We have just given a dinner for the Lord Alderman of London. The whole day they spent on a cruise to Corregidor and Bataan. They are Mr. and Mrs. Wontner.
Sen. [Jose] Diokno has resigned from the NP [Nacionalista]. Sen. [Jose] Roy without consultations rejected it. But Sen. [Leonardo] Perez issued the statement that Sen. Diokno cannot do otherwise as he is the lawyer of Nilo Tayag, President of the Kabataan Makabayan which has been adjudged in subversive organization by the Ct. of F. [Court of First] Instance of Tarlac.
I have worked on the budget and checked the balances available for calamity and rural improvement.
Ordered saturation of Lanao del Norte of troops because of the deterioration of peace.
Met the Radio TV Asso. for breakfast and worked out the campaign for the understanding of my proclamation.
Official Gazette for August 31, 1971: President Marcos had an interesting morning, as he received a report on the downtrend in rice prices, the start of the production of inexpensive local corned beef, and the smooth handling of the arrests in connection with the roundup of subversives.
Among the first to see the President was a group composed of Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources Arturo R. Tanco, Jr. and Undersecretary Jose D. Drilon, Jr., concurrent RCA chairman, and a number of congressmen. Tanco briefed the President on the current project to tin corned beef, under the Bonanza label, a joint understaking of the department and of the Delta Food Co. The corned beef would be sold at prices almost three times lower than the imported variety.
Next to sit down with the President was the three-man Presidential Administrative Assistance Committee, which reported on the response 30 far to the government’s invitation to citizens to report any abuse in connection with arrests made under the present emergency, with the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus temporarily suspended.
The committee, chaired by Undersecretary of Justice Catalino Macaraig and with Undersecretary of National Defense Efren I. Plana and Malacañang Assistant Ronaldo Zamora as members, reported that so far only one complaint had been received. Plana said that he would take action on the complaint.
The President also inducted in the morning the officers of the Philippine Chamber of Insurance and Surety. Inducted were Prima Cruz, president; Greg Derigo, first vice president; Cecilio Caponpon, secretary; Felipe Castro, treasurer; Emeterio Roa, Jr., auditor; Reynaldo de Dios, PRO; and Marciano Agana, Jr., Jose Abeleda, Romeo Cruz, and Eduardo Echauz, directors.
In the afternoon, the President received a number of visitors, most of them officials who came to consult the President on various problems. Most of the time, he concentrated on his desk work. He directed the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources to institute certain basic changes in the policies and procedures of the department, and several bureaus under it, such as to ensure optimum conservation and utilization of the country’s natural resources. The President’s action was based on the report of the Performance Audit Team which surveyed the DANR two months ago.Among the basic changes recommended by the audit team were the amendment of the Public Land Act and the Mining Act; the computerization of the land titling and patenting processes; and an experiment on aerial seeding for massing reforestation.
My book is in final page-proof.