Finished my speeches on Memorial Day tomorrow at the American Battle Monuments and Tuesday at the opening ceremonies of the Constitutional Convention.
Met the Speaker on the complaint of ex-Pres. [Carlos] Garcia and asked that the Speaker see old man Garcia on his candidacy for the presidency of the Convention.
The radicals in a meeting at UP [University of the Philippines] Diliman have decided to mount a continuing demonstration to denounce the convention as a tool of vested interests and of U.S. imperialism. They will parade with 300 coffins on opening day—denoting the death of their hopes in the 300 (actually 320) delegates.
But we do not expect any violence.
Talked to Bongbong by telephone. The girls are in Paris. They have been there since Friday and will return to London on Tuesday.
Played 5 holes of golf this afternoon.
When the voting on the motion to invite me to the Cons. Con. was going on, Chino [Joaquin] Roces, publisher of the Manila Times was bragging at the MOPC [Manila Overseas Press Club] that “I would lose in the count.”
But when the voting ended up 117-101 the charge was that I control the convention—even picked the favorite number 17 and 1 and kept the edge of balloting close so us to avoid a charge that we control the convention completely.
Official Gazette for May 30, 1971: President Marcos directed RCA Chairman-General Manager Jose D. Drilon, Jr. to effect a complete revamp of the agency with the view to making it a more effective and respected arm of the government. The President gave the order after Drilon reported that syndicates which had been responsible for shortages in RCA stocks have virtually been busted with the filing of administrative charges and suspension of five RCA regional managers, three branch and agency managers, nine finance officers, nine provincial inspectors and 44 warehousemen. The President commended Undersecretary Drilon for cleaning up the RCA, the agency charged with stabilizing the supply of the staple food of the people.
In the afternoon, the President proclaimed June 1, Tuesday, a special public holiday. In proclaiming the opening, of the Constitutional Convention a special holiday, the President said that “the people should be given the opportunity to ponder upon the importance of the historic undertaking and to think out and propose to their respective delegates much-needed reforms in the social, economic and political structure.” The day marks the opening of the 1971 Constitutional Convention.
The President also designated Leticia Perez de Guzman, a vice president for administration of the Philippine Women’s University, as member of the National Manpower and Youth Council, to represent Family Organizations.
What an unbelievable force Chino is putting on.