Met the Congressmen (including four Liberals—Cong. [Francisco] Lecaroz, [Salipada] Pendatun, [Carmelo] Barbero and [Jorge] Abad) who agreed that in order to obviate a frontal clash agreed the Supreme Court and a possible establishment of a revolutionary government if the Supreme court issues an injunction against the plebiscite, the plebiscite be postponed to Feb. 19th, 1973.
Then met the tenants of Nueva Ecija and Bulacan for the awarding of the 339 Certificates of Title (including to our tenants of Zaragosa, Nueva Ecija).
Official Gazette for December 22, 1972: PRESIDENT MARCOS reiterated his pledge to pursue the land reform program at all costs regardless of the obstacles placed in its path. The President renewed his pledge in a speech before tiller-tenants at the Maharlika hall of Malacañang before distributing individual certificates of land transfer to 431 former tenants representing the first batch to be emancipated, from their bondage to the soil they tilled, barely two months after the President issued his Decree No. 27 last October 21. Of the 431 new tiller-land owners, 14 came from Plaridel, Bulacan; 270 from Guimba and 63 from Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija; 65 from Tigaon, Camarines Sur; and 14 from Dingle and five from Pototan, Iloilo. Some of the tenants from, Zaragoza were former tenants of the President’s mother, Mrs. Josefa Edralin Marcos, whom he knew by their first names.
PRIVATE INSURANCE companies continued to be one of the major sources of funds for economic development as they invested the total amount of P4, 154,986.30 in development projects in November this year. The total investments of private insurance firms from January to November 1972 amounted to P111,504,507.56 in government and private economic development projects. Reliance Surety and Insurance Company, Inc. topped the investments for the month with a total of P630,000 in Central Bank certificates of indebtedness notes, while the rest were placed in DBP progress bonds and in commercial papers of manufacturing and public utilities firms.
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT pledging their equipment, skills, logistics and manpower in rehabilitating and protecting denuded forest areas all over the country was forged by the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Department of National Defense. Signed by Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources Arturo R. Tanco Jr. and Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile, the agreement provides for the restoration and protection of forest cover at the Mt. Arayat National Park and other areas that may be designated by the Bureau of Forest Development.
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Alejandro Melchor Jr. led Malacañang officials and employes in bringing Christmas cheer to residents of barrio San Antonio in Bay, Laguna. Mr. Melchor was accompanied by Assistant Executive Secretary Roberto V. Reyes, Ronaldo B. Zamora, Flores Bayot and Ramon Cardenas, and about 600 division chiefs and employes from the Executive Office. Since Mr. Melchor became Executive Secretary, lie has led Palace personnel in bringing Christmas gifts to poor families in depressed areas of the country, under the Maligayang Pasko Project. In 1970, the objects of the employes’ goodwill were the typhoon victims in Casiguran and Infanta, Quezon, and some towns in Bicol; and the refugees in Marawi City and Iligan last year.
SOME 500 GOVERNMENT Farm Management technicians will undergo a four-month intensive training on new rice technology at the International Rice Research Institute, Laguna early next year. To be held January 8 to April 13, 1973, the training is in preparation for a massive package program for increasing rice production in the country. The trainees will come mostly from the Bureau of Agricultural Extension and Bureau of Plant Industry who are working under coordinated supervision of the National Food and Agriculture Council, These agricultural agencies will launch will launch the “Masagana 99” in 18 provinces covering a total rice area of 58,901 hectares of irrigated and 25,241 hectares of non-irrigated farms during crop year 1973-74. Provinces covered by the rice production program are Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occidental, Iloilo, Capiz, Negros Occidental, Leyte and Bohol.
I am convinced that our people have not been properly informed of the constitution; the required publication has not been complied with and our own organization for the ratification of the new constitution is mostly leader action and not follower reaction.
Played Pelota for the first time today in our Malacañan Park Courts (South Court has just been followed) after the 6th hole of golf. Fast way to raise a sweat.