Thursday
Visited Tarlac on birthday of Cong. [Eduardo] Danding Cojuangco [Jr.]. Tumultuous reception. Speech in Ilocano at Paniqui at the compound of the Cojuangcos.
Late for Rotary lunch and speech. Returned at 1:00 PM. Smooth flight at 8,000 feet and arrived at Rotary meeting at 1:45 PM.
Speech on problems and how we solved them and our achievements and the outlook.
Dinner with Al, Nena Lim and their four children.
Ex-Pres. [Diosdado] Macapagal is paying P5,000 per delegate at Room 566, Manila Hotel. Reported by Rep. Nene Caram as told him by Delegate Ortalina and Benito Montinola and Delegate Arturo Pacificador who said Delegate Gawat of Mt. Prov. was offered this amount which he refused.
But Speaker [Cornelio] Villareal seems confident. I spoke to him over the telephone.
11:30 PM June 11, 1971[1]
Friday
Pantabangan (Upper Pampanga River Project) by plane to Fort Magsaysay (25 minutes) and helicopter to Pantabangan in cloudy skies.
Ordered payment of the lands that would be flooded by the waters of the dam.
CAWP (Civic Assembly of Women of the Philippines Presidential Awards).
Cottage Industries Development Center inauguration while Imelda went to Tondo to inaugurate the new hospital.
Ex-Pres. Carlos P. Garcia won the Presidency of the Cons. Con. [Constitutional Convention] on the third balloting by a vote of 185 against the 118 of [Teofisto] Guingona [Jr.]. Ex-Pres. [Diosdado] Macapagal was eliminated on the second balloting.
[Antonio] Tony Raquiza lost out on the first balloting for Chairman of the Steering Committee to Diaz [Ramon] (who ultimately won) and Espiritu [Caesar or Rebeck?].
6:00 PM June 12, 1971[2]
Saturday
I write this as we wait for the visitors to arrive for the reception we are giving on Independence Day.
It has been raining since yesterday and this kept the people from attending the Independence Day Ceremonies although there was an overflow crowd in the grandstand shielding themselves from the rain.
I delivered a completely Filipino speech. The theme of the celebration was “Pananalig sa Sarili” or “Faith in Ourselves.”
No military participation except for a guard of honor from the Phil. Military Academy. I trooped the line in the rain to the applause of the crowd.
The government participation was one of the biggest in many years. And the floats were lovely.
I gave away the Cultural Heritage Awards at 4:00 PM.
Reception at 6:00 PM.
Suddenly ex-Pres. [Carlos] Garcia is energetic and confident. What success can do to a man.
11:30 PM June 13, 1971[3]
Sunday
Spent the morning in Fort Aguinaldo with the USAFIP, NL [United States Army Forces in the Philippines – Northern Luzon] boys playing golf from 10 to 12 on the eve of Bessang Pass day tomorrow.
Then a nap, some telephone conversations and exercise, mass at 6:45 PM, then a movie during which we took dinner and talked to the children in London, to Irene mostly as she cried when I talked to her last.
While it has stopped raining, it is cloudy and dark. There is another low pressure area east of Mindanao.
A rented motorboat with 130 passengers from the Ruby Industrial Corporation capsized at 4:00 PM yesterday between Corregidor and Cabcab[e]n. About twenty are counted drowned.
The radicals bombed the Cons. Con. [Constitutional Convention] hall at Manila Hotel after midnight on the 11th after the election of ex-Pres. C.P. Garcia as President. Yesterday they bombed the Jusmag [Joint US Military Assistance Group] (2 bombs) and throw pillboxes at the Embassy resulting in the injury of two policemen and a demonstrator.
12:20 PM June 14, 1971[4]
Monday
Ex-Pres. Carlos P. Garcia died of a heart attack at 6:00 o’clock [sic] this morning. He was suffering from a high fever but had worked during the day, signed some vouchers for the Cons. Con. [Constitutional Convention] at 4:00 PM. His doctors were with him up to 5:00 PM. They left and were not with him when he suffered a chest compression and difficulty in breathing. Oxygen was no help. He expired in 15 minutes.
