Official Gazette for December 4, 1971: PRESIDENT MARCOS presided over the initial meeting in the morning of the reinvigorated Development Council.
During the meeting, the body decided to continue with the program of a balanced agro-industrial economy so that agriculture could be given emphasis in financing and in the employment of the country’s limited resources.
The advisory body, which took up the updated four-year development plan and various sectoral plans for the period from 1972 to 1975, was briefed by NEC Chairman Gerardo Sicat on the overview of the four-year development program.
Under the updated plan, the country is divided into ten regions with specific objectives and targets for development for each particular region.
The body decided to continue with the program of a balanced agro-industrial economy so that agriculture could be given emphasis in financing and in the employment of the country’s limited resources.
The Council also took up the rural employment program, which includes the whole gamut of agricultural activity like cattle dispersal, fisheries, backyard poultry, piggery, large scale farming through cooperatives, and others.
The Council, aside from Chairman Sicat’s briefing, was also oriented by Joselito Gallardo of the Presidential Economic Staff on the fiscal and stabilization program; Roberto Fronda of the National Food and Agriculture
The whole morning was devoted to the Development Council meeting to which we invited members of the Constitutional Convention, governors and city mayors, representatives of the business sector and civic associations.
This was basically on the briefing on the economic and social development plans with explanations of sectoral plans.
The regional development concept was explained.
In relation to this the peace and order problem in Mindanao and Sulu was taken up. Cong. [Mohammad] Ali Dimaporo made an impassioned plea for the Moslem areas and offered three solutions for Lanao Norte:
Give the responsibility to the governor;
Give the responsibility to him;
Let the Ilagas and the Barracudas kill each other off.
Delegate [Francisco] Abalos when I asked him to comment on the petition they had filed
Council on the need for nutrition; Chairman Vicente Paterno of the Board of Investments on the rural employment program; Sen. Helena Z. Benitez, SSS Administrator Gilberto Teodoro and GSIS General Manager Roman Cruz, Jr. on housing; and Rep. Ali Dimaporo and Constitutional Convention Delegate Francisco Abalos on peace and order.
Aside from its regular members, the meeting was also attended by local government officials, members of Congress and the Constitutional Convention, whom the President invited. They were asked by the President to go over the sectoral development plans pertaining to their respective regions and to submit their recommendations.
Present at the conference were Speaker Cornelio T. Villareal, Sen. Emmanuel Pelaez, Rep. Lorenzo Sarmiento of Davao; Delegates Benjamin Campomanes, Julian Locsin, Artemio Lobrin, Domingo Guevarra, Honesto Mendoza, Celso Gangan, Lamberto Mardeno, Miguel Matsura, William Claver, Floro Bugnosen, Infante Calaycay, Fanny Cortez-Garcia of the Constitutional Convention;
Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr., Secretaries Cesar E. A. Virata of Finance, Juan L, Manuel of Education, Efren I. Plana of National Defense, Amadeo H. Cruz of Health, David Consunji of Public Works and Communications, Estefania Aldaba-Lim of Social Welfare, Constancio E. Castañeda of General Services, Conrado F. Estrella of Agrarian Reform; Administrator Eduardo Rodriguez of the Office of Economic Coordination; Budget Commissioner Faustino Sy-Changco;
PES Director-General Apolinario Orosa, Central Bank Gov. Gregorio S. Licaros, DBF Chairman Leonides S. Virata, PNB President Eusebio Villatuya, National Power Corporation Chairman Ramon Ravanzo, Assistant Executive Secretary Roberto V. Reyes, Undersecretary of Commerce Eliseo Villamor, Press Secretary Francisco S. Tatad, Angel Yoingco of the Tax Commission;
Governors Vicente Alberto of Catanduanes, Lino Chatto of Bohol, Teresita Dupaya of Cagayan, Virgilio Lacaya of Zamboanga del Norte, Murphy Sangkula of Sulu and Jose Sering of Surigao del Norte;
Julio Francia of the Chamber of Industries, Miguel Arambulo of the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Yao Shiong Shio of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce, Jose Fernandez of the Bankers Association of the Philippines, Lorenzo Mariano of the Rural Bankers Association, Jose Ma. Soriano of Atlas Mining and Development, Antonio Infante of the Business for Social Progress, Greg Timbol of the Chamber of Small Industries, Cesar Zalamea of the Monetary Board, Manolo Elizalde, Francisco Cristobal of the Federation of Free Workers, Cipriano Cid of the Philippine Association of Free Labor Unions, and Themistocles Dejon of the Pinagbuklod Na Mga Manggagawa ng Pilipinas.
(ConCon [Constitutional Convention] Delegate [Lamberto] Mordeno of Agusan del Sur Chairman’s the CC Committee on National Integration) referred to the charge of Gov. [Arsenio] Quibranza that Cong. Ali Dimaporo was the head of the Barracudas as well as to the charge of Cong. Ali Dimaporo that Gov. Quibranza was the head of the Ilagas.
Cong. Ali Dimaporo flared up denied the charge and accused the father of Delegate Abalos as a financier of the Ilagas. Delegate Abalos denied the charge and protested the innocence of his father who is from Ilocos Sur.
I then revealed my plan to set up security centers where the civilians can evacuate. These centers would be protected by the military and self-defense units. And there could be centers exclusively for Moslems or Christians.
This became necessary as farmers farm in the daytime, then go back to Iligan City for the night.
I met Sen. [Alejandro] Almendras and Sec. [Manuel] Elizalde [Jr.] this afternoon to arbitrate their quarrel. Landring did most of the talking protesting his victory