effort.
The new instructions were: 1. The Fiscal Policy Committee to meet in three days, to re-examine the priorities in the overall government funding program, and to reduce expenditures of law-priority projects or activities in the light of the new crisis as a result of the recent typhoon, 2. The Secretary of Finance to release immediately to local governments concerned their respective shares from excess income tax collections. This is aimed at enabling the local governments to undertake rehabilitation work on their own, and consequently reduce dependence on the national government. 3. The Chairman of the Separations Commission to include in the new schedule of reparations procurement additional items for prefabricated school buildings. 4. The Budget Commission to release P400,000 to the Department of Social Welfare as relief aid, in addition to the P100,000 previously released by the President. The President announced meanwhile, that the PI million contributed by the Central Bank, Philippine National Bank, Government Service Insurance System, Development Bank of the Philippines, and the Social Security System to the relief and rehabilitation fund will be used for the early resettlement, as differentiated from relief, of the victims rendered homeless by typhoon “Yoling.” 5. That in connection with the earlier instructions to the GSIS, SSS, DBP, and PNB to liberalize procedures for the granting of emergency loans, the said agencies should publish such liberalized procedures in the newspapers immediately, for the guidance of loan applicants. 6. That the GSIS General Manager immediately effect the release and payment of dividends to all its members. 7. That an Agricultural Recovery Program for all damaged areas, including the latest devastations by typhoon “Yoling” be immediateiy implemented. 8. The Secretary of Public Works and Communications to submit an overall estimate of damaged public works projects, and to formulate an integrated program for the early repair or reconstruction of such projects to include the estimated cost and possible sources of funding.
During the meeting, the President signed the proclamation amending Proclamation No. 775, which declared a state of calamity in the Greater Manila Area and the provinces of Rizal and Eataan. (Full text of the proclamation in OG).
The amending proclamation includes the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Zambales in the coverage of the state of calamity. It also designates the Price Control Council to implement the provisions of said proclamation, pertaining to legal sanctions against hoarding, overpricing, profiteering or concealing of such goods. It also empowers the Price Control Council in this regard to seize all hoarded stocks of prime commodities, and to arrest all violators.
Met the Congressional leaders including Minority Floor Leaders Gerardo Roxas of the Senate and Justiniano Montano of the House.
Unanimous against a special session and instead for the use of my powers like increase of Tariff for crude oil from 10% to 15%, the termination of all inactive special funds, the use of savings, etc.
The Fiscal Policy Committee is meeting tomorrow then we will meet the leaders again on Thursday, the day before the Pope’s arrival.
Kokoy [Benjamin Romualdez] and Nanoy [Potenciano] Ilusorio called on me to say they were going to the U.S. to find out what the Boehms [Dovie Beams] woman was up to.
Imelda received a call from Former Ambassador Loyd Hand to the effect that Greg Bautzer was his partner and the Boehms woman had wired Bautzer asking him to handle a big case against the President of the Philippines and that she was willing for him to set his fee. When Imelda told him that the Boehms woman was trying to blackmail me and that she was claiming to be my mistress, he was shocked and said he could not believe it.
Am working on my speech on the papal visit.