The news came as a shock while I was at the 9th hole of the golf course at [Bahay] Pangarap.
Today is also Bessang Pass day—the 26th anniversary of the fall of the gateway to the stronghold of Gen. Tomayuki Yamashita, the Japanese Commanding General of Japanese forces in the Philippines who surrendered at Kiangan in August.
Wreath-laying at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, then breakfast at Nichols Air base auditorium with Gen. [Jesus] Singson, chief of Air Force as host.
I told the audience of veterans from the various guerrilla groups that came (Marking of the Marking’s Guerrillas, Alejo Santos of the Bulacan Military Area, Bacho of the United Disabled Veterans, Atilano Sinco of the Leyte-Samar Guerrillas, Capt. Evangelista of the Navy Veterans, the Mindanao Guerrillas etc. with Pepang Capistrano, the Gold Star Mothers and Widows etc.) that we will be patient against insult, libel and efforts to demean and degrade our person but that when the communists desecrate and degrade the Filipino flag, they shall meet with the anger and righteous indignation of the Filipino people. “For we are ready to die once again for the Filipino flag.”
I outlined the new sophisticated weapons of subversion as compared to the 1950 communist rebellion: the media through libelous attacks intended to undermine the faith of the people in their public officials; debauchery of the currency; obstruction to the economic development; pornography; drugs like heroin and marijuana; strikes and demands for increases in pay to curtail production and increase cost; discouragement of investment; weakening the Armed Forces.
11:30 PM June 15, 1971[5]
Tuesday
Ambassador Reva Rao of India emotionally explained to me why we should seek by Philippine initiative to bring about peace and reconciliation in Pakistan and now more than 5 million East Bengalis have sought refuge in India and raised a problem of caring for them.
Talked to Amb. [Henry] Byroade who felt that what the Indian ambassador wanted was for the U.S. to talk tough to Pakistan (threaten them with a cut of military and economic aid if they do not stop liquidating the East Bengalis) which he apparently was not ready to recommend.
But I asked him to convey our concern.
We have Mr. Joe Kingsbury-Smith and wife Eileen, the senior editor of the Hearst publications and sent by Dick and Honey Berlin, as our house guests. He is writing to improve our image abroad.
Have a headache from the beginning of a cold.
11:45 PM June 16, 1971[6]
Wednesday
Commissioned the RPS Bukidnon at the Navy Basin at 10:00 AM. This is an 87 foot local materials boat which runs 25 knots with two 1,350 hp. Mercedes Engines from Thorneycraft, Singapore.
Then met Gov. [Isidro] Rodriguez. He seems to be straddling the political fence under the pretext of maintaining party unity. Between the Lopezes and me, he is going to be neutral. And he speaks of the Liberals seeking a coalition with him so he runs unopposed. I feel he is going to be as slippery as he has been in the past.
Had my first interview with Joe (Mr. Kingsbury Smith) after lunch with him and Eileen, his wife. I feel I have been able to convey my message that the country has progressed and overcome serious crisis.
Alex [Alejandro] Melchor [Jr.]
has said that the image of the country would be improved if my own personal image.
The panel of lawyers including Delegate Estanislao Fernandez met again tonight.
Then another interview with Joe (Kingsbury Smith).
1:00 AM June 17, 1971[7]
Thursday
The body of the late Pres. Carlos P. Garcia is lying in state at the ceremonial hall. He came back to the palace at 3:30 PM from the Constitutional Convention Hall.
He stays here until Saturday, June 19th when he will be brought to Bohol, then back to Congress for the State Funeral and the burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani.
