Official Gazette for August 15, 1973: THE PRESIDENT has amended Presidential Decree No. 232 which creates the Philippine Coconut Authority in order to strengthen further the coconut industry. Through PD No. 271, the Chief Executive amended Sections 4 and 5 of PD 232 which pertains to the composition of the governing board and management, respectively, of the Philippine Coconut Authority. As amended, these sections provide that the PCA shall be governed by a nine-member Board which shall meet as often as necessary and the direction shall be in the hands of an administrator. The Board chairman and the administrator, who is also vice-chairman of the Board are both appointed by the President.
THE PRESIDENT has authorized Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor Jr. to create the Research Staff for the Codification of Philippine Muslim Laws and a Monitoring and Operations Center under the Presidential Task Force for the Reconstruction and Development of Mindanao. The task force was previously created under Executive Order No. 411, series of 1973. Secretary Melchor is chairman of the newly-formed agencies. The Research Staff shall be based in Manila, while the Monitoring and Operations Center shall be located in the Mindanao State University in Marawi City.
DANGEROUS Drugs Board released the guidelines stipulating the cause for the suspension or revocation of permit or license issued by the Food and Drug Administration to operate a drug; establishment. Secretary of Health Clemente S. Gatmaitan, chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board said that with the guidelines, “our campaign against drug addiction has been further bolstered by dealing on violation pertaining to the sale and traffic of dangerous drugs.” The guidelines are: 1) Republic Act No. 3720, otherwise known as Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act states, among other things, that “the policy of the state is to regulate the manufacture, sale and traffic of drugs to protect the health of the people.” The policy especially with respect to dangerous drugs, is now in effect, 2) The secretary of health will suspend or revoke the license or permit to operate of any person, drugstore or drug firm that violates the dangerous drugs board regulations pertaining to the sale and traffic of dangerous drugs.
ACTING Justice Secretary Catalino Macaraig Jr. ruled that the usual rate charged for the publication of legal notices in the Official Gazette is not considered a government fee within the meaning of the Philippine Non Agricultural Cooperative Act. The acting secretary issued his opinion in reply to a request from the Editor of the Official Gazette, Department of Public Information. Secretary Macaraig explained that the rates charged for the publication of legal notices in the Official Gazette are collected not for regulation and inspection purposes, but rather to pay for the cost of printing and publication. “Even the Government itself is not exempted from paying for the cost of work done by the Bureau of Printing,” he concluded.
Official Gazette for August 16, 1973: THE PRESIDENT said the Muslim conflict in the South is but a part of the overall national problem stemming from injustices brought about by a sick society which the administration is now seeking to restructure. In welcome remarks to members of the mission sent here by the Ministers Conference of the Mamie World who called at Malacañang, the President said the armed conflicts are not confined among the Muslims in Mindanao and Sulu but perhaps more true among the Christians in Luzon and other localities, because of discontent and in justices brought about by a feudalistic society. The members of the mission were accompanied by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Carlos P. Romulo. The mission is headed by Foreign Minister Abdul Ati Al Abedi of Libya; Mustafa Cisse, Senegal Ambassador to Egypt; Foreign Minister Ommar Sakhaf of Saudi Arabia, and Foreign Minister Omar Ateh Ghalib of Somalian Republic.
THE GOVERNMENT has extended all the support feasible to the sugar producers to increase their yield to meet the increasing worldwide sugar shortage and help the industry usher to a more prosperous footing. In his speech before the convention of the Association of Philippine Sugar Technologists, Finance Secretary Cesar E. A. Virata said the Government has given the sugar planters technical assistance, aside from liberalized financing through the rural banking system to enable them to acquire the needed farm equipment. The World Bank is financing the expansion of sugar development in three new areas as its share in helping patch up the impending shortages.
THE PRESIDENT referred to his financial and fiscal advisers the proposals of two American investors to finance an integrated rice production program, shipping and transportation development. The proposal was made by Messrs. Norman H. Liebman, president of Schwartz-Liebman Textile Company of New York and Philip F. Liebman, financial consultant of the Madestone Group of New York, which specializes in financial shipping and transportation, oil refinery, rice production and milling. The two investors, who have been observing the investment
Wednesday and Thursday
Wednesday was spent with the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Libya, Somalia and Senegal.
Morning—preparations for the briefing.
4:30 PM-8:00 PM—Briefing at the State Dining Room.
8:00-11:00 PM—Dinner.
At first we thought that the Saudi Arabian minister was arrogant since he refused to lay flowers at the foot of Rizal’s monument. But he turned out to be a pleasant man. Their religion, he says does not allow idolatry. He did not go even to the grave of Nassar.
And after I explained to the Libyan Minister Abdul Ali Al Obeidi the fact that we were fighting for the same things and that Col. [Muammar] Kadafi was admired in Asia, he became more warm and assured me they waited to help.
I believe that the other two are on our side.
The Muslim Foreign Ministers are now in Jolo, after Zamboanga. They go to Malabang and Cagayan de Oro or Iligan and Marawi.
We are sure that they will want to help the Muslim evacuees as well as the Muslims who may need economic aid.
I also want to talk to Minister Omar Alsahkaf on the possible sale of 30% of Filoil Refinery shares for the regular supply of crude oil from them.
Thursday was spent saying goodbye to the two ambassadors of Egypt and Belgium—and the Liebmans of Wall Street on financing of shipping and food processing.
Then the Pasig Development Project.
climate here for almost a week, said they are ready to pour substantial investment into the country.
HEALTH authorities disclosed that malaria, one of the major public health problems in the country, has decreased considerably in terms of morbidity and mortality over the last two decades. The major factor contributing to the present malaria situation is the impact of anti-malaria control measures instituted: which succeeded in bringing down to a very low level the transmission of the disease in the previously malarious areas. Health Secretary Clemente S. Gatmaitan said that the government’s malaria eradication program is one big beneficiary of Martial Law. He explained that since the promulgation of PD 70, there has been no case on record of refusal of a house owner to have his house sprayed with DDT.