What we feared has happened. There has been o general attack on all AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] detachments in Cotabato as of yesterday. Lebak is under attack by about 500 Muslims being reinforced from Basilan and Zamboanga. We have only 80 officers and men in Lebak.
Official Gazette for March 3, 1973: THE PRESIDENT issued Presidential Decree No. 143 prescribing a weekly rest period for workers in any undertaking or enterprise, whether for profit or not, by authorizing employers to determine and schedule the weekly rest day for their employes, subject to collective bargaining agreement and to such rules and regulations, as the secretary of labor may prescribe. The decree orders every employer to give his employes a rest period of not less than 24 consecutive hours of each period of given days. In cases of force majeure, public emergencies, serious accidents and other exceptional cases as determined by the secretary of labor, any employe may be required to work on his scheduled rest day provided he is paid an additional compensation of at least 25 per cent of Ilia regular wage. If such work falls on a Sunday, the employee shall fee entitled to additional compensation of at least 25 per cent of his regular wage for work performed on Sunday. The decree, which takes effect immediately, repeals all provisions of existing laws, orders, and regulations contrary, to or inconsistent with it.
MALACAÑANG ISSUED Presidential Decree No. 140 formalizing the retirement for the registration of xerox and other copying-machines and setting a new deadline for complying with the new directive. The decree, signed by the President March 2, 1973, modifies an earlier order issued by the Bureau of Standards for Mass Media, requiring owners of xerox and other copying machines to register with the BSMM .at the Beneficial Life Bldg., in Intramuros, Manila, not later than March 15. PD No. 140 sets the deadline on March 17, or 15 days from the date of the signing of the decree (March 2, 1973). In issuing the decree, the President notes that xerox and other copying machines or equipment have been utilized for the production of subversive propaganda materials and in the falsification of letters.
PHILIPPINE MEDICAL CARE COMMISSION (PMCC) issued guidelines for the hospital admission of the legal dependents of members of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS). The guidelines are as follows: 1) The GSIS and SSS member should present to the hospital his employer’s medicare contribution certification; 2) The SSS member should present to the hospital a xerox copy of his Member’s Record (SSS Form E-l) or his Member’s Record of Additional Dependent (SSS Form E-4) depending on which form the legal dependent to be hospitalized is listed; and the GSIS member, likewise, should present the duplicate copy of the GSIS Information for Medicare Membership. 3) If the above stated GSIS and SSS papers are not available at the time the dependent is to be hospitalized, the GSIS or SSS member should present a document signed by him which: a) Certifies that the person whom he claims to be his legal dependent is indeed his legal dependent; and b) The signature of the GSIS or SSS member on the same sheet of paper wherein the certification is written.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR has this timely reminder for job applicants seeking employment abroad: “Beware of illegal recruiters or hirers who promise overseas jobs that may not exist at all, and who exact fabulous sums of money from unwary applicants.” The warning was made by the department upon receipt of numerous complaints about the nefarious activities of job recruiters including some travel agencies still operating outside the pale of the law. Not a few people have been victimized, in Manila and the provinces. Applicants are advised to apply for jobs only with recruiters licensed or authorized by the labor department’s office of Manpower Services. Some 68 recruiters have already been authorized to recruit for overseas jobs, while 37 recruiters have pending applications to recruit. Before applying for overseas jobs, applicants should consult the OMS on whether a recruiter is licensed or not for their own benefit.
SECRETARY OF INFORMATION Francisco S. Tatad assured the petroleum dealers throughout the country government support for the solution of their problems, particularly with respect to their reasonable margin profit now threatened by the new policies enforced by the major oil companies in the Philippines. Mr. Tatad said the Administration has always been for the protection of the interest of the consuming public, in keeping with the policy of the government. He added that in case of conflict of interest between small groups of businessmen and the big corporations, the government will side with the just and the legitimate demands of the small businessman.
Lebak.
Landing points are Linao Bay where the outlaw Jamiri was resettled on the land of Datu Blah Sinsuat. Apparently Jamiri is in with the rebels.
We have suffered 8 KIA [killed in action] including Capt. Salug Cale, eleven WIA [wounded inaction] including Lt. Baraguer and possibly Lt. Col. Banaglerioso.
PAF [Philippine Air Force] flew 16 sorties in Linao Bay (at Bo. Trans a house apparently an ammo and explosives depot of the enemy was the point of secondary explosives and a big boat at the mouth of the river in Trans hit.
Basilan is still critical with Col. Ribo facing an estimated 500 enemy in the Lanatan area which was also hit by our planes from Mactan.
So I have to finish Zamboanga airfield for our jet fighters. The runway has been extended to 8,500 feet but the cement needs two more weeks to dry and there is no taxiway and parking ramp for which they need P3 million. I have ordered the release of one million pesos.
And extend the Cagayan de Oro airfield for the jets.
We must train more Muslims to fight in Mindanao and arm the BSDU’s [Barrio Self-Defense Unit] in the Muslim areas.
We are fighting foreign trained troops with foreign firearms.