There seems to be a prevailing sentiment that the majority in the Con. Con. [Constitutional Convention] will await instructions from me as to when to choose to replace CPG.[Carlos P. Garcia]
Talked to Irene at Hastings (Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus) by telephone and the poor girl was miserable and was crying over the telephone. She still says she would like to come back to Manila.
The interview with Mr. [Joe] Kingsbury Smith is turning out well. He asked me what my vision was for the Philippines and I told him of a Philippines free from danger of external aggression and internal subversion with a society as restructured that every man will have equality of opportunity.
What was my greatest achievement? “That I have changed the heart and mind of the Filipino. I have made him think and be discontented—not resigned, fatalistic and indolent.”
10:15 PM June 18, 1971[8]
Friday
Mass was held at the ceremonial hall for Ex-Pres. Carlos P. Garcia by Rufino Cardinal Santos at 11:00 AM.
The Manila Symphony Orchestra under ______ rendered some heart-tugging pieces.
Before that I met Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile and the Chief of Staff on the claim of security that they did not know what was happening in the lower echelons like the assignment of a former Osmeña Intelligence Officer as Chief of Operations, C-3 etc. I attach copy of the report.
On the 10th there was a report in the Bulletin of restlessness bordering on uniting in the lower ranking officers of the Navy because of the overstaying Commodores.
Jose Maria Soriano came to notify me of the award of the highest decoration to me by the Knights of the Order of Malta.[9]
I wanted to accompany the body of Ex-Pres. Garcia to Bohol but two low pressure areas have developed near Surigao and Leyte.
The family brings the body by plane tomorrow at 8:00 AM.
I attach the press release of the Indian Embassy which shows the desperation of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Or her preparation for war against Pakistan.
1:00 PM June 19, 1971[10]
Saturday
[Eduardo] Danding Cojuangco [Jr.] and [Jose] Joe Aspiras reported to me at 10:30 AM that [Benigno] Ninoy Aquino [Jr.] came to his (Danding’s) house and stated that he (Aquino) is not supporting Commander Dante [Bernabe Buscayno] (head of the New People’s Army under the New Communist Party) financially anymore. But that [Jose] Aping Yap (Congressman of the 2nd Dist. of Tarlac) introduced Dante to Cong. Ramon Mitra Jr. who brought Dante to the Lopezes at the house of [Eugenio] Iñing Lopez [Sr.]. So now Ninoy says, Iñing Lopez is now supporting the New People’s Army financially.
This is confirmed by our intelligence assets inside the New People’s Army.
Danding Cojuangco also reports that the Isabela NPA’s are going back to Tarlac and may cause some disorder in the days to come. He still has contact with Commander Melody [Benjamin Bie Jr.] who is one of our assets in the NPA. As things stand Commander Melody should fight or be made to fight the NPA’s coming into Tarlac from Isabela.
8:00PM June 20, 1971[11]
Docked a1 Esso Sunday
pier at Limay, Bataan
We are waiting for Imelda who brought our guests, Mr. [Joe] and Mrs. [Eileen] Kingsbury-Smith as well as Father Ganswinkle and his cousin to the Dambana ng Kagitingan at Mt. Samat.
It is now dark and I hope they were able to see the memorial and enjoy the view from there.
I have Gov. [Guillermo] Arcenas with me as there were not enough cars for all. So he stayed.
I water-ski’ed at Talaga bay after a nap from 2:30 to 3:30 PM. We left at 5:00 PM for Limay. Waves were high but I managed.
This morning I opened the National Archery Tournament (Indoor) at Rizal Memorial Basketball court. Hit the bullseye on the 3rd arrow. The first was low at No. 9 (7:00 o’clock [sic]), the second at No. 9 at 12:00 o’clock [sic].
I intend to take up archery seriously.
We left on the 777 at about 10:00 AM for Corregidor.
Right now the lights at the Dambana have been turned off. And it is now 8:30 PM and we can see the headlights of the cars coming down the road to the pier.
