Official Gazette for December 2, 1971: AMONG the first visitors to Malacañang was Secretary of Foreign Affairs Carlos P. Romulo, who arrived from the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Kuala Lumpur from November 25–27.
Secretary Romulo submitted to the President a comprehensive report on the meeting which discussed the subject of neutralization of Southeast Asia and agreed to hold an ASEAN summit conference in Manila on or about the middle of March 1972.
On the basis of the secretary’s report, the President expressed the belief that the ASEAN should undertake all initiatives to form a firm and lasting foundation for regional responsibility for the security and development of the region.
Shortly after the call of Secretary Romulo, the President received U. S. Ambassador Henry Byroade, with whom the President discussed matters of mutual interest to the Philippine and United States governments.
The President asked the U. S. government, through the ambassador, to support, as a further extension of the Nixon doctrine, the initiatives taken by the Southeast Asian countries for regional action and responsibility for security and development.
The Nixon doctrine promulgated in Honolulu envisaged a progressive assumption by the Asian countries of the responsibility for their own security.
Accordingly, the President has asked that negotiations on the Philippine-US military bases agreement be finalized and the respective negotiating panels set a date for the termination of such negotiations.
Also notable among the early morning callers was the group of 40 delegates of the 15 countries participating in the one-week Sixth Asian Electronics Conference.
The President told the group that the conference could help maintain peace and amity among nations by establishing strong ties through wider communications inter-linking the Asian nations.
The delegates, who were accompanied to Malacañang by Dr. Wigberto Clavecilla, head of the Clavecilla Radio Network, were headed by their respective chief delegates, namely:
L. M. Harris of Australia, Minister Hien-chu Fang of the Republic of China, V. Rajayanogama of Ceylon, J. San Agustin of Guam, M. G. K. Menon of India, Nayer Nouri of Iran, General Soelharjono of Indonesia, Minister Mokomoto of Japan, Mr. Oh of Korea, Mohammad Hassan of Malaysia, Brig. Gen. Godofredo Carreon of the Philippines, Tadao Inami of the Ryukyus, Sutjon Sattabuysa of Thailand and Pham Hun Hief of Vietnam.
Just before noon, the President saw Dr. Paterno Millare, mayor-elect of Bangued, Abra, who requested assistance in securing an SSS loan for a modern market for the town, to replace their obsolete market; and to request national government help in rehabilitating the town’s water system.
From noontime to about 2 p.m., the President continued to receive callers, among them:
1. Governor-elect Lino Bocalan and Vice Governor-elect Dominador Camerino of Cavite, who came with Sen. Helena Benitez. They discussed the projected development of Sangley Point to make it productive for the people of the province.
The President, on his part, appealed to the new Cavite officials productive for the people of the province.
2. Sen. Mamintal Tamano, National Integration Commissioner Mama Sinsuat, and Cotabato Governor-elect Carlos Cajelo. Again the President focused on the restoration of peace and order in the region. Sen. Tamano indicated that he and Sen. Emmanuel Pelaez were working to bring together the leaders of Mindanao and Suiu and forge a united effort to make a hard and fast peace in the region.
3. Speaker Protempore Jose Aldeguer, Reps. Fernando Veloso of Samar, Lamberto Marias of Negros Oriental, Pablo Malasarte of Bohol, Antonio Villar of Pangasinan, Antonio Diaz of Zambales, Teodulo Natividad of Bulacan, Pedro Medalla of Mindoro Occidental, and Jose Neri of Camiguin.
With the group were Governor-elect Aguedo Agbayani of Pangasinan, Gualberto Lumauig of Ifugao, Jaime Gomes of Mt. Province, Jose Roño of Western Samar, and other provincial officials, who discussed local problems with the President.
Received the report of Sec. [Carlos] Romulo. And the impact of the loss of the senatorial team in the last elections hit me when Sec. Romulo reported that Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yu had instructed Minister Rajaratman to oppose the holding of the summit conference in Manila because I was a lameduck and that I could not commit the Philippine government.
Romulo claims he was able to convince the other ministers (with Minister Adam Malik backing him up) to hold the summit conference in Manila after a hard struggle. Although I suspect that he wanted to improve upon his achievement by increasing the obstacles allegedly on his path.
Although Lee Kuan Yew has always acted rather queerly like the ugly duckling in the family, inferiority complex and all.
Anyway Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia complained of my observation that the Declaration in Kuala Lumpur was subject to the approval of the heads of states [sic] in the summit conference, that this was obvious and that I need not overemphasize it. The truth is this came out when the vote at the bottom of the Declaration of the need of approval by the heads of state of the Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] nations, was the subject of the query whether this was correct or not—a query that could be answered only in the affirmative.
Met Amb. Henry Byroade who brought the letter of Pres. [Richard] Nixon and the news of the delivery of five helicopters on Dec. 20, 1971. I asked him to ask Adm. [John] McCain [Jr.] to come to Manila for the Mutual Defense Board meeting on the 13th or 14th of December instead of the 21st.
And I suggested that we now work out a plan for the five year period of training of Filipino soldiery to take over where the U.S. may leave out.
He also talked to me about oil prices. He says that Sec. [John] Connally had forgotten to talk to me about it.
Increase in oil prices will cause riots again.
But Meralco [Manila Electric Company] has increased its rates by three centavos without any hearing by any government body.
So I believe Meralco must be feeling confident it can get away with it. It has become that powerful.
Some labor groups are intending to question this before the Public Service Commission.
I asked a study by the Sec. of Justice, the Sol. Gen. and Gen. Carreon of the Radio Control Board to study the amendment of the rules so as to require a period of public service to be allotted by TV and radio stations.
And the apprehension of clandestine radio stations.
I instructed the Dept. of Foreign Affairs to have the Phil. panel on negotiation on the military bases advance the position that the tenure of such bases should be coterminous with the Mutual Defense Pact. Thus we do not set a definite period because the Mutual Defense Pact can be abrogated by one years’ notice by either party.
I attach the instructions.