Saturday, Aug. 11th
Briefing and luncheon for the ten U.S. congressmen in lieu of the cruise to Corregidor and Bataan in the Pangulo.
Official Gazette for August 11, 1973: THE PRESIDENT has promulgated Presidential Decree No. 261 prescribing assessment levels for special classes of real property such as educational cultural, scientific, recreational and other kinds which by their nature and use do not fall squarely under any of the classifications specified in PD No. 76. PD No. 261 amends PD No. 76, which classifies real property for purposes of the real property tax into commercial, industrial, mineral, agricultural and residential property.
SECRETARY of Information Francisco S. Tatad announced the establishment of a Muslim Information Center to Maintain effective and close communications between Muslim communities in the South and the rest of the country. The center will also provide assistance to the national government in the conduct of relations with the Muslim world. Secretary Tatad said the Department of Education and Culture, the Commission on National Integration, and the Mindanao State University have agreed to assist the Department of Public Information in establishing the center at the soonest time possible.
THE PRESIDENT has directed Central Bank Governor Gregorio S. Licaros to approve the importation of 10,000 tires by tire manufacturers, to arrive before December 31. Under Letter of Instructions No. 111, the importation may be made in behalf of the National Grains Authority, the Bureau of Public Highways, or the Department of National Defense, “whichever is meat appropriate.” The President issued the LOI to alleviate the critical tire shortage which has hampered the accelerated flow of grains and held up vital government projects.
DEPARTMENT of Health mobilized its personnel, throughout the country in preparation for the coming visit to the country of Filipinos living abroad. Secretary of Health Clemente S. Gatmaitan took this move following the designation by the Government of a period covering Sept ember 1, 1973 to February 28, 1974 as a homecoming season for Filipinos living abroad. The health secretary also appealed to different medical and allied societies for their cooperation along the measures proposed by the President in connection with the expected visit of overseas Filipinos.
EMPLOYERS who fail to report for coverage all employes subject to compulsory coverage under the Social Security Law and to remit the monthly contributions or loan amortizations deducted from wages are liable for prosecution. Even if the business firm has already ceased operations, its liability remains Outstanding if it failed to comply with provisions of the SSS law, or rules and regulations of the Social Security Commission. According to SSS Administrator Gilberto Teodoro, the SSS may go after any head, managing partner or board member of such firm for failure to report for coverage all employees subject to SSS coverage.
THE PRESIDENT created the Iron and Steel Authority in a move aimed at ensuring an adequate supply of iron and steel products in the country at reasonable prices and to explore the integration of the Philippines’ steel industry. As envisioned by Presidential Decree No. 272, the ISA would correct the current imbalance between demand and supply of iron and steel Products. On the matter of integrating the steel industry, the President said this was made necessary by the recurrent shortage of steel products and; their spiralling costs in international markets, as well as the excessive dependence by the Philippines on imports for its steel supplies.
THE PRESIDENT expressed the nation’s appreciation for the assistance and sympathy the Philippines has been receiving from the American government and people. The occasion was the call at Malacañang of 10 United States congressmen in the course of a fact-finding tour of Asian countries. The President said he hoped the visiting solons would see the changes going on in this country and “our efforts to mould our own destiny with our own hands.”
THE PRESIDENT has acted to prevent the unnecessary destruction of roads by careless users, arising from non-observance of the load capacities of public roads and bridges. He issued Letter of Instructions No. 112 directing the secretary of national defense to detain freight trucks and other vehicles as well as their operators carrying logs and other cargoes in excess of the permissible weights as authorized in the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.
Sunday, Aug. 12
Conference with the Muslim leaders including the Ustadts and Ulamas (about 50 of them) on the efforts to present a solid front before the Foreign Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Libya, Somalia and Libya [sic].
I attach some of the resolutions signed by them.
What impressed me most was the forthright statement of the rebel leader of the Marawi uprising—Sacar Basman who said “We Moslems should tell our brother Arabs and Moslems there is no such thing as genocide.”