At 6:30 PM when they started for the Dambana we could still see the cross without the binoculars. And even when it had become dark, the Dambana could be seen clearly as the electricity was on and it stood out prominently against the dark.
My stomach was upset yesterday but is now recovered although the diarrhea weakened me.
12:00 PM June 22, 1971 June 21, 1971[12]
Monday
I write this one day late as we were too busy yesterday preparing for the funeral and necrological services of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia during the day and at night we gave a 12 course Chinese dinner at the music room for Joe and Eileen Kingsbury-Smith[13] which took us up to 1:30 AM. Since we had to wake up at 6:00 AM. I decided to postpone writing this diary.
In the dinner, amidst light banter and laughter, what I have always consider as one of my most precious treasures come out—my romance with Imelda; how I won her hand in eleven days; the mosquitos that drove her to the cafeteria of Congress where I was to see her and desperately try to get introduced formally until Cong. Jacobo Gonzales (who did not know her himself) introduced me; how I asked her to stand up and she did unquestioningly (she says because I was much older and she had to show some respect for age) and I measured her height against mine back to back and proclaimed the verdict that she would do as I was taller than her (little did I know that she was actually taller than me as she was in flat heeled slippers and I had my shoes on); the two roses; her dressing up to attract me with the most colorful skirt and low-cut peasant blouse, her hair hung on braids several hours before so it would look soft and wavy when she let it fall up to her knees when she met me; my pompous declaration that I had found the girl I was going to marry and when questioned if she had given her consent answering that that should be a small problem; her decision secretly that I was the man she was going to marry and my observation that if I had known that early we could have saved a lot of money; her appetite when she ate the two chickens we had ordered, one for each of us, while I quoted poetry, Whitman, Shakespeare and Tagore or Omar Khayyam; the trip to Baguio with the children; my singing to her not knowing that she was a voice culture scholar at the Women’s University; singing “Toreador, don’t spit on the floor, use the cuspidor, Toreador x x x”; my silence when before our church wedding she sung “I have so little to give”; the judge (Francisco Chanco of Trinidad) whom I kept waiting in the car ready to marry us whenever she should ever say “Yes”; the signing of our marriage contract on Good Friday; the comedy of the ceremony conducted by Judge Chanco on Saturday, with the long sermon, his repeated inquiry if I would not later seek an annulment and his “Well Good Luck to all of us” when the ceremony was over; her refusal to live with me until the religious ceremony; the discovery that baptism by the revolutionary priest Aglipay, was not a Catholic baptism; a baptism by the priest in Lourdes Church; the dismay of her family for having such a pagan son-in-law—etc. etc.
12:45 PM June 22, 1971[14]
Wednesday
Manila Times headlined the killing in North Cotabato of 70 Muslims by “Ilaga” armed groups. Since it is the Manila Times, I doubt its veracity. So I and sending Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile and Gen. [Eduardo] Garcia to Cotabato tomorrow to verify the story at the site of the alleged massacre. Then we will know what to do.
Pres. C.P. Garcia was interred today at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Delivered a short but meaningful eulogy.
I was embarrassed by the over-enthusiasm and demonstrated happiness of the people at seeing us passing by in the car. Since we were supposed to be solemn, we could not reciprocate their shouts, smiles and hand waving too openly. But you could see that the warmth of their affection was openly shown.
The funeral was impressive and well-ordered.
Imelda inaugurated the Cultural Center Museum yesterday with a record crowd of 2,000 people. It is for research and study. Starts with the stone age, gold age ahead of the bronze age.
Impressive.
We gave a Philippine dinner for Joe and Eileen Kingsbury-Smith complete with Philippine dances (Kalinga Wedding, Paseo de Iloilo, Asik and Singkil).
They were overwhelmed.
We walked back to the palace with the stars out in the sky.
We then called up Dick Berlin who said that he has sent the copy of Joe to the three senators and was sending another copy with his note to Pres. [Richard] Nixon. This was about the sugar quota and how we needed it for our economy (which would collapse without it and render the U.S. bases here useless).
