Official Gazette for August 19, 1973: THE PRESIDENT ordered the immediate implementation of the Pasig River Development Program, which was launched by the First Lady as a joint undertaking of the government and the private sector “within a minimum period of three years.” Presidential Decree No. 274 provides for the funding of the program for the preservation, beautification, improvement and gainful utilization of the Pasig River, and at the same time lays down measures to encourage pollution control or to penalize violations of anti-pollution rules. The decree creates a Trust Fund Account to finance the Pasig River Development Program and other river works projects of the national government.
THE PRESIDENT conferred the Ancient Order of Sultan Kudarat on the heads of the mission that was sent here by the Ministers Conference of the Islamic World to offer the assistance of the organization in finding solutions to the so-called Muslim problem in this country. Awarded were Foreign Minister Abdul Ali Al Obidi of Libya, Foreign Minister Omar Arteh Ghalib of Somalia and Senegal Ambassador to Egypt Moustapha Cisse. The Order of Sultan Kudarat is a new decoration. The special award is named after the Sultan of Maguindanao who, after beginning to lose the battle against the Spanish colonizers, inspired the Maranaws to carry on the struggle by his patriotic candor and sincerity.
THE PRESIDENT said that, with the advent of the New Society, Filipinos are now in a position to honor the country’s heroes not only with ritual and ceremony but also with the supreme tribute of being able to stand “strong, dynamic and free” as a nation. In a speech read for him by Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor during the observance of the 95th birth anniversary of the late President Manuel L. Quezon at the Quezon City grandstand, the Chief Executive stressed that the sacrifices of heroes are never redeemed by ceremonies and rituals alone. He added that they find fulfillment only “in the kind of nation and the quality of men that live after them.”
HEADS of mission of four Muslim countries said they believe in the sincerity of the President and his program of development and expressed their desire to help their Muslim brothers m the Philippines as well as the non-Muslims in other parts of the country. The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Libya and the ambassador of Senegal expressed their views when they called on the President at Malacañang after ending their two-day on-the-spot survey of Muslim Mindanao and Sulu, upon invitation of the President. They urged the Muslims to study themselves and know what the government is doing for their welfare, and how they can help the government help them.
Official Gazette for August 20, 1973: THE PRESIDENT conferred the Ancient Order of Sikatuna, rank of datu on Ambassador Bob Josef Lebacq, outgoing ambassador of Belgium to the Philippines. The President conferred the award in recognition of the Belgian ambassador’s service in the field of international relations and his constant endeavor to strengthen the friendly ties between his country and the Philippines. The President said that the outgoing ambassador, who has served in the Philippines for over four years, has been instrumental in promoting greater understanding between his people and the Filipinos through mutually beneficial undertakings In accepting the award, Ambassador Lebacq expressed gratitude to the President and, through him, to the Filipino people for their friendliness, hospitality and helpfulness.
THE PRESIDENT received the first copy of the Investment Information Folio prepared by the Philippine Commercial and Industrial Bank for foreign investors. It presents in-depth studies and factual accounts of the country’s macro-economic profile, economic policies, investment incentives, taxation, financial systems, trade opportunities, government economic agencies, people and resources. These are supported with graphs and color photos. After poring through the volume, the President congratulated the PCIB officials for their pioneering work, saying, “this is exactly what we need.”
THE PRESIDENT has provided another productive incentive for Muslim areas by broadening the coverage of the Agricultural Guarantee Fund in six provinces and one city in the South. Under Presidential Decree No. 275, the President has ordered that the Fund shall cover losses on production loans not only in rice and corn, as originally prescribed in R.A. No. 6390, which creates the Fund, but also in such other essential agricultural projects’ as livestock, poultry, fishing, and others. Beneficiaries of the decree are the provinces of Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Cotabato, South Cotabato and Basilan City. The decree points out that it is the policy of the government to speed up the development of these areas by encouraging their residents to raise their level of production to attain self-sufficiency immediately.
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
Sunday was spent with the Foreign Ministers of Libya, Somalia and Senegal as well as Malaysian Asst. of Tunku Abdul Raman Aziz. Conference Lunch and individual conferences with the ministers in my study.
I told the ministers candidly that there is still fighting in southern Sulu, that arms and men come from Sabah and that it is also a privileged sanctuary and if we are to settle the Sulu conflict the flow of arms and men from Sabah must be stopped. And soon before any incident causes a flare-up into general fighting.
