Libingan Ng Mga Bayani—Wreath laying on the Unknown Soldier’s Tomb after the mass for President [Carlos] Garcia. Bessang Pass Day.
Then breakfast at Fort Bonifacio and the inauguration of the Armed Forces Museum at the Supply Center at Fort Aguinaldo.
T.J.[S.] George (an Indian) interview for The Far Eastern [Economic] Review.
Official Gazette for June 14, 1972: THE PRESIDENT motored to the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio where he heard a Mass said at the tomb of the late President Carlos P. Garcia, and later laid a wreath at the foot of the tomb of the Unknown Soldier to usher in the celebration of Bessang Pass Day.
Among those who attended the Mass were Vice President Fernando Lopez, former President and President of the Constitutional Convention and Mrs. Diosdado Macapagal, and other ranking government and military officials.
Following the Mass, the President addressed his comrades in the USAFIP-NL whom he rallied to lead in reviving national unity and comradeship which existed during the war and which has been completely forgotten by a “sick society.”
The President recalled that during the war, no matter how lowly a soldier was, nobody asked him questions before helping him, rather people carried him when he was wounded, and fought for him when he was incapacitated.
“Today,” he said, “we have forgotten the urgency and the need for brothershood when the need for brotherhood is still there.”
The President said that the celebration of the day was not so much to remember the achievements of the past as to lay the foundation for present and future achievements.
He reiterated his intention to set aside 100,000 hectares of forest land to be developed by a private corporation and which will form the economic arm for veterans and army retirees.
After delivering his address, the President motored to Camp Aguinaldo where he unveiled the marker of the AFP museum, formally opening it to the public. He stayed for about 30 minutes to view the various exhibits which included a mock-up of Bessang Pass showing troop dispositions, and then proceeded to the Base Shop where he saw several pieces of heavy equipment undergoing repair and overhauling.
The President was accompanied by Brig. Gen. Antonio Tamayo, commanding general of the AFP Supply Center, and Tancredo Guray, director of the National Development Company and a fellow member of the USAFIP-NL.
Also present at the ceremonies were Reps. Joaquin Ortega of La Union and Lucas Cauton of Ilocos Sur, and ranking officials of the USAFIP-NL.
Back in Malacañang shortly before noon, the President met with key government officials during which they reviewed the schedule of priority projects for presentation before the Consultative Group meeting in Japan, and discussed possible sources of peso counterpart funds needed by the Philippine government in order to avail of additional assistance from the Consultative Group members.
Present at the meeting were Finance Secretary Cesar Virata who headed the Philippine delegation to the 1971 Consultative Group meeting in Paris and who was also slated to lead the country’s delegation to the meeting of the group in Tokyo; Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Public Works Secretary David Consunji, Agriculture Secretary Arturo Tanco, Jr., NEC Chairman Gerardo Sicat, BOI Chairman Vicente Paterno, Budget Commissioner Faustino Sy-Changco, PES Director-General Apolinario Orosa, Assistant Executive Secretary Roberto V. Reyes, PES Deputy Director-General Antonio Locsin, Director Gabriel Itchon of the External Debt Management Office of the Central Bank, NIA Administrator Alfredo Junio, Director Carlos Leano of the Infrastructure Operations Center, and Minister Wilfredo Vega of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Delegate [Eduardo] Quintero appeared before the Concon [Constitutional Convention] Committee on Privileges up to 11:00 AM and identified envelopes where the money had been kept including one bearing the office of the Speaker and another of my office. The memorandum to the First Lady dated Feb. 10, 1971 was rejected by the Committee. This is the memorandum where he mentions his serious financial difficulties referred to in [h]is later letter to Delegate Gabriel Yñiguez of April 1, 1971.
After the breakfast I addressed the USAFIP, NL [United States Army Forces in the Philippines – Northern Luzon] veterans of whom I am still National Commander. I reminded them about how happy we were that we had lived through the war but I remembered many sad things too.
And l recounted how I last met the CO [Commanding Officer] of the 14th Inf. AUS [Army of the United States], Col. Romulo Manriquez in September of 1966. I was going down at the front door of the Blair House, the guest house of the United States, upon my arrival in Washington on my state visit, when through the driving rain I saw a bareheaded man being pushed away by the American Security from the State and Treasury Department. He had a fierce mustache and more unkempt clothes. So I did not immediately recognize him.
But when he came closer I did and asked the guards to let him through to me. The guards were obviously surprised at my hospitality for a bedraggled man and I told them he was one of the underground fighters of the war. And when they asked, “One of your soldiers, sir?” I answered, “No, I was one of his soldiers.”
I asked him inside and when I solicitously asked him what I could do for him, He proudly said, “I have come to ask you what I can do for you.”
The colonel had been a little queer after the war, had resigned his commission and gone to the United States where he had even worked as a waiter leaving his family behind.
I gave some money to his wife and children so that they could follow him.
During the guerrilla days the wife had been incarcerated by the Japanese but she had been resolute and firm as he had been.
“And so this happy day—Bessang Pass Day—has its blend of sad memories,” I said.
But we who survived and are in a position to help our comrades may have lost our compassion of the war when one did not think of going back under fire to pick up and carry an injured comrade.
“As there was patience then, so let there be resolution now; as there was courage then, let there be daring now.”
So I announced the formation of the Veterans Foundation to which I would grant 100,000 hectares logging concession. But I warned that there must be no selfishness in this enterprise. And the profits must all go to the veterans who are most in need—not to the highest ranking but to those most in need.
I called for brotherhood and unity.
T.J.[S.] George, who wrote a book on Krishna Menon, says he is sad that the First Lady is not running for President for he is all for her. He has nothing but admiration for her.
He favors my position that American influence, the most visible of which is the military bases, must be eradicated.
And he marched with the KMs [Kabataang Makabayan], SDKs [Samahan ng Demokratikong Kabataan] and the MDP [Movement for a Democratic Philippines] and MDKP [sic] [Malayang Pagkakaisa ng Kabataan Pilipino (MPKP)] from the south. And he was surprised at the discipline and talent and preparation as well as the eloquence of the few leaders. And the intensity of the feelings of the young, followers who were mostly students of 14 to 16 and who did not understand what they were marching for.
But he feels that such intensity of feeling (which is lacking in the paid demonstrators of Kerala, India) may break out into violence in a year or two.
I told him the subversives will probably wait for me to retire before they try a grab for the government.
But he must have suspected what I was thinking then because he asked me if there was a possibility I might declare martial law in the future.
I told him that I do not believe there will be any violence during the rest of my term.
He believes that the Concon is dead and can not write a constitution.