10:45 PM June 23, 1971[15]
Wednesday
Joe Kingsbury-Smith and Eileen, his wife, left this afternoon on the 4:15 PAL [Philippine Air Lines] plane to Hongkong. We called them up and they are safe at Mandarin Hotel.
He is the Pulitzer Prize winner who has written so well of me and of the Philippines. They have become our close friends.[16]
Before he left he said that Ambassador [Henry] Byroade had said that I had terrible people around me and that I was not as popular as I thought and farther that I was due for a disappointment in the coming local elections.
This just shows that you cannot judge these Americans from appearances. In a way I am sad because I had considered Byroade as a friend although the U.S. Embassy had never in any manner shown its sympathy to me in my fights for the presidency in 1965 and 1969. On the contrary they fraternized with the political opposition.
Immediately after the elections of 1969, I was shocked to learn that both Sen. [Sergio] Osmeña [Jr.] and Eleuterio Adevoso had been conferring with Byroade’s staff on their (Osmeña and Adeveso) plans for a coup d’etat. Mentioned by our source was a Col. Peterson.
The military aid from the U.S. has been skimpy. We had to buy our own Armalites to arm our forces and pay for our own ammunition.
Carding Silverio called up from San Francisco to tell me that the article of Joe (King-Smith is his byline) came out prominently in the San Francisco newspaper (as well as in all the Hearst publications) and for once we had favorable comments. Bill Hearst convalescing in Baltimore’s John Hopkins Hospital from a cataract operation says that the Americans are learning a lot of the Philippines because of Joe’s articles.
Looks’ [sic] like the pro-Laurel boys are successfully postponing the elections for officer in the Cons. Con. [Constitutional Convention] to after the period of mourning (July 14th) so that Pro Tempore Sotero Laurel can continue presiding.
I corrected the complaint for Libel against Time magazine.
Worked on the proclamation of Shrines in the Philippines.
Started to work on the organization of the Oil Commission with Dr. Gaudencio Garcia’s name coming up.
Post office reorganization is necessary.
So with the Housing Corporation.
Finishing the 16th year Reparations schedule.
10:45 PM June 24, 1971[17]
Thursday
Upon the arrival of Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile, Congs. [Mohammad] Ali Dimaporo and Uging [Constantino] Navarro I received a confirmation of their advance telegraphic report of the violence uncontrolled by the constabulary in Northern Cotabato (Carmen where the massacre of 61 Muslims by the “Ilagas”’ at Barrio Manalili took place and Pikit where 45 houses of Christians were burned in tum by the Muslims in Barrio Gli-Gly).
So I ordered the saturation of Northern Cotabato with Armed Forces troops, one battalion combat team with heavy weapons support to come from Cagayan de Oro immediately to prepare the organization of a task force independent of the Provincial PC [Philippine Constabulary] command.
The task force is under orders to locate all armed groups, whether Christian or Muslim, apprehend them or destroy them without distinction.
All Ilongos and Cotabato Muslims (officers and men) have been ordered withdrawn from Cotabato.
Not martial law but the use of the Armed Forces to suppress disorder.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Sen. Dominador Aytona, announced that his committee will cut my powers to transfer funds, augment appropriations in the various executive departments etc., the general idea being to cripple me.
Sen. Aytona is the brains of the Jacintos on the IISMI [Iligan Integrated Steel Mills Inc.]. He wants me to order the lifting of the foreclosure order of the DBP [Development Bank of the Philippines] on the IISMI for delinquency in the payment of DBP advances. He is facing charges of Anti-Graft for conflict of interest in the National Economic Council where he appeared as the lawyer of the IISMI. And the Jacintos stand to lose all their investments in the IISMI because of the foreclosure.
This is the reason for his opposition to my program of government.
He is one of the wolves in sheep’s clothing in government.
