Rural Banking 18th convention.
Then some appointments (Don Manolo Elizalde—appointed the son Manda back to PANAMIN [Presidential Assistant on National Minorities]) Gen. Bienvenido Castro; Delegate Luis Catubig and father on a forestry concession increase of allowable cut, Cong. Jose Puyat, etc.
Met Amb. [Henry] Byroade and Tom Donahue at 7:00 PM after golf. The Vietnam situation is bad but not irretrievable. I attach reports.
I have a feeling that Pres. [Richard] Nixon is going to try a landing in North Vietnam with massive aerial and naval bombardment. The air tankers have been flying out to Thailand and Vietnam. There are six aircraft carriers, not just four.
Since all the North Vietnamese troops are committed to the South Vietnamese drive, then an Incheon-type of rear landing cutting off the advancing North Vietnamese may be in order.
The [Alfredo] Montelibano-Danny [Daniel] Vazquez group have asked for a compromise on the reclamation (Pasay City) case. Montelibano, of course, is offering all kinds of support in the elections. I have refused them and ordered an appeal from the adverse CFI [Court of First Instance] decision.
Official Gazette for May 4, 1972: THE PRESIDENT was guest of honor and speaker at the 19th annual convention of the rural bankers, held at the Manila Royal Hotel on Echague.
In his address, the President said that all available resources of the government would be unequivocably committed to the continued support of the rural banking movement.
He stressed that rural bankers, by the very nature of their operations and locations, had proved to be valuable instruments in the implementation of national policies.
The President expressed the hope that rural banks would continue to participate actively in the administration’s program aimed at intensifying rice production.
The President worked on state papers in the afternoon, and then met with Malacañang newsmen toward evening.