Yesterday I received a report of Cong. [Roque] Ablan [Jr.] confirmed by Lupiño Lazaro himself that several people—[Joaquin] Chino Roces, Sen. [Jose] Diokno, Col. Ozaeta, L. Alcuas (activist group of Ateneo), Doronilla of NPC etc. are trying to convince the jeepney drivers before elections to strike against the suspension of the privilege of the writ.
Five days of press stories and editorials as well as financing was promised by Chino Roces who may be conspiring with [Eugenio] Iñing Lopez [Sr.].
I attach the report.
I have asked Bobby Reyes to get in touch with Lazaro to convince him not to strike.
Imelda arrived by PAL [Philippine Air Lines] from Honolulu at 4:10 PM.
Official Gazette for October 27, 1971: Another meeting on the rice problem and a welcome reception on the arrival of the First Lady, Imelda R. Marcos, from her trip abroad, highlighted the President’s day which was comparatively a busy one for him.
In the morning, after a brief stint at his desk, the President met with the local officials and leaders of Cotabato on the peace and order condition in that province.
The President then repaired to the Maharlika Hall for the meeting with rice traders, millers, retailers and market vendors from Manila Manila and the neighboring provinces on the problem of the “disappearing rice” in Manila and suburbs. Also present at the meeting were officials of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources and of the Rice and Corn Administration led by Secretary Arturo R. Tanco, Jr., and Undersecretary Jose Drilon, Jr., concurrent RCA chairman; Secretary of Commerce and Industry Troadio Quiazon, concurrent chairman of the Price Control Council (PCC); and Assistant Executive Secretary Roberto V. Reyes.
In the course of the conference, the President suspended temporarily the implementation of the ceiling prices fixed for commercial rice by the PCC on condition that no rice would be sold at over ₱3 per ganta.
At the same time, the President directed the RCA to maintain a regular daily injection of 21,000 cavans of rice in the Greater Manila area, which had a normal requirement of only 18,000 cavans a day.
The President ordered the suspension of the PCC price ceiling when the rice traders and millers promised that they would mill their palay flood the market with commercial rice at ₱2.80.
During the open forum, the President received numerous complaints on alleged inefficiency and red tape on the part of RCA people. The President asked the RCA management to gather all the complaints and to investigate them, and to submit a report to him.
At 3:30 p.m. the President motored to the Manila International Airport to meet the First Lady, who arrived at 4:00 p.m. from a 16-day diplomatic mission abroad, which included meetings with Prime Minister Indira Ganhi of India and President Richard Nixon of the United States and attendance on behalf of the Philippines at the 2,500th foundation anniversary celebration of the Persian empire.
While in the United States, Mrs. Marcos also attended the inauguration of new wing of the Institute of Arts of the University of Michigan. Among the welcomers were some members of the Cabinet, diplomatic corps and Congress, and their ladies.
Back in Malacañang at 5 p.m., the President sat down with some local officials from northern Luzon, who discussed matters affecting their respective constituencies.
In the evening, the President was guest at the “Straight from the Shoulder” television program of Evening News columnist Luis Beltran. The TV interview was broadcast from the Malacañang Music Room.
I finished the conference with the rice retailers, traders, millers and merchants at about 1:00 PM, met the Cotabato mayors and the government prosecutors, then had a luncheon-conference on the briefing for the Supreme Court (with Gen. [Fidel] Ramos, Sol. Gen. Felix Antonio, Col. [Tagumpay] Nanadiego, Col. [Ignacio] Paz) at 2:00 PM up to 3:10 PM, went to airport—was back at the Palace at 5:15 PM—met the congressmen from the north and then had a TV interview from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, finished with political leaders at 10:00 PM. Then went to [Bahay] Pangarap for the dry run of the briefing with Justice Fred Ruiz Castro. Finished at 12:00 PM.
Am now in the bedroom with Imelda for a lively recounting of her hectic trip.