Official Gazette for December 28, 1972: PRESIDENT MARCOS underscored the role of religion in the drive for reformation under the New Society. Speaking before thousands at the Ilocos Norte mini-expo which was held simultaneously with the celebration of the Fourth Centennial of the Christianization of Ilocandia, the President said that the symbol of Christianity which has guided the lives of generations of Filipinos have a vital role in the drive for reformation because the principal aim of the program for change is change in the heart, change in the mind, and change in the spirit of man. Among the countries represented in the fair held in Laoag City were Australia, India, Egypt, Spain, Japan, United Kingdom, Indonesia United States, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Canada, Ghana, France, Germany, Korea, Sri Lanka and South Vietnam.
THROUGH THE EXPANDED fish production program under the New Society, the Bureau of Fisheries initially stocked 29,500 bangus finger-lings in Lake Lanao last December 8 to 10. The initial stocking was the first release of the 1.5 million bangus fingerlings targeted for dispersal in the lake. It is expected to replenish the stock of Lake Lanao and to boost the sustenance fishing of all fishing towns bordering the lake and to rehabilitate the means of livelihood of the Muslims in Lanao del Sur.
SOME 200 UNITS of irrigation pumps worth P1.2 million acquired by the Presidential Arm on Community Development from reparations will be turned over to the National Irrigation Administration to centralize the irrigation development program of the country. For the past four years, 2,600 units of irrigation pumps valued at P30 million were made available by the PACD to as many farmers and farmers’ associations. Since 1968 the PACD has been distributing low-cost irrigation pumps to farmers in various parts of the country to increase their production.
UNDERSECRETARY Rosendo R. Marquez of the Department of Local Government and Community Development also revealed that some 54,590 assorted community projects have been completed the past several years with the use of some P116 million from the Rural Improvement and Community Development Fund (RICDF). “More RICDF-funded projects numbering 12,016 are still under implementation,” Mr. Marquez said. “The completion of some 24,001 projects has yet to be reported.”
EXTENSION OF MEDICARE benefits to some 30,000 government employes who originally were not considered eligible to membership under Medicare Program I or the medicare plan for members of the Government Service Insurance System and the Social Security System and their dependents—was announced by the Philippine Medicare Commission. These employes, most of whom have temporary appointments, constitute the optional members of the GSIS who were deemed as not embraced in the definition of an employe under the Medicare Law. Their insurance policy numbers are prefixed either with the letter “M” or “G”.
ONE OF THE PRIORITY projects of the government is a 130-kilometer highway which would relieve congestion in the Metropolitan Manila area by opening up vast lands in the eastern region. Named the “Marcos East-West Road,” the project will start in Marikina, Rizal and end in Infanta, Quezon. It will traverse the Sierra Madre mountains. This road is considered important as it will disperse eastward population and industry now congesting the Manila area and thus help solve the twin problems of traffic and pollution. It also traverses developing commercial and residential areas and vast agricultural lands, aside from the Sierra Madre mountain range which is rich in mineral deposits.
STARTING JANUARY 1, 1973, all persons applying for residence tax certificate “A” will be required to attach their identification photographs on the original copy of their residence tax certificates. Certificate “A” will be issued in a new form and in duplicate, the original of which will be issued to the taxpayer. It will be issued by the city and municipal treasurers instead of by the Bureau of Internal Revenue as it was done in the past. Other requirements are correct name, taxpayer account number, address, place of birth, date of birth, sex, weight, civil status, occupation and/or profession, GSIS or SSS policy number. It shall be the duty of every individual who takes the oath of office, receives any license, certificate or permit from any public authority, pays any tax or fee, receives any money from any public fund, or transacts other official business, or receives any salary or wage from any person or corporation, to exhibit his residence tax certificate.
On board the 777 on
the way to San Fernando, La
Union having left Gaang Pier at
About 11:15 PM
Docked at Gaang Port, Currimao, Ilocos Norte at about 7:00 AM. Left by car at 9:15 AM and arrived at Marcos Stadium at 9:50 PM for the 400th year celebration of the implementation of Christianity in the Ilocos by Salcedo. Delivered my speech at 12:00 AM [sic], Imelda cut the ribbon for the mini-fair at 12:30 [P]M. Blessing of the cross at Ermita hill at 12:45 [P]M, the chandeliers and cathedral improvement at 1:00 PM and conferred with Messrs. Nelson (Caltex in charge of drilling outside of the U.S.) Ray Johnson, Philippine Caltex head and others for Caltex and Sec. [Arturo] Bong Tanco [Jr.] and Chairman [Vicente] Ting Paterno of BOI [Board of Investments]. Then returned to the ship for lunch. By that time the ambassadors were in the ship, the luncheon prepared at Gabut by Elizabeth [Marcos-Keon] having been a fiasco. So a second luncheon was prepared on board the ship.
