Opened the Ilocano presentation at the Nayong Pilipino at about 9:00 AM.
Appointed Gov. Jose Evangelista as Chairman of the Public Service Commission and administered his oath of office before the Governors and City Mayors’ League who visit me on the first Monday of every month. They came to seek the use of national engineers’ equipment for road-building without rent which I ordered and for the release of funds for public works which I postponed for the final listing of projects and of priorities.
Official Gazette for December 7, 1970: President Marcos had a full day during which he visited Nayong Pilipino, named new officials, and received a number of callers, including two visitors from the Soviet Union. He also attended to state papers which required his immediate attention. At Nayong Pilipino, the President formally opened “Ilocos Norte Week” at appropriate ceremonies prepared by Ilocano provincial officials.
He announced the appointment of Gov. Jose Evangelista as chairman of the Public Service Commission, and held him personally accountable to him for the institution of badly needed reforms in the PSC. Later he inducted Evangelista in the presence of members of the Governors and City Mayors League.
The President also mingled with young people who are “taking over” city hall, for the duration of Boys and Girls Week. He took occasion to speak on student activism in these words: “I welcome demonstrations, for in a sense they draw attention to the inefficient, the corrupt and the insensitive members of society.” However, he added, before change can take hold in the country, “there must be change in man, in his heart and in his mind.”
At noon, the President handed to Jaime Zobel de Ayala letters of instructions for the latter who proceeds to London presently as new Philippine envoy to the Court of St. James.
Among other visitors, the President met Valentina Lubomudrova, member of the USSR Presidium, and Prof. Nicolai Tsagolov, who paid their respects following their arrival last Thursday. They were accompanied to Malacañang by Igor Podberesky, a Russian scholar who studied Tagalog in Moscow under Teodosio Lansang and is now a UP student; Reps. Nicanor Yñiguez, Jose Leido, Jr. and Juliano Alba of Capiz and PES Director-General Apolinario Orosa.
To cap a full day, the President received members of the Airlines Pilots Association of the Philippines, who came with Labor Relations Director Amado Inciong, to try and resolve the continuing dispute between the association and management of Philippine Airlines.
In the afternoon, the President designated Jesus Tanchanco as a member of the board of administrators of the National Electrification Administration, a government agency created under Republic Act No. 6038.
Later, the President revoked Memorandum Circular No. 409, issued November 21, which instituted a five-hour working day and three-day weekened in areas covered by Proclamation No. 775.
Through the Executive Secretary, the President directed that effective tomorrow (December 8) all government offices affected by Circular 409 shall revert to the usual legal office hours of from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The shortened work schedule in government offices was instituted to enable those state workers whose homes were destroyed by the typhoon to attend to their repair or rehabilitation.
Met the Russian delegation headed by Dr. [Valentina Lubomudrova, member of the USSR Presidium], and Professor Nicolai Tsagolov with [Igor Podberesky] the scholar specializing on Tagalog.
We will soon start the initiative of establishing trade and cultural and ultimately diplomatic relations with Russia and the Socialist countries of Europe. Red China is another matter because of its avowed purpose to dominate us in its drive for an Asian hegemony under its leadership.
Worked on the contingency plan for Mindanao and the anti-smuggling campaign reports.
Met the Boy and Girl officials of Manila, Caltex officials and the Papal Nuncio.
Played 18 holes in Manila Golf with [Domingo M.] Ingo Guevara, Belek Madrigal and Ricky Cu-Unjieng. Imelda picked me up and came over to the 18th fairway with Hebu, Vicky and Chito Madrigal.
Before the boy and girl officials for the yearly week-long celebration of the youth, I quoted the saying of Lao Tze—“Make well of this day, for every today well spent makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”
I am slightly disturbed by the licentious attacks against me insinuating dishonesty. So I have decided to file a case against Franz Pick the monetary writer who claimed that I have dollars hidden away somewhere which is more than the dollar reserves of the country. I believe it is about time we took a stand on this.
I have directed Press Secretary Kits [Francisco] Tatad to phase the important news that we will have for release in the next several months.
Imee is completely occupied in her role as the tragic mother Maurya in the famous play [Riders] to the sea by [JM Synge].
Igor Podberesky, studied Tagalog in Moscow under Teodosio Lansang and at the time of the meeting with Marcos was studying in U.P.
Dr. Valentina Lyubomudrova (1918-1996), major field of academic expertise being international law, occupied at that time a rather high position in the Association of the Soviet Friendship Societies with the Peoples of Foreign Countries (its Russian abbreviated name was ССОД). The latter played an active role in maintaining contacts between the USSR and the Philippines in the era prior to the establishment of full diplomatic relations. As the top Soviet expert on the Philippines, Igor Podberezsky was closely working with this organization through the whole period of his academic career until the breakup of the Soviet Union. As far as Prof. Nicolai Tsagolov (1904-1985) is concerned, he was a political economist of some reputation who taught for several decades at the Moscow State University. (Email correspondence r. Victor Sumsky, 30 November 2018.)
Franz Pick was an international currency analyst who published 50 books as well as the monthly Pick’s Currency Report and Pick’s Currency Yearbook. He was and advocate of gold as world currency. [From obituary in the NYT December 3, 1985.]
Irene who saw her today says she was good, was actually crying on stage; and so was the audience.
We will see her tomorrow at 5:00 PM.