Breakfast for Gen. and Mrs. Partridge who was battalion commander of the 1st Cavalry that liberated Manila and is now head of the US National Rural Cooperative Association. They played hosts to Imelda on her visit to Washington last year.
I lent them a PAF [Philippine Air Force] Avro for a visit to Moresco [Misamis Oriental Rural Electric Service Cooperative] and Victorias cooperatives.
Met the Fiscal and Financial Policy Committee on the control of external debt and on the social concept of development.
I have asked Gen. [Jose] Rancudo, CG [Commanding General] of the 5th Fighter Wing at Basa to start a complex for the assembly then manufacture of planes, following the Israeli example.
Official Gazette for November 29, 1971: PRESIDENT MARCOS received at breakfast General Robert Partridge (ret.), general manager of the National Rural Electrification Cooperatives Association (NRECA) of the United States, who arrived in the course of an inspection tour of NRECA-assisted countries.
During the call at Malacañang in the morning, the President underscored the crucial role of cooperatives in economic development, especially to a country with limited resources like the Philippines.
Gen. Partridge, in turn, assured the President that the NRECA would continue extending all-out support to the government’s rural electrification program designed to provide electric power and light up the outlying areas of the country.
Also present during the call were Col. Pedro Dumol of the National Electrification Administration, William Wenner, head of the NRECA team in the Philippines; Philips Parker, William Robert and Philips Costas, team members; Thomas Venables, coordinator, international programming division of the US-AID; and Terry Arnold, counselor for economic affairs of the U.S. embassy.
Toward noon, the President conferred with his top fiscal advisers on the government’s housing program for low-income employees.
The President instructed his advisers to map up ways by which small wage earners may be provided with adequate low-cost housing.
While engaged in desk work, the President signed an administrative order creating a special committee that would take charge of all arrangements in connection with the commemoration of Rizal Day on December 30.
He also ordered Secretary Estrella to set down the integrated targets of land reform, particularly on loans to small leaseholders, the acquisition of lands for subdivision and lease, and the opening of settlement projects.
The President received several callers up to 1 p.m., most of whom were local officials. He worked on state papers most of the afternoon.
In the evening, the President swore into office Social Security Commissioner Israel Bocobo as acting undersecretary of labor.
Present at the oath-taking held at the Malacañang Reception Hall were officials of the Department of Labor headed by Secretary Adrian E. Cristobal and Undersecretary Amado G. Inciong, close friends and relatives of the inductee led by his wife, and labor leaders, including Cipriano Cid of the PAFLU, Johnny Tan of the Federation of Free Workers, Themistocles Dejon of the Pinagbuklod na Manggagawang Pilipino-MPTUC, and Wage Commissioner Gerry Quadra.
Met the Ilocos Sur mayors led by Rep. Lucas Cauton. The NPA’s [New People’s Army] have infiltrated Ilocos Sur from Tagudin to Burgos to Vigan, Magsingal and Cabugao.
Played golf with Jack Anderson and Elen Foran of Ford.
Signed the amendments to the Tariff and Customs Code (64 times) which principally removes the loopholes and escape provisions of the code and raises Pl40 more in tariff duties.
I also went through the first book of the Philippine Theater prepared at the instance of Imelda.
It is unknown where this and the succeeding sentences come from, because the second page of this entry is missing from the PCGG collection.