We had told everybody that I had planed in from Mindanao to catch up with the affair while Imelda came to Ilocos by boat and that I was going back to Manila by plane in the afternoon.
Bongbong and the boys skied up to 6:00 from 3:30 PM. Imelda went to inspect the site of the bamboo beach house in Currimao, the church in Paoay which she will rehabilitate, the site of father’s memorial at Billoca Lake, Batac, the house in Batac and visited Tia Barang.
We followed her to Batac and invited my old cronies to come to the ship for dinner.
We had fun reliving the good old days when I was still congressman.
NEW MORALITY NOW pervades among the officer and employes in all the bureaus and agencies of the Department of Finance. This is the year-end report of Secretary Cesar E. A. Virata who observed that Proclamation 1081 brought about an abrupt decrease in the number of reports on alleged harassment, extortion and other highly irregular activities in all bureaus and agencies of the department. “The employes are now courteous where there used to be arrogance. There is office discipline and sincere efforts to serve the public where there used to be “indifference.” Secretary Virata also said that since the proclamation of Martial Law, 1,005 officials and employees of the department and its bureaus and agencies were either dismissed or separated from the service.
EFFECTIVE LAST DECEMBER 12, foreign technicians were no longer allowed to come into the Philippines to work in a wholly or partly nationalized trade, business or industry without previous approval by the Office of the President or the Commission on Immigration and Deportation. The economic fields covered by the restriction are retail trade, mining, oil exploration, transportation, agriculture, exploitation of natural resources and the specific trades, businesses and industries reserved by law for Filipino citizens.
WOMEN’S ORGANIZATIONS joined ranks with the Department of Social Welfare to launch a massive Get Out and Vote Campaign for the coming plebiscite. Organized under the Civic Assembly of Women of the Philippines, the women’s organizations; numbering about 60, pledged their support of the campaign which is co-chairmanned by Leticia P. de Guzman, CAWP president, and Social Welfare Secretary Estefania Aldaba Lim who represents the government women’s division. According to Mrs. De Guzman, “women’s civic organizations being what they are and what they stand for cannot ignore this historic event in our country.” Thus, she added, the CAWP recognizes and accepts the challenge to women to take an active part in the plebiscite. The CAWP will emphasize the need for all qualified voters to cast their ballots on plebiscite day regardless of whether they are for or against the proposed Constitution.
And we (Imelda and I) later regaled the children, to the accompaniment of much laughter, with stories of the “smoker” the professionals would put up on “Innocents Day” Dec. 28th when I was still a congressman.
With Dr. Eugenio Mendoza as an angel raised up to the ceiling as an angel and we could not bring him down, so he dangled above the scenery for some time apropos to nothing that was going on the stage in a supposed drama in the meantime.
Or the time he came on stage as a lady having borrowed Imelda’s terno.
And in the comedia or moro-moro I was emperor but I would secretly double as the clown and belabor everyone with my stick physically and with my tongue with wisecracks.
On the political campaigns when the cash was never enough and we would bluff our way through. And Kokoy [Benjamin Romualdez] getting beaten up at Dingras or [Antonio] Tony Raquiza being surrounded in Bacarra by goons.
Andres Mirasol, the man who was tortured by the old Dept. of Investigation to testify against me and refused (in 1939) has been suspended by Elizabeth from the provincial guards. I directed his reinstatement.
Mang Pedong Layasan, Acting Mayor of Bangui, who also was tortured and accused but acquitted before me for the Nalundasan murder has suffered a heart attack and is in intensive care of the UE [University of the East] Hospital.
So far no bad news from Mindanao or anywhere else.
The feeling for the continuance of martial law seems unanimous because of peace and order prevailing and the elimination of corruption as well as the improper use of wealth.
I am all the more resolved to indefinitely postpone the plebiscite, suspend the sessions of Congress and call a referendum by citizens’ assemblies.
Thoughts from my speech at Laoag. “Man lives by symbols”—
“All revolution whether constitutional or bloody are finally aimed at changing the heart, the soul and spirit of man. Thus the importance of religion and faith.”
“What we lack in material resources we make up with spiritual values.”
The story has come full cycle. For Asia which gave birth to the world’s great religions received the modified version of those religions.