Another one is Sen. Alejandro Almendras. And the third is Sen. Wenceslao Lagumbay.
They have been dealing with the Liberals.
10:10 PM June 25, 1971[18]
Friday
The Cotabato situation—I have chosen Col. Encarnacion to head the task force that will operate in Cotabato, Lanao del Sur and Bukidnon. The task force will be supported by all Army forces including a FA unit. Two companies of the Battalion Combat Team are now in Alamada, still uncommitted. We are sending two APC’s [armored personnel carrier] for transport of troops. Two helicopters are there now.
Had a conference with the Christian and Muslim leaders including Cong. Salipada Pendatun, Gov. [Simeon] Datumanong, Mayors [Nicolas] Dequinia of Midsayap, [Esteban] Doruelo of Pigkauayan, [Armando] Lagda of Kabacan and [Dima] Dalid of Carmen, President of the mayor’s league. They pledged to support the campaign against the armed men causing destruction of lives and property.
Also present were Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile, Congs. [Mohammad] Ali Dimaporo, Pres. of the [Minanpala?] and [Constantino] Uging Navarro, Chairman of the House Committee of National Defense. These three came from an inspection of Cotabato. So were Sen. Pres. Pro Tempore Jose Roy and Sen. [Mamintal] Tamano.
Actually these political leaders have no control of the situation. And they have violated the peace pact that was entered into here at the palace several months ago.
We finalized the complaint for libel against Time magazine this morning. And I have prepared the filing fee in the amount of P99,850.00 as we are asking moral damages of P50 million.
The election of officers of the Constitutional Convention will be held on Tuesday, June 29th.
Delegate Carlos Ledesma accompanied by Congs. Arman Gustilo and Nene [Fermin] Caram [Jr.] as well as Delegate [Emilio] de la Cruz [II] and Ady Sison came to seek my support this noon. I asked them to allow me to study the matter.
And tonight, Delegate Estanislao Fernandez came to see me to convey the request of Ex-Pres. [Diosdado] Macapagal for my support. I called Speaker [Cornelio] Villareal, Delegates Gualberto Duavit, [Antonio] Tony Tupaz, [Natalio] Chito Castillo [Jr.] and Rep. [Eduardo] Danding Cojuangco [Jr.] to the conference. Then I asked Delegates Duavit, Tupaz and Chito Castillo to see ex-Pres. Macapagal tonight and report to me tomorrow morning.
The rivalry for the Presidency of the Convention will probably narrow down to ex-Pres. Macapagal, Ex-Sen. [Raul] Manglapus and [Carlos] Charlie Ledesma if he continues. But Ledesma would be vulnerable as he is not prestigious and he is a rich haciendero of sugar and shipping—not a reformist.
The typhoon hit Leyte and Samar and passed south of Manila at 8:00 PM. I hope that this means the weather will be good when we go to Leyte by boat on Sunday evening. We leave at 12:00 midnight. To Ormoc City our first stop is 27 hours. We attend the fiesta on the 29th. Then we go to Tacloban to attend the fiesta in the morning of the 30th.
Imelda’s birthday will be on the 2nd of July. We will celebrate it in Tolosa. And the memorial for her father will be inaugurated in Tolosa on the 3rd.
I have to organize the Oil Commission and appoint some judges and the director for Postmaster General and President of the Housing Corp.
Since the Liberals have met through their National Directorate and they have started the political season, we have to prepare for the campaign.
11:00 PM June 26, 1971[19]
Saturday
The contest for the presidency of the constitutional convention has become a rivalry between two men whom we cannot admire—ex-Pres. [Diosdado] Macapagal and ex-Sen. [Raul] Manglupus—the first a man of doubtful word of honor and the second a hypocrite of erratic talent.
