7:00 PM
After mass at the lounge Easter
of the 777
We have spent almost all of this day on the sea—first at Looc Cove for skiing (I have finally learned to mono-ski and slalom a bit after many spills) from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM then to Talaga which we left at about 5:30 PM after the boys played pelota with Evelin Rothschild.
Official Gazette for April 22, 1973: THE PRESIDENT directed the Department of Local Governments and Community Development to stop the suspension or dismissal of local officials by provincial governors without his prior approval. The Chief Executive issued the directive in Baguio City after receiving reports that some provincial governors have been suspending municipal officials without corresponding charges being filed against them. In issuing the directive, the President stressed he wanted to prevent possible disruption of essential services in the local government level. He explained that the country cannot afford a breakdown in the administrative machinery at this time when the development programs are being rigorously pursued down to the grassroots level.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE said it expected government revenue to increase further with the automatic abolition of many tax exemption laws by Presidential Decree Nos. 34 and 69. In the past, the Government had lost some P400 million annually because of the proliferation of tax exemption laws granted by Congress. Secretary Virata also said that the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 69, abolished the grant of tax exemption on the payment of compensating tax except on the following cases: 1) Those enumerated under Section 190 of the Tax Code; 2) Exemption granted under the Investment Incentives Act, Export Incentives Act and R.A. No. 5490; 3) Those granted in pursuance of or in compliance with international treaties or commitments, such as ADB-RP Host Agreement (1966), the 1947 convention on privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its specialized agencies, the United States Agency for International Development-RP Agreement, the 1947 Military Base Agreement, and other similar treaties or commitments; and 4) Those that may be granted by the President upon recommendation of the NED A in the interest of economic development.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE announced that a bigger share of the Government’s tax money will be channeled to accelerate economic and social development projects. The announcement was made as Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata noted with satisfaction the increase of percentage of the national Government’s tax effort. Secretary Virata said that emphasis will be placed on farm-to-market roads and projects so that farmers will not meet difficulties in marketing their products and thus increase not only their income but also their purchasing capacity.
EFFECTIVITY of several tax ordinances enacted by local governments, considered unjust, oppressive and contrary to national economic policies, have been suspended by the Department of Finance. Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata said that some tax ordinances passed by various municipalities are clear cases of multiple taxation. Among the suspended tax ordinances were those passed by: 1) A suburban town imposing a graduated fixed license tax on a certain kind of business, the rate of which was 500 per cent higher than those prescribed by adjacent cities and municipalities. 2) A municipality in the South increasing the production tax on a manufacturing firm to as much as 2,000 per cent of the original tax being levied. 3) A municipality in Central Luzon imposing different kinds of taxes on a certain kind of business, which if added together, would amount to a staggering amount.
PHILIPPINE RICE prices have remained the cheapest in the world despite an upward price spiral in the international rice market caused by an acute worldwide rice shortage. National Grains Authority Administrator Jess Tanchanco disclosed that rice prices in the United States, Europe and Asia have increased to more than twice the price of rice in the Philippines. The NGA administrator said that the price of rice in the United States has risen to about $300 per metric ton; in Egypt and Italy, $280 per metric ton; in Thailand, from $150- to $180 per metric ton; and in Pakistan, from $150 to $260 per metric ton. On the other hand, he pointed out, the retail price of rice in the Philippines only from P1.00 to P1.25 per kilo, while in other parts of the world the cost of rice is more than P2.00 per kilo. The worldwide shortage of grains, he added, coupled with the upward price movement in the international market, is expected to add to the cost of rice importations by the Philippines. However, despite this added cost of importations, rice prices in the Philippines will still remain within the price ceiling of P3.00 per ganta set by law, Mr. Tanchanco said.
We slept at about 2:30 this morning and woke up at 8:30 AM.
My skiing earned me a torn nail off the smallest toe of the left food, bruises at the left knee and skin where the ski hit me on the falls and a darkened skin as well as a sore right shoulder. But it is healthy exercise although Imelda finds the burned complexion undesirable.
Evelin swam about a kilometer to the ship in Looc.
We return to Manila for the formal dinner at Maharlika for Evelin.
He has offered to extend help from Israel. We told him we are experimenting on the moshav type of farm in land reform.