Official Gazette for October 25, 1973: THE PRESIDENT has promulgated Presidential Decree No. 320 increasing the national aid share that should be provided to provinces, cities and municipalities for road maintenance funds to conform with the changes in the amounts accruing to their roads and bridges fund as a result of the implementation of PD 144, which revised the distribution of income derived from taxes to local governments. PD 320 increases the allocation for contingent emergency expenditures from five per cent to 10 per cent of the Highway Special Fund. The decree likewise increases the allocation for discretionary fund from five per cent to 10 per cent of the Highways Special Fund.
THE PRESIDENT has amended the provisions of the Special Calamity Fund of 1972 to authorize payment beyond June 30, 1973 of obligations for materials used and services rendered in calamity projects from the unexpended balances of the Calamity Fund. The amendment is embodied in Presidential Decree No. 319 which states that the present provisions of the Special Calamity Fund Act of 1972 specifically provide under Section 1 that no funds therein appropriated shall be expended beyond March 31, 1973, and that any unexpended amount beyond March 31, 1973, whether obligated or not shall automatically revert to the General Fund, except those for on-going projects started before March 31, 1973, disbursements for which may be authorized until but not beyond June 30, 1973.
THE PRESIDENT has proclaimed the third week of November of every year as “Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week” to increase the understanding among the people of the adverse effects of dangerous drugs on their health as well as on the social and economic conditions of the country. In Proclamation No. 1192, the President points out that intensive and well-coordinated preventive education and community information on the evil effects of the dangerous drugs will in a large measure help in the prevention and control of drug dependence.
THE PRESIDENT inducted Querube Makalintal as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Among those who witnessed the induction of Makalintal were the First Lady, incumbent and former justices of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, members of the Cabinet, other members of the judiciary and close relatives and friends of the inductee.
Official Gazette for October 26, 1973: THE PRESIDENT reminded all municipal judges of their role to uproot the causes of valid grievances by preventing the miscarriage of justice. The President described the municipal judges as the backbone of the judiciary who are the deciding factors in many of the things that the government is doing. The President said that under the New Society, it is necessary to act upon the complaint of any citizen who has any grievance, whether such grievance is valid or not. Addressing the closing day of the eight national convention of the League of Municipal Judges at the Maharlika Hall of Malacañang, the President said he will soon issue a decree creating the Sandiganbayan and Tanodbayan, which are provided for under Article XIII of the Constitution.
THE PRESIDENT has issued Proclamation No. 1198 declaring October 27 a legal holiday in the Muslim provinces to give Muslims an opportunity to properly observe “Hariraya Puasa,” marking the end of their fasting season. The event, also called Eid-Ul-Fitr and Eid-Ul-Adha, falls on the first day of the tenth lunar month of Shawwal in the Hijrah calendar. Capping the Muslim feasting month of Ramadan, the religious observance coincided with October 27, 1973 in the Gregorian calendar. The President also directed that all Muslim employes working outside the Muslim provinces and cities shall be excused from work during this holiday without diminution in salary. The President has also issued Presidential Decree No. 322 amending PD No. 291 which prescribes the observance of Muslim holidays as legal holidays.
NATIONAL Grains Authority and the National Irrigation Administration signed an agreement designed to intensify further the Government’s cereal program. Under the agreement, rice farmers serviced by the NIA may pay their loans or irrigation fees and other charges in the form of palay. The NGA, in turn, will buy the palay at the Government support price of P35 per cavan of 50 kilos. This way, the Government will be able to collect its receivables from farmers without much difficulty and at the same time assures farmers of a ready market for their harvest at a reasonable price.
DEPARTMENT of Finance warned government officials and employes who fail to deduct or remit in time the withholding tax on their personnel’s wages will be subjected to administrative action pursuant to the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 6. Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata issued the warning in view of reports that many government offices have been remiss in the remittance of withholding taxes. The finance secretary said that public officials or employees who fail to remit the withholding taxes may not be held liable for surcharges and interest but
Thursday and Friday
Thursday we spent in Talaga with Cristina Ford, Countess Gaea Pallavicini and Count Mario D’Urso as well as Michel de Carvaljo of the Rothschilds ______ and Bobby Fischer with Dr. Campomanes.
I skied at 8:10 AM, fished (two sharks, sting rays, rock lapulapu, etc.)
Pelota in the afternoon after a nap.
Returned last night at 2:00 AM. During the trip tied Bobby Fischer twice in chess.
Today Cristina’s party left for Rome after I decorated her with the Presidential Golden Heart Award.
Spoke before the Municipal judges.
Looks like a stalemate in the Middle East. I attach the latest reports.
There is a scare of curare poisoning by some terrorists patting victims in the back with a hypodermic needle connected to a syringe in the body. It has caused some 30 victims who are in the hospital. Possibly one death.
One terrorist has been arrested and is under interrogation.
can be administratively charged with “negligence in the performance of their duty.”
PHILIPPINE Medical Care Commission called on the country’s drug manufacturers to study the possibility of compressing protein from its natural form into pills or capsules. Dr. Pacifico E. Marcos, PMCC chairman, said that protein in pills or capsules would have far-reaching effect on the Government’s health and nutrition program. Speakingbefore members of the Drug Association of the Philippines, Dr. Marcos noted that the nutritional deficiency of the people is in protein and not in vitamins. At the same time, he appealed to the drug manufacturers to sell their products at reasonable prices so that Medicare program can be expanded further.
THE PRESIDENT received the credentials of the new Indian and Belgian ambassadors to the Philippines. In separate ceremonies held at the Malacañang Ceremonial Hall, the President received the letters of credence of Ambassadors P. S. Naskar of India and Louis Vandenbrande of the Kingdom of Belgium as ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Philippines. Ambassador Naskar said that because of the program of reforms, the Philippines is now poised to achieve new heights in the field of social and economic development. Ambassador Vandenbrande, on the other hand, noted the progress made by the Philippines after liberation, and its contribution to every move to promote world peace. In return, the President expressed the hope that as both the Philippines and Belgium face new opportunities, their relations will come closer with more contacts between the citizens of both countries. The President also expressed gratitude to the government and people of India for the assistance and technical equipment given to the Philippines for the rehabilitation of the Philippine National Railways.
THE COUNTRY’S pineapple industry registered a total of 282 million kilos in 1972, according to the Bureau of Plant Industry. During the 12-month period, 29,630 hectares of land were planted to pineapple, producing 282,085,600 kilos. According to the bureau, pineapple is grown extensively in Northern Mindanao, Bicol Region, Southern Tagalog, Cagayan Valley and Western Visayas. The BPI said that pineapple ranks third in money value after banana and mango, and fourth in hectarage among the country’s major fruit crops.