Helicoptered at noon to survey flooded areas including Laguna de Bay.
Central Luzon water still rising. With 100% run-off because of saturation of the forest water sheds, the flood may go higher.
Two days ago the highest was 10 meters 40 cms. in Arayat now 9 meters 80 cms. In Apalit, highest was 5 m 30 cms. Now it is 4 m 80 cms.
Dikes holding on but have to be sandbagged and guarded 24 hours.
In Tarlac-Paniqui, the points in danger are Villapaz 16 kms from Tarlac, Tagumbao, 16 kms and Bacolor 18 kms. 5,000 sandbags already put in.
In Apalit 5,000 empty bags available.
San Miguel current created by the break in the Armenia dike has to be rechannelled to the Tarlac River by hand labor of sandbagging at P800 a day.
A U.S. Marine Helicopter (a CH-53 Stallion) assigned to Marine Medium Heli Squadron 165 made an emergency landing in Dagupan due to mechanical malfunction. A small boy was injured. He was a bystander in the gasoline station where the heli landed. The pilots suffered minor injuries and have been airlifted by a PAF [Philippine Air Force] helicopter to Clark Air Force Base.
This is the second aircraft lost. So we must now keep more careful maintenance check every 20 hours instead of 25 hours.
Our helicopter was forced back this noon from Central Luzon because of some malfunction.
Official Gazette for July 30, 1972: THE PRESIDENT went on another survey of Central Luzon and the towns bordering Laguna de Bay in view of the continuous rains and the new danger they pose to the already flood-ravaged provinces of the region.
The President boarded a helicopter early in the morning and flew low over Bulacan and Pampanga. He was back in Malacañang shortly before noon for lunch.
At 1:45 p.m. the President again boarded the PAF helicopter and flew over the flooded Laguna towns along the shoreline of Laguna de Bay.
The President had a short rest later in the afternoon, and then worked on official papers in his private study.
At 5:20 p.m., the President received newsmen who interviewed him on his new assessment of the flood situation and on further steps taken by the government to help the flood victims, as well as on programs of reconstruction.