Cons. Con. [Constitutional Convention] opened at 10:00 AM at Manila Hotel. Except for the presence of a few hundred KM’s [Kabataang Makabayan] in front of Manila Hotel (noisy but not violent) and the alleged walk out of some delegates (the TV claims there were 18, our boys counted 8—actually 11 went out but some 3 returned), it was uneventful. The Speaker made some mistakes breaking the ice (he called [Jaime] Ferrer chairman of the Com. on Appointments & not Elections which started a ripple of laughter). He and Sen. Pres. Gil Puyat read some ordinary speeches. The roll call took about an hour.
Official Gazette for June 1, 1971: President Marcos appealed to the delegates to the —Constitutional Convention to cast aside narrow interests and work in unity and close cooperation in the framing of a new Constitution.Addressing the opening session of the Constitutional Convention at the Manila Hotel, the President also asked everyone to help provide the moral climate of cooperation and support “without which this great opportunity for human growth in this part of the world must surely lapse unfulfilled.”
The President said he had come to the Convention “to offer that cooperation and support,” and “to express in person the fervent hope that the Constitutional Convention will succeed in its noble task to meet the great expectations of our people in a Philippine Constitution.” The President said that “the price of a successful new Charter is unity itself, for neither the making of a new Constitution nor its blueprints of ideals and principles is an assurance by itself that we shall attain the peaceful, abundant and meaningful life which alone is the object of our best endeavors.”
The President reminded the delegates that they go into their historic mission with the confidence of the people who elected them in their “ability and willingness to discard narrow interests so that neither political ends, nor personal fortune, nor fanaticism shall stand in the way of a Charter expressive of the true aspirations of our people.” The President continued, “The new tribalism engendered by organized anarchy must now be discarded in favor of national unity, which alone can ensure the calm and orderliness that can guarantee the success of you efforts.” (Full text of the President’s speech in OG.)
The President, together with the First Lady, lmelda Romualdez-Marcos arrived at the convention hall at about 10 a.m. Their arrival was announced by a long standing ovation as the delegates and their guests stood up to greet them. After acknowledging the greetings from the crowd, the President proceeded to the rostrum where he sat flanked by Senate President Gil J. Puyat and Speaker Cornelio T. Villareal, while the First Lady joined Mrs. Mariquit Lopez, wife of Vice President Fernando Lopez, and former First Ladies, namely, Mesdames Carlos P. Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal and Sergio Osmeña, Sr.
As soon as the President and the First Lady were seated, Senate President Puyat and Speaker Villareal called the convention to order. The program started with the singing of the National Anthem, followed by an ecumenical prayer led by representatives of the Iglesia ni Cristo Muslim faith, National Council of Churches, Philippine Independent Church and Roman Catholic Church. This was followed by a speech by Senate President Puyat, and the certification of the election of the delegates present by Chairman Jaime N Ferrer of the Commission on Elections, who informed the convention that there were 312 delegates elected, with eight others not yet decided and 309 of the 312 elected were present at the opening session.
After the certification of elections, Speaker Villareal addressed the Convention, followed by the oath-taking of the elected delegates. The Speaker then introduced the President who spoke for 13 minutes, and then waited for the session to be recessed before leaving the convention hall.
Also present at the opening session of the Constitutional Convention were surviving members of the Constitutional Convention of 1934, members of the Cabinet, senators and representatives, members; of the diplomatic corps, and other government officials.
The President worked on urgent state papers the rest of the day.
Then I delivered an eight-minute speech which was partly extemporaneous—but without notes. Even Sec. [Carlos] Romulo, the old soft spoken but master speaker called up to say it was a beautifully delivered speech. “You certainly told them.” “It was oratory at its best but the thought was profound.” “The diplomatic corp[s] commented that it was obvious as to who was President.”
Even Imelda, my severest critic, signaled to me that the speech was nice. She was all smiles even as she was beside Mariquit Lopez, the wife of the VP’s whom I forgot to address in the speech.
Mayor [Antonio] Villegas and almost everybody I have met including the delegates were lavish in their praise.
What made the speech look good perhaps was its comparison to that of Speaker [Cornelio] Villareal and Senate Pres. Puyat. Anybody would look good after that. After their conversational style I put on the oratorical best.
But I did think the style of delivery was inspired and the thoughts profound.
“This is the highest moment of our history x x x. This is the vision, the dream of our forbears.”
“For the greatest act of freedom is the writing of a constitution x x x”
“We test the democratic principle that democracy is self-rejuvenating, selfrecuperating, self-healing. An unjust economic and social system develops to impose itself on a democratic society and corrupts it. The people can rectify this if they so will it directly or indirectly. Society can be revolutionized by constitutional means not by destroying democratic processes but by strengthening them.”
“The price of a successful charter is national unity.”
“The new tribalism engendered by organized anarchy must be discarded for national unity.”
I attach the various stages of correction of the speech.
My muscles are sore from exercising. Jogged this morning and muscle tension exercises. Then golf in the rain (9 holes for the first time) and some more exercises.
I have asked about the weather in Fuga. It is ideal fishing weather there although it is raining here. We intend to go there Thursday and return Monday (June 3-7).