But this has come about because of the withdrawal of Delegate Teofisto Guingona in favor of Manglapus and the expected withdrawal of Delegate Carlos Ledesma of Negros Occidental in favor of ex-Pres. Macapagal. Delegate Ledesma was prevailed upon tonight to withdraw so that the Nacionalista and Liberal groups can attain a union of forces. Otherwise if the contest were to be reduced to Ledesma and Manglapus, the latter because of his national stature and parliamentary experience would win on the last balloting. He would be a divisive force.
The Nacionalistas still have misgivings about ex-Pres. Macapagal but they will support him as the lesser evil.
Because it is a week-end I could not get in touch with the various men I wanted to appoint to the oil commission except Asst. Executive Secretary Ponciano Mathay whom I am designating as chairman. The other members would be Director of Commerce Epifanio Castillejos, Central Bank ______, Dante Nagtalon, former PAL [Philippine Air Lines] Vice President Roberto Lim and the oil expert ______.
I have not been able to reorganize the Post Office nor the Dept. of Public Works and the CAA [Civil Aeronautics Administration].
But I have appointed the new judges of the CFI [Court of First Instance] and CAR [Court of Agrarian Relations] as well as some fiscals in Manila.
Worked on my book “The New Revolution.” I must finish this by the middle of July.
I have prepared the order in my handwriting dated June 30th to Com. [Faustino] Sychangco to the effect that if the new appropriation act is not approved into law by midnight of that day, the Commission is directed by me, in accordance with tradition and practice which has become practically a part of the constitution that he release funds for the normal operations of the government within the limits of the present appropriation act.
Otherwise the government may be paral[y]zed and the officers and employees go without compensation.
I enclose a photostatic copy of the order.
The Senate is turning out to be a serious stumbling block to our reform program. Most of the senators are egoistic men concerned only with their own personal ambitions and oblivious to the public welfare.
And their pet dream is to cut all powers of the presidency no matter what the consequences.
Office of the President of the Philippines
[1] No Official Gazette entry for this day.
[2] No Official Gazette entry for this day.
[3] No Official Gazette entry for this day.
[4] No Official Gazette entry for this day.
[5] No Official Gazette entry for this day.
[6] No Official Gazette entry for this day.
[7] No Official Gazette entry for this day.
[8] Official Gazette for June 18, 1971: P resident Marcos led public officials, the kin and friends of the late President Carlos P. Garcia in hearing the special Mass celebrated by Rufino Cardinal Santos at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang for the late President. Among those who attended, apart from the First Lady, Imelda R. Marcos, and the family of the deceased, close relatives and friends, were the officials who served under President Garcia, members of the Constitutional Convention, the Senate and the House of Representatives; the judiciary and the diplomatic corps; and military top brass. At about 12:30 p.m., the President conferred with officials and chapter presidents of the Philippine Public School Teachers Association (PPSTA) who were accompanied by Secretary of Commerce and Industry Ernesto Maceda to Malacañang. Also present were Acting Executive Secretary Roberto V. Reyes, Budget Commissioner Faustino Sy-Changco and Secretary of Education Juan L. Manuel. The First Couple later had luncheon with members of the family of the late President Garcia and others who had come for the Mass. Notable among those present at the Mass were Mrs. Leonila D, Garcia, Linda Garcia-Campos, Fernando Campos, their three children; Secretary of Health Amadeo H. Cruz, Secretary of Justice Vicente Abad Santos, Secretary Reyes, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Carlos P. Romulo, Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile, Secretary Manuel, Commissioner Sy-Changco, Auditor General Ismael Mathay; Reps, Emerito Calderon of Cebu, Jose D. Aspiras of La Union, Jose Aldeguer of Iloilo, William Chiongbian of Misamis Occidental, and Lamberto Macias and Herminio Teves of Negros Oriental; and Senator Dominador Aytona. Delegate and Mrs. Roseller T. Lim, former Secretary of Education Jose Romero, former Defense Secretary Alejo Santos, former Asst. Executive Secretary Enrique Quema, former Executive Secretary Fortunato de Leon, former Social Welfare Administrator Amparo Villamor, Mons. Mariano Gaviola, and SSS Chairman Ramon Gaviola, Jr. The President spent the rest of the day at work in his study, during which he issued a proclamation declaring June 19, Saturday, a special public holiday in the province of Laguna and the city of San Pablo. J une 19, 1971, marks the 111th birth anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero, who was born in Calamba, Laguna.
