Again a sore throat and a cold. I called a conference of doctors including Director [Gabriel] Carreon of the PGH, Dr. Yap, Dr. Canto (in the morning) and Dr. [Juanita] Zagala on why my resistance has gone down.
Probably the fact that my cholesterol has reduced to 176 and I am taking xyloprin as well as naturetin.
Official Gazette for August 19, 1972: THE PRESIDENT conferred with national officials and local executives of the Greater Manila’ area in order to effect closer coordination and cooperation between the national and local governments on the various aspects of rehabilitation.
Thoroughly discussed in the meeting were the flood control and sewerage program, the road and street cementing, and the cleaning of garbage and waste.
The President pointed out that he was compelled to take a direct hand in what is fundamentally the responsibility of local governments because the problem has grown to such an extent as to constitute a national problem.
He created a task force to attend to the flood control program, garbage and waste disposal, with Public Works Director Alejandro Deleña as coordinator.
The President emphasized to the local officials that these essential services are fundamentally their primary responsibility and that the national government would only coordinate all their efforts and facilities.
Present at the meeting were Justice Secretary Vicente Abad Santos, Health Secretary Clemente Gatmaitan, Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Agriculture Secretary Arturo Tanco, Chairman Gerardo Sicat of the National Economic Council, Undersecretary Manuel Q. Salientes of National Defense, Directors Alejandro Deleña of Public Works and Vicente Valdellon of Lands, Chairman Reynaldo Lesaca of the Anti-Pollution Commission, Chairman Pacifico Lopez de Leon of the Infrastructure Operations Center, Commissioner Andres Mane of Fisheries;
Mayors Pablo Cuneta of Pasay City and Osmundo de Guzman of Marikina, Rizal; Asst. Fiscals Melecio S. Peña of Quezon City, Octavio F. Basa of Manila, Roman Gargantiel and Jose Flameniano of Pasay City, Jesse S. Lee representing Mayor Joseph Estrada of San Juan, Rizal; Florencio R. Perez, representing Mayor Renato Lopez of Mandaluyong; Augusto F. Perez and Fernando S. Ungson, representing Mayor Marcial Samson of Caloocan City, Isaias Alo and others representing Makati, Rizal.
Earlier in the morning, the President conferred the Distinguished Order of Kalantiao (first class) on Associate Justice J.B.L. Reyes of the Supreme Court at ceremonies held in Malacañang.
In a toast following the ceremony, the President told a large group of Cabinet officials, members of the judiciary, friends and relatives of the awardee: “I ask you to rise and join me in a toast to a man whose services we will miss in government and in our society, a man, who has helped put life into the dry letter of the law, gave spirit to the strictures of the Constitution and helped established a social conscience in our country and society.”
In thanking the President for the award, Justice Reyes said it showed how deeply the President appreciates the role of the Supreme Court in the administration of justice.
“I realize, however, that you could not confer this Order on the court itself because there will be a lot of evil-minded men who would try and consider it as an attempt to influence the court,” Justice Reyes said.
Among those present at the ceremony were members of the Cabinet Jed by Secretary Vicente Abad Santos, and of the judiciary, from the Supreme Court down to the lowest level, headed by Chief Justice Roberto Conception.
Early in the afternoon, the President received Eugene Torre, Filipino chess champion of the Asian zone, who paid a courtesy call.
He was accompanied to Malacañang by members of the Philippine Chess Federation led by Manuel Lara, secretary of the federation.
So I am going to start lessening my medicine intake and take in more liquids and have more exercise and rest.
I had to cancel my trip to the drought area in the south because of my cold and sore throat.
Awarded the Order of Kalantiao to Justice J. B. L. Reyes.
Met with the Ablans—warned them of the stories about them of smuggling and asked them to account for the planes used in the campaign of 1949.
The story spread that I was shot in Manila Golf Course this morning. Apparently the warning for me not to go out today was based on the knowledge of some attempt to be made.
But I sent Vice Pres. [Fernando] Lopez to the Q.C. [Quezon City] [Manuel] Quezon birthday celebration instead.
The indications are that the plot of assassination in which Larry Trackman, [Sergio] Serging Osmeña [Jr.] (the gunmen [two assassins (one claiming to be Tom Pacis)] already identified are using cars registered in his name) point to the Vice President as a coconspirator or financier.
At 12:00-1:00 PM. I hammered out the agreement with the Greater Manila local executives to fund the Flood Control, Sewage, Health, Street Rehabilitation and Refuse Disposal program. ·
Dictated the order for the reassessment of the defense plans and AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] plans against subversion on the new assumption; that the CPP [Communist Party of the Philippines] and NPA [New People’s Army] have been able to smuggle in at least 2,000 M-14s, rockets and supplies (2) That they are being helped by Red China (3) that they can increase their armed strength to 10,000 (4) that they could present such a credible force they would be supported by a substantial portion of the civilian population and by other foreign governments. I attach copy of the order.
The reports today indicate the new 60 inch pipe of Nawasa [National Water and Sewerage Authority] in San Juan was blasted by explosives and in a firefight in an ambush on Metrocom [Metropolitan Command] troops an M-14 of Serial No. beginning with 620 and type similar to those captured in Palanan, Isabela was captured in Marikina Heights.
These shows [sic] the Urban Guerrillas have the firearms and are already operating in Manila.
So I have to prepare for their activities.