Libyan Minister Obeidi agreed to take steps immediately.
I told him that I would start negotiations to obtain the peaceful surrender of the rebels except the Maoists who are hopeless and will not negotiate anyway.
But that if we are to succeed to negotiate a settlement he would have to help.
And he agreed.
THE PRESIDENT underscored the many challenges and dangers that the country must face and overcome, even as he hailed as “most courageous, public-spirited and therefore reassuring” the people’s initial performance, in the face of the rice shortage. In a speech read for him by chairman Vicente T. Paterno of the Board of Investments at the inauguration of the Peroxide Philippines Corp. plant at Maysan, Valenzuela, Bulacan, the Chief Executive said that the greatest of the challenges is that of transformation not only of descrepit institutions but of the people themselves, as a national and as individuals, while the greatest of the dangers “is that which arises from within ourselves.” The Chief Executive lauded the people for their patience and fortitude in facing the rice shortage. Official Gazette for August 21, 1973: THE PRESIDENT received the credentials of former Charge-de-Affairs Prank Borden Clark of the Canadian embassy as the first Canadian ambassador to the Philippines. In presenting his credentials to the President, Ambassador Clark said Canadian financers, industrialists and government officials are coming to the Philippines to see for themselves the much-improved investment climate in the Philippines, and to participate in the country’s economic development. The President assured the Canadian ambassador r that the Government will continue with the policy that made possible the improvement which Canadian financers, industrialists and government officials have noted, particularly in the improved investment climate.
DEPARTMENT of Finance released the rules and regulations implementing the tax amnesty granted to individuals who are required by law to file income tax returns but failed to do so, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 213. The deadline for the availment of this tax amnesty is on October 31, 1973. The following conditions must be complied with by those availing and are qualified to avail of the amnesty: a) Those who are not liable to pay income tax but required by law to file an income tax return and failed to do so must voluntarily file a return for each year that no return was filed and must pay P10 for each year of non-filing; b) Those liable to pay income tax but failed to file the corresponding income tax return and pay the tax due thereon must file voluntarily a return for each year that no return was filed and pay P10 for each year of non-filing and an amount equal to 20 per cent of the tax due on the return or returns filed; and 3) The return or returns shall be filed and the amounts representing the amnesty tax shall be paid in full upon filing of the return or returns on or before October 31, 1973.
PRIVATE or commercial firms maintaining a security force of their own must secure a license from the Philippine Constabulary. Camp Crame authorities said that employes of these private and commercial firms being made to perform duties as watchmen or security guards should secure their permits to exercise their profession from the PC. Government-owned or controlled corporations are exempted from this requirement. However, their employes performing such guard duties are required to secure their permits to exercise their profession.
I had asked Mayor [Aminkadra] Abubakar of Jolo to suggest to Libyan Minister Abeidi to contact the rebel leaders whose names I asked Mayor Abubakar to furnish the minister (including Mayor Abubakar’s own son) and ask them to surrender. Only in this manner will the fighting be stopped.
And apparently the Libyan Minister agreed. Because he frankly told me that in the past they listened to the requests for aid to the rebels because the situation was misrepresented. That with the courage and sincerity shown by me in allowing the Muslim Foreign Ministers to come to the Philippines, visit the scene of conflict and talk to everyone, there will be a change of policy. And any help or aid to be given will be given by them through an agency they will put up in the Philippines.
I suggested the exchange of diplomatic representatives. Minister Obeidi agreed to work for this. I will appoint an Ambassador to Saudi Arabia immediately. Somalia and Senegal agreed to non-resident ambassadors.
The first impression of the Foreign Ministers is that the Muslim evacuees are discriminated against. The live in more miserable conditions than the Christian evacuees.
But the truth is the Muslim evacuees just are too lazy to take care of themselves and their surroundings much less dig latrines and other facilities.
Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Omar Alkassaff is very ill. We visited him (Imelda and I) at the Intercontinental Hotel and he was deeply touched. We brought my own personal physicians Drs. [Pacifico] Yap, [Juanita] Zagala and Campos.
He may be ill from an attack of gall bladder. He has had it before.
Today, Tuesday, Imelda and I held our own conferences on the evacuees, Sulu, the new Frontier Command, the policy of peaceful settlement and negotiations.