Official Gazette for September 25, 1973: THE PRESIDENT directed the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation to take necessary measures to protect foreign nationals from harassment and unnecessary or unauthorized investigations. The President’s order was contained in Letter of Instructions No. 133 which also directed the commissioner of immigration and deportation to conduct a general registration of foreign nationals in the country within three months. The registration is necessary because records on the number, status, location and other important information about foreign nationals here are either lacking, incomplete or not up to date, thereby making it difficult to collect statistics when the need arises.
OUR SYSTEM of justice has finally achieved the twin ideals of swiftness and fairness. Justice Secretary Vicente Abad Santos stressed this in a speech on the new conduct of justice in the country during the first day of seminar on national development sponsored by the Departments of Public Information and of Foreign Affairs at the Asian Institute of Management building in Makati. The justice chief said that m the to Society, all persons now have the constitutional right to a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies. “Such an acceleration in the tempo of appellate decisions is a great leap forward that is sure to lift the hearts of many long-suffering litigants,” Secretary Abad Santos explained.
INFORMATION Secretary Francisco S. Tatad said that there must be conscious link between the manager who plans for the state. Speaking before the Association of Management and Industrial Engineers of the Philippines at the Hotel Intercontinental, the information secretary stressed it would be advisable for both the state manager and the business manager to be governed by the principle of oneness of purpose and interest. Secretary Tatad said the national push toward development is an enterprise in which the Government and private enterprises are the principal managers. He added that the Government will continue showing its concern for the growth of the society by sustaining its high regard for professionalism in business and industry.
COUNTRY’S foreign exchange reserve has reached a record high of $751.22 million as of September 18, 1973. At the same time, the Overall income of the country for Fiscal Year 1972-1973 was P10.559 billion as against P7.63 billion the preceding fiscal year. This rosy picture of the public finance was drawn by acting Secretary of Finance Alfredo Pio de Roda Jr. during the second day of the discussion series on national development at the Asian Institute of Management building in Makati. The acting secretary said that at the end of FY 1972-1973 the Government had a cash balance for all funds in the national treasury of P2.44 billion as against P1.26 billion in FY 1971-72.
Official Gazette for September 26, 1973: THE PRESIDENT moved to hasten the Pasig River Development Project of the First Lady by ordering the immediate settlement of salvage claims and the disposition of salvaged derelicts. In Letter of Instructions No. 134, the Chief Executive directed the Commissioner of Customs to effect the early return of the investment of salvaging companies or groups of persons to replenish their operating capital.
THE GOVERNMENT has brought about a new economic climate defined by far-reaching reforms in taxation and investments, and a redirected and rational planning of the economy. With these economic achievements, the roles of Government, business and labor in the ultimate objective of dispersing the gains of progress and development to the broad masses of the people are more than ever clearly defined. Director Lorenzo Cruz of the Bureau of National and Foreign Information these observations in a speech before the San Juan Rotary Club. Mr. Cruz, in enumerating the economic gains achieved in the last 12 months which had revitalized the country’s economy, stressed that these gains are only the initial steps towards the building of a prosperous nation “where every man, woman and child will have the opportunity to lead a full and rewarding life.”
THE GOVERNMENT and the United Nations Development Programme have alloted P2.8 million and S597,900 respectively for the formulation and implementation of an integrated export promotion program for the Philippines. The National Economic and Development Authority announced that NEDA Director Gerardo P. Sicat and UNDP resident Representative William Harding have signed the project document for the promotion program. The project, which will be coordinated by the NEDA in coordination with the Board of Investments and the Department of Trade, aims to develop an integrated medium-term export promotion program through an effective government agency solely concerned with export matters.
THE PRESIDENT exempted overseas personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Reparations Commission reassigned to their home offices here from the payment of all duties and taxes on their personal and household effects. Presidential Decree No. 301 also granted the exemption on overseas DFA and Reparations
Tuesday, Wednesday
The AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines], specially the PC [Philippine Constabulary], has started to implement my orders to crack down on both military and government personnel as well as civilian criminal elements. Dragnets have been set up all over the country.
NISA [National Intelligence and Security Authority] has just called my attention to a plot to spirit out of the country Vice Pres. Fernando Lopez by Carding de la Fuente. Zulueta has implicated former VP Lopez in the assassination attempt.
NISA also reports a plot to implicate high ranking military officials in scandals of corruption and abuse. A coup de’tat [sic] is again in the making. And apparently former generals Vargas, Villareal and Fajardo are included.
Of course the efforts to scandalize all officers and the plot of assassination against me includes all high ranking officials.
Commission personnel who have died, resigned or retired from the service. The decree also required that personal effects must not exceed 30 per cent of the total amount received by such officer or employee in salaries and allowances during his latest assignment abroad but not to exceed four years. The decree provided further that these exemptions shall not be availed of more than once every four years and that the officer or employee concerned must have served abroad for not less than two years.
THE PRESIDENT has released P9.9 million for Highway Special Fund for the repair and construction of various roads and bridges in Luzon and Mindanao. Road repair works to be funded out of the amount ordered include: Sayre Highway in Bukidnon, P265,000; Janiuay-Lambunao-Calinog-Capiz road and Dasmariñas-Carmona road, Cavite, P300,000; Cotabato-Bukidnon road, Cotabato-Lanao road, Cotabato-Davao and Kidapawan-Allah Jct. road, P243.250; Baguio-Bontoc road, P160,000; Jaro-Manduriao road, P117,000; Apalit Macabebe-Masantol road, P266,000.
THE PRESIDENT proclaimed October 7 to 13, 1973, as “Hispanic Week” to accentuate the country’s cultural heritage from Spain and reassert the Government’s efforts to effect goodwill and understanding with the Spanish-speaking world. The Presidential proclamation said the forthcoming celebration must remind the people of the lasting contribution of Spain to the country’s political and social development and growth as a nation, as well as to enhance the country’s historical and cultural ties with the Spanish-speaking world.
COUNTRY’S external trade registered an overall surplus of $79 million last August as compared with only $7 million for August 1972. The Central Bank said that the marked increase surplus for August 1973 is mainly due to a merchandise trade surplus of $32 million and an invisible surplus of $47 million. Exports receipts for the period under review reached $177 million while import payments were registered at $145 million, or a merchandise trade surplus of $32 million. Non-trade transactions, on the other hand, registered a surplus of $47 million or $28 million more than the surplus in August, 1972. Invisible receipts of $149 million were 88 per cent or $70 million higher largely due to loans of the private sector and services income. Invisible disbursements also rose by $42 million to $102 million due to increased payments of loans of the private sector, services rendered by non-residents and Philippine Government expenditures abroad. As a result of these developments in the country’s foreign exchange transactions, the international reserve increased by $68 million.