Flew to Caliraya Lakes (Sierra Lakes) to look at [Manuel] Neling Nieto’s [Jr.] land development at 7:35 AM by helicopter. Imelda had invited her friends and their husbands: Ising [Maria Luisa] Madrigal Vazquez, Zita Fernandez Feliciano, Offie [Ofelia] Recto, Agnes Sison Romualdez, of course Neling was there. He and Pepe Oledan fixed the food for breakfast and lunch.
Returned at 11:35 AM. The flight to the lakes took about 36 minutes because I went all the way to the boundary of Laguna and Quezon which is the middle of the Sierra Madre. Mauban seemed to be only about 9 kilometers as the crow flies from the lake. And we went around the lake up to the headwaters.
Intelligence reports that heavily armed NPA [New People’s Army] have been sighted in the area. Last sighting was Feb. 14th when 18 heavily armed men passed through and asked for 25 pairs of rubber shoes. But we secured the area with about 200 men and six officers under Major Angan.
After breakfast we visited the highest point above the lake marked for the Japanese shrine which Ex-Prime Minister [Nobusuke] Kishi visited on his last visit here last month. And checked the NPC [National Power Corporation] area, illegal logging.
Then while Imelda cruised around in Neling’s speed boat, I waterskied around the lake which is pretty big. It was the longest I had ever skied but there were practically no waves so I was not tired.
Then shower and lunch. And returned to [Bahay] Pangarap via Los Baños this time to avoid the gusts to the north of Laguna de Bay.
Organized the Mindanao Development Authority at 12:00 AM with Ernie Aboitiz as Gen. Man.—chairman, members—[Sixto] Ting Roxas, Victor Guevara and Cardenas as
Official Gazette for February 25, 1972: THE PRESIDENT had only one scheduled conference day, and decided to concentrate in his study of pending state papers.
He submitted, to the Commission on Appointments for confirmation the ad interim appointments of 37 individuals headed by Juan Ponce Enrile as secretary of national defense. The nominees included a member of the Board of Investments, five officials in the foreign service, and 30 in the judiciary.
At about noontime the President interrupted his desk work to confer with Messrs. E. Aboitiz, Sixto K. Roxas, Luis Lorenzo, Victor Guevara, and Ramon Cardenas, He designated Aboitiz as chairman-general manager and the four others as members of the Board of Directors of the Mindanao Development Authority (MDA).
The Chief Executive directed the immediate revitalization of the MDA and specifically instructed the new governing body to follow through his earlier order to set aside 20 per cent of the special economic development plan from reparations for the revitalized agency.
After the conference, the President resumed his desk work.
members and delegate Luis (Moro) Lorenzo as reserve for the time he is through being Concon [Constitutional Convention] delegate when I can appoint him a member.
After a nap, played golf & exercised.
Worked on:
- MIA [Manila International Airport] offers by CDCP [Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines]
- North expressway & South Superhighway
- Disposal of Tobacco by PVTA [Philippine Virginia Tobacco Administration]
- The overstaying Chinese problem with Tony Roxas Chua
Then had dinner at Pangarap with [Geronimo] Ronnie Velasco, Ting Roxas, Don Manolo Elizalde, Cesar Zalamea, Tito Yulo with [Juan] Johnny Ponce Enrile and [Edgardo] Eddie Angara as their lawyers. They may take over PAL [Philippine Airlines] from Benny [Benigno] Toda’s [Jr.] Rubicon which is delinquent.