Irene has arrived. Her 6:55 PM arrival was delayed to 9:15 PM. The PAL [Philippine Airlines] plane was delayed two hours in Amsterdam. She is thinner and does not seem to have grown taller although her face is rounder. After mass, they are now eating dinner.
Imee arrives on the 12th and Bongbong on the 16th.
Imelda and I could not go to Ilocos tomorrow as Tuesday the new typhoon will start hitting the Philippines.
Attended the blessing of the 17 new self-propelled coaches of PNR [Philippine National Railways] for the Bicol line from reparations (Cost $1.7 million). I have allotted another $5 million from the 17th gr. reparations. This in addition to the increase of capitalization by P350 million under RA [Republic Act] 6366. I intend to tie up the PNR refrigerated cars from the next reparations items to the producers cooperatives in Bicol and the Greater Manila Food Terminal Market.
Lunch for the Libyan and Egyptian missions headed by El Trekki and El Aroussy. A Philippine (Bayanihan, program, gift-giving and a letter to H.E. Muammar El Gaddafi, Chairman
Official Gazette for June 9, 1972: THE PRESIDENT was guest of honor and speaker at the blessing of 17 new electric motorcars acquired by the Philippine National Railways through reparations.
In his speech, the President pledged to continue supporting the PNR with all available funds, even as he described the railway firm as a lifeline for national survival.
The President said that simultaneous with the formation of consumer cooperatives in Manila and producers cooperatives in the North and Bicol as well as the completion of the Greater Manila Terminal Food Market as a clearing house for their produce, the improvement of the railways would help bring down prices.
He directed Col. Nicanor Jimenez, PNR general manager, to include in the reparations schedule five “food trains” (refrigerated food cars) and 24 economy cars which would enable more people to take the railroad.
Back in Malacañang about 12 noon, the President and the First Lady, Imelda R. Marcos, honored at luncheon the members of the Libyan-Egyptian delegation preparatory to their departure for home following their visit to Mindanao for an assessment of the Christian-Muslim conflict in the region.
They told the President that while there was no such thing as a national policy of genocide, the Muslims feel that they have been prejudiced by some policies of local leaders, and that the animosity between the Muslims and the Christians was brought about by factors such as land conflicts. The delegation also expressed confidence that the national government would protect the interests of the Muslim minority.
Present at the luncheon were Egyptian Foreign Undersecretary Hassan Arrousy, Chief Ali Treki of the Political Administration of the Libyan Foreign Ministry, Moustafa Abdul Hamid of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry and Aly Mahmoud Salem of the Libyan Ministry of Unity and Foreign Affairs.
In the evening the First Couple motored to the MIA to meet their youngest daughter, who arrived from England to spend her summer vacation here.
and Prime Minister of the Revolutionary Command Council of the Libyan Arab Republic and H.E. President [Anwar] El Sadat of Egypt.
Then golf and exercises.
And to the airport.
I am disappointed at the slow moving operations in Diguyo Bay at Palanan, lsabela. The Chief of Staff went there but only 60 men have been airlifted so far. Maj. Resus with six teams are south of the NPA [New People’s Army] emplacements. The rest are in the Bueno logging camp at Didadongan. It is my feeling that Gen. [Romeo] Espino is offended that Gen. [Jose] Rancudo and [Tomas] Diaz reported to me directly so he has not permitted an air strike. But the shore is an overhanging ledge so cannot be approached and taken from the sea.
I have ordered an air strike to precede the assault with mortars and recoil-less rifles early tomorrow.
I attach the report.
The operations have to be completed tomorrow because the typhoon will foul up the weather and prevent the flight of helicopters and the fixed wing aircraft Tuesday.
I have ordered two companies to beef up the troops in Digoyo Bay.
We may have stumbled on something big there. It may be a base camp where the supplies from abroad may be dumped. That is why the NPA will not abandon it. As of this morning the NPA were still in their entrenched positions firing down at the six teams of Maj. Resus (PMA [Philippine Military Academy], Class ‘61).
Or the leaders may be there and the men landed by either submarine and/or surface craft as well as the armaments and ammo with food supplies may be there.
So we must take the area by all means.
I also attach a copy of a document of NPA plans captured in Bo. [Barrio] Tarungsing, Cordon, Isabela on 18 1400 June 1972.