Today was my family day. Spent the afternoon trying out our guns for the hunting trip to Sablayan, Mindoro Oriental on Christmas Day while the three girls of the family were spectators in the [Bahay] Pangarap side. Good-natured bantering all around like the Romualdezes owning the park ground (a zacate field then) as shown by the title and bought for only 20 centavos a square meter during the time of [Manuel] Quezon.
Then practiced a little golf and went to the house of [Jose] Joe Campos to hand him over the gift of a Virgin which arrived only after our dinner at Kimpura where we ate tempura and sashimi.
Pleasant evening.
The morning I administered the oath to the six generals I appointed yesterday; brought Gov. [Gregorio] Licaros and Sec. [Cesar] Virata to meet a certain Mr. Wright who is offering $140 million at 8½% interest payable in 15 years (too good to be true); approved the reorganization of the BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue]; conferred with Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile, Gen. [Manuel] Yan and Gen. [Eduardo] Garcia on Cotabato, Quezon and Ilocos Sur; approved some highway constructions in Ilocos Norte and Pampanga (P2 million each) chargeable against the P9 million available; met [Roberto] Bert Sabido on the sale to his group of 40% of Georgia Pacific; gave instructions to USec. [Isosceles] Pascual on expediting oil concession application approval, the Madarero and Walstrom cases.
Official Gazette for December 22, 1970: President Marcos again focused on his office work, dispensing for that reason his usual crowded schedule of visitors. He received only one caller, Mohammed Tewfik Oweide of the United Arab Republic, who called to pay his respects following his arrival in Manila to attend the first Muslim National Conference and the inauguration of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, to be held in Marawi City from December 25 to 27.
The President’s other activity outside of desk work was his induction into office of the new ranking military officials he has appointed. Sworn in by the President were Brigadier Generals Fidel Ramos, Teodorico P. Almuete, Domingo C. Tutaan, Edilberto C. V. Bernales; Commodores Leovigildo Gantioqui and Octavio A. Posadas.
After these two activities, the President continued working on state papers, including a review of the proposed rules and regulations submitted by the Board of Investments, simplifying export procedure for all exporters registered under the Export Incentives Act, which he approved. A result of the joint effort of various government agencies involved in exportation, the simplified procedure reduces pre-exportation requirements being followed by exporters, from 13 to only three (3) basic steps, (to wit: 1. Exporter applies for export permit. 2. Exporter pays arrastre, and 3. Exporter loads goods and services in the presence of customs inspectors. The simplified procedure has three main features, which were realized without in any way sacrificing government revenue collection. These are the elimination of unnecessary documents, reduction in frequency of commodity clearance, and postponement of wharfage fees.
Then I met Sec. Uayda [Oweide] of UAR [United Arab Republic] come here to attend the Moslem conference in Marawi.
The question of diplomatic relations with the USSR [Union of Soviet Socialist Republics] has caused a tempest in a teapot. Even CPR [Carlos P. Romulo?] cautious against precipitate action.
But I have directed the study groups of the Dept. of Foreign Relations, the Dept. of National Defense, Dept. of Commerce and Industry, Education and NICA [National Intelligence Coordinating Agency] to update their studies.
Today I also approved the new rules streamlining and simplifying the procedure for exports. This should improve our export earnings.