[p.16] The Afghanistan ambassador based in Tokyo presented his credentials at 9:00 AM. Constitutional monarchy of 17 million, it has Red China to the East, and Russia to the North and West and a birth rate of 1.7% “like Japan.”
Tried to convince Jocelyn Campos not to marry an American last night up to 4:00 AM to no avail.
We must develop our high-grade pulp industry from abaca. This German firm has an offer:
KRAUSS-MAFFEI MUNCHEN
Krauss-Maffei AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Process Engineering Division
8000 MUNCHEN 50—KRAUSS—MAFFEI
STR. 2—Tel. 88991—Telex 05723163
It has put up rice straw pulp and paper plant in Egypt.
There are other offers from France, Sweden, UK, Japan and the U.S.
[Ramon] Monching Durano [V], [Constantino] Uging Navarro, [Floro] Floring Crisologo, [Mohammad] Ali Dimaporo and [Jose] Joe Alberto came to see me as they want to change [Jose B.] Laurel as Speaker of the House. He has been criticizing me again and so has his brother, [Salvador] Doy Laurel, who wants to run for President in 1973. I have given permission for them and their groups which would be controlling, not to attend the caucuses called by Speaker Laurel.
[p.17] However, we would have more problems if Laurel is deposed as Speaker. But we will keep him after we have clarified the position they (he and his Cepo [Congressional Economic Planning Office]) have taken on the apparently socialist and communist policies they are pronouncing under the guise of nationalism and the unjustified criticisms of his brother.
The same is true in the Senate. Sen. Jose Roy, President Pro Tempore, seeks the presidency. In the coming constitutional convention we must make the VP the presiding officer of the Senate if the bicameral system is retained.
But the presidency of the party should go to Roy now.
It is unhealthy for the members of Congress to depend on the President to decide their internal problems like the election of the presiding officers.
Don Jamieson,[1] who was landed by submarine at San Esteban and Luna, La Union to be the demolition man of our unit kept one of my letters from 5MC4 Dec. 26, 1944, was a pleasant surprise which brought many memories of the war.
Just tried out the other day a white bullet-proof vest, light and the latest in the USA from Interpol—brought in by Malu. Boni Isip sent it.
MALACAÑANG
[1] Official Gazette for January 10, 1970 lists his call on FM: A wartime buddy of his, American Capt. Donald Jamesen and his wife, whom the President met when he was brought in by submarine to help guerrillas operating in Northern Luzon .