I spend the whole day on the final corrections of the “Notes x x x” dummy.
And worked on the outline of “The Constitution and Martial Law” as well as “A Philippine President’s Diary”—a personal accounting.
I also attach the plan for counter revolution of [Benigno] Aquino [Jr.] written inside his cell under detention.
Official Gazette for September 5, 1973: THE PRESIDENT authorized the compulsory licensing or reprinting of educational, scientific or cultural books and other reading materials as an emergency measure whenever the prices of these materials become so exhorbitant as to be detrimental to the national interest. The Chief Executive, in Presidential Decree No. 285, noted that the rising prices of these reading materials have reached serious proportions, hence the necessity of the licensing authority as a matter of national interest and to make them available at cheaper cost. To immediately implement the decree, the President created a committee to determine whether the sale prices of these reading materials are so exhorbitant to warrrant their reproduction. The committee is composed of the secretary of education and culture, the director general of the National Economic and Development Authority and the chairman of the Media Advisory Council.
EFFECTIVE September 1, overseas Filipinos returning to the Philippines under “Operations Homecoming” will not be asked by the Bureau of Internal Revenue if they had complied with their tax obligations such as the filing of income tax returns. Revenue Commissioner Misael P. Vera has directed all revenue officers in the Philippines and revenue attaches abroad that returning. Filipinos should not: 1) Be required to file income tax returns during the Homecoming period up to February 28, 1973; and 2) Be investigated for any tax liability during the period. Under the tax holiday granted by the Government, any Filipino may leave the Philippines without the necessity of any tax clearance from the BIR.
SECRETARY of Information Francisco S. Tatad asked the government personnel within the bureaucracy to transform themselves into a big moral force to lead all other sectors of the community in pushing the reforms of the New Society. The secretary echoed recent observations made by the President on some backsliding to the practices of the old society both in the public and private sectors. Secretary Tatad, speaking at the symposium on the “Role of the Government Employees in the New Society,” before officials and employees of the Central Bank, said that signs of corruption have begun to reappear in certain areas of society “It is a reversion to the same old sickness that made our society so corrupt . . . and the discipline must be strengthened to combat this reversion to the old vices,” the secretary said. However, he stressed that his discipline must be supported by a re-orientation, a re-education in the lower ranks of the bureaucracy and among the population so that “they do not seek for themselves favors and special treatment meant only for a few.” The secretary concluded that the nation is founded on the strength of its people and .a people can only be strong if their values are intact and free from the sickness that made Martial Law a necessity.
LAND Transportation Commission reported a record collection of P137.7 million for Fiscal Year 1972-73, the highest since 1912 when the office or its equivalent was created. LTC Commissioner Romeo Edu said the 1972-73 collection also topped the collection in the previous fiscal year by P16.5 million. He attributed the increase in collections to the: 1) Increased number of motor vehicles; 2) Payment of registration fees of some 20,000 motor vehicles privately owned by US military personnel in the country; 3) The imposition of Martial Law by the President, prompting owners of hot cars to pay the corresponding taxes due; 4) Mechanization of the cashiers operations which has prevented the tampering and manipulation of receipts; and 5) Installation in 1969 by the LTC of its own plate-making plant, saving the Government some P600,000 every year.