Official Gazette for March 11, 1973: THE PRESIDENT has promulgated Presidential Decree No. 146 upgrading the quality of education in the Philippines by requiring all high school graduates seeking admission to post-secondary degree programs necessitating a minimum of four years’ study to pass a national entrance examination. In a related development the President directed the secretary of education and culture to suspend action on any petition for increases in tuition and other school fees in private schools, colleges, and universities until further notice in view ox relevant studies being conducted on the state of private education in the country. The entrance examination was issued under Presidential Decree No. 6-A, which declares it a policy of the state to maintain the highest quality of education for purposes of national development. The decree provides that full implementation of the program should be made effective for freshmen of the school year 1974-1975.
THE PRESIDENT called on members of the economic community to cooperate with the government in its effort to disperse credit over a wider area and channel it to projects geared to national goals. Toward this end, he said, financial reforms had been instituted under the new order not only to make credit control a more effective weapon in maintaining stability but also to streamline the structure and operations of the credit system to make it more responsive to the demands of development. The President expressed his views in a speech read for him by Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata at the 1973 National Credit Congress sponsored by the Management Association of the Philippines in Makati. By now, he said, the direction of government action in this was quite clear: to provide adequate credit facilities over a wider area instill discipline in the use of credit and ensure the productive and economic use of credit resources, and to shape a more efficient and stronger mechanism for mobilizing capital resources.
DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL Government and Community Development announced the completion of 840 community projects worth P986,027.90 in nine Central Luzon provinces during the six-month period of Martial Law. The DLGCD said l58 of the finished projects were done under the grants-in-aid program of the Presidential Assistance on Community Development. The rest were self-help projects costing P470,571.90 of which P427,999.90 was contributed by barrio folk in the form of materials, like sand, gravel and lumber. The provincial and municipal governments in the nine provinces concerned contributed a total of P42,552. These provinces include Pampanga, Bataan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija and Aurora.
NATIONAL GRAINS Authority assured the public of enough buffer stock of rice ready for distribution throughout the country with the continuous arrival of imported rice contracted from Japan last year to augment locally procured and previously imported stocks now stored in various NGA warehouses. The government cereal agency has recently concluded a contract for the purchase of additional rice from suppliers abroad, the arrival of which will start next month to supplement domestic consumption requirements. Not only this but harvests are now going on in different provinces like Cagayan Valley, Bicol region, Leyte and Panay Island and some parts of Mindanao. At present rice shipment from Japan totalling 8,800 metric tons are being unloaded at the ports of Tabaco in Albay and General Santos in Cotabato. Another vessel carrying a load of 4,000 metric tons of rice is expected to arrive this month at Poro Point, San Fernando, La Union.
DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL Government and Community Development has issued a circular to provincial governors and city mayors prohibiting lavish or extravagant display in local activities, including agro-industrial fairs, conferences, seminars and fiestas. DLGCD memorandum circular No. 73-6, which specifically enjoins local officials to avoid and prevent ostentatious display of wealth and extravagance, including lavish town fiestas or social gatherings, stresses the need for austerity and simplicity as basic guidelines for all local activities. DLGCD Secretary Jose Roño also reiterated strict compliance to General Order No. 15 insofar as celebrations of town fiestas are concerned. The DLGCD was ordered to call the attention of local officials to cease in the old society practice of seeking privileges, power and favors, and instead dedicate themselves to developing their respective communities.
A TOTAL OF 392 persons have applied for amnesty under Presidential Decrees 95 and 124, the Philippine Constabulary judge advocate general’s office reported. Brig. Gen. Fidel Ramos, PC chief, was informed by Col. Hamilton Dimaya, PC JAGO chief, that 240 persons have applied for amnesty under Presidential Decree 95, and 152 others under Presidential Decree No. 124. The deadline for the filing of applications for amnesty under Presidential Decree No. 95 expired last Feb. 28, while the deadline under Presidential Decree 124 is March 15, 1973.
On board the 777 proceeding
back to Malacañan after staying
in Talaga Bay from 4:00 PM
skiing, shocking the dredging and
trying out the pelota court.
Left Manila at about 1:30 PM.
Our troops are getting used to coordinated attacks with the Air Force leading with bombardments, the Navy blockading the sea lanes and occasionally providing supporting fire, the ground forces tied up by communications to the Forward Air Controllers in a U-17 and the mortars and Recoilless Rifles accurately reaching out to clear the way for the Infantry soldier.
The classic example is the clearing of the Cotabato City-Parang Road.
I attach the reports that are self-explanatory.
But the way the enemy is withdrawing and disengaging we may not be able to pocket them in what the military injudiciously calls “kill zones.” These are but areas where the enemy is boxed and hit hard “by the hammer against the anvil.”
The enemy may breakup into small guerilla bands and will be harder to ferret out.
The 5 Infantry Bn. from Isabela has arrived in Cotabato City and elements of the First Composite Bn. arriving now.
If the U.S. has sold to Japan its Thor-Delta missile system and Red China has amphibious capability, we may have to change our assessment of the need of U.S. bases in the Philippines.
However since the U.S. is moving towards isolation and it is not expected to involve itself in any war in Asia, then the bases do not serve a purpose but as a slow capability of the U.S. to strike back. Since they would not be used in a conventional war, then the only uses would be preparation for nuclear war.
If the bases will involve us in a nuclear war, then they do not serve Philippines national interest.
But it can be said, in a nuclear war there are no neutrals because the devastation will be so pervasive that neutrality loses its meaning. In short it will sffect all including neutrals.
Since the wisest course is to prevent a nuclear war, then since the bases will help to prevent such nuclear war, it will be to the best interest of the Philippines to keep the bases.
Thus goes the mending debate in my mind.
But whatever the arguments we must now insist upon the administration of the bases by our government.
And we should be able to reassess the Bases Agreement every five years.
A message has just come in. There is stiff enemy resistance at Balut Bridge against both PC [Philippine Constabulary] elements driving from Parang and PA [Philippine Army] elements driving north from Cotabato City.
The air strike had to be called off because of bad weather.
We should try and box off the enemy and destroy them where they are.