We are at [Bahay] Pangarap which has been tastefully decorated by Imee with Japanese dolls, paintings, frame paper partitions and scrolls, Imari jars, vases, plates and painted screens to make it look like a Japanese house, watching the opening ceremonies of the XX Olympiad at Munich brought live in color by Television 9, KBS [Kanlaon Broadcasting System], via satellite (Philcomsat [Philippine Communications Satellite Corporation]). There are about 12,000 delegates (9,000 athletes) of 124 participating countries.
Impressive. The USSR [Union of Soviet Socialist Republics] has 1,032 delegates, the biggest delegation to the XX Olympiad. The US has 900 delegates.
Germany has prepared for this since 1969.
Our delegation is small—78 with about 50 athletes. [Salvador] Del Rosario, flyweight weightlifter who holds the world record in the clean and jerk jointly with a Russian has the best chance to win a gold medal. Our boxers and wrestlers and judoists may have a chance to win medals. The others have none.
South Vietnam has only three delegates.
Spent the morning traveling by helicopter around Laguna de Bay where the water does not seem to have receded as the Napindan River is too shallow and narrow to drain it fast enough. It may be necessary to cut a canal to Manila Bay via Zapote or widen Napindan River or both.
And the Southwest wind drives the waters up to the northeast preventing its flow down to the south through the Pasig River.
Then we flew around the Tanay, Teresa area ending up in Marikina behind the UP [University of the Philippines] and Capitol Golf Club—at the 4 hectare factory site of Roga Marble which may be the biggest marble company (of five) in the Philippines now.
We must develop marble into a major export product—perhaps in lieu of wood or logs. For its extraction may not affect the ecology as logging does.
Official Gazette for August 26, 1972: THE PRESIDENT flew over the Napindan River in the morning to check with experts on what could be done to relieve the still inundated barrios around Laguna de Bay.
In the course of the aerial survey, the President directed the Department of Public Works and Communications to study stop-gap and long-range measures that would hasten the withdrawal of floodwaters from the lakeshore areas.
The President concentrated on desk work in the afternoon.
Gen. [Eulogio] Balao and Luis Tabuena have joined up to obtain marble machinery from reparations, bought about two hectares of marble mines—beige and off white in San Ildefonso, Bulacan to establish the Roga with the help of Eng. Rosello Gabriel, formerly a partner and Gen. Manager of the Philippine Marblecraft of Taylor.
I brought in Rudy Martel who has about options to 500 hectares of black and other color marble deposits in Tanay and Teresa, Rizal, as well as extensive claims in Palawan and Mati, Davao Oriental. He will now organize a big marble factory with Luis Tabuena and Gen. Balao. This before the big rush which is expected.
Every island of the Philippines is supposed to have marble deposits.
Then lunch and a movie at the State Dining Room with Imelda, Bongbong and Irene as well as the family of Rudy and Alita. Until 3:00 PM.
Bongbong and I tried out some weightlifting at his room where his barbells are.
Haircut. Slept till 4:30 PM. Worked with Sec. [Alejandro] Melchor [Jr.] and Eng. [Antonio] Locsin of PES [Presidential Economic Staff] on the amendments to the Public Works bill.
Then golf with [Angel] Angie Limjoco [Jr.] above 5:15 to 6:30 PM. Several birdies from outside the green.
The weightlifting this afternoon strained my biceps and triceps a little.
And I ate too much tempura.