[9] The second and third pages of this entry are missing.
[10] Official Gazette for June 19, 1971: P resident Marcos and the First Lady, Imelda R. Marcos, headed the funeral procession together with Mrs. Leonila D. Garcia and her daughter Linda, when the remains of the late President Carlos P. Garcia were taken in the morning to a waiting funeral car at Gate 2 from the Malaca ñ ang Ceremonial Hall for airlifting to Tagbilaran, where necrological services were held in the afternoon. Earlier, the President and the First Lady, the bereaved family, and relatives and friends of the late President, heard Mass said by Msgr. Mariano Gaviola. Toward noon, the President motored to the GSIS building to address the 26th annual convention of the Philippine Veterans Legion. In his speech, the President renewed his plea for unity and called on the people to be ready to fight for freedom and democracy. The President reminded the veterans that freedom was being eroded once more by negative attitudes. He said that to some people it is the height of patriotism to speak ill of their government and to assassinate the character of their leaders.” The President said the people can remain free only as long as “we recognize the limitations of our, freedom and exercise that freedom with a sense of maturity and responsibility.” Later in the day, the President issued a proclamation declaring June 24, Thursday; as a special public holiday in the Greater Manila Area. The day marks the 400th anniversary of the formal organization of the City of Manila.
[11] Official Gazette for June 20, 1971: P resident Marcos had one engagement which took him out of Malacañang. The rest of the day he spent mostly on paper work. At.8:00 a.m. the President motored to the Rizal Coliseum where he shot the first arrow which formally launched the whole-day National Open Indoor Archery Tournament. In his brief remarks during the launching ceremony, the President pledged to give all the public and private encouragement for the development of archery in the Philippines. The President said that the development of athletics is something which every man, whether a public official or not, should encourage. “The policy of government is to encourage athletics from the highest level all the way down to the lowest,” added. The President was to address another gathering, the annual general assembly of the Philippine Veterans Legion at Fort Bonifacio, Rizal, “but he had to ask Secretary of Defense Juan Ponce Enrile to read his message to the assembly because he could not make it on time. In his speech, the President renewed his appeal to Filipino veterans to be ready once again to fight in defense of freedom. The President said that to some people “it is the height of patriotism to speak ill of their government and to assassinate the character of their leaders.” The President said that while the freedom of the press should be powerful force contributing to national development, “the press, if it abuses its own freedom, may weaken the very system under which it thrives.” The President said that if one were to listen to some of the strident voices of the activists one would think “we had wiped out their liberties and installed a regime of fascism. But the fact that they can slander their president and employ the most vitriolic language against him ”the President said, “is the very refutation to their claim that fascism prevails in this country.” The president deplored the fact that some of them even foment disorder and commit acts of vandalism and abuse in the exercise of freedom. The President said that the exercise of freedom is regulated by law and it is the duty of government to protect the people and preserve their individual liberties. The President said the people can remain free only as long as “we recognize the limitations of our freedom and exercise that freedom with a sense of maturity and responsibility.” The President said the Filipinos should be proud of the fact that in a region where most peoples are deprived of human freedom, “we still enjoy our heritage of democracy and freedom.” Concluding, the President told the veterans the value of freedom is immeasurable and if it is necessary “that we should fight again, we shall do so for freedom. We shall not hesitate to offer our lives, our honor, cur dreams and aspirations, so tha t the people will remain free.”
[12] Official Gazette for June 21, 1971: P resident Marcos constituted an interim inter-agency committee which will coordinate and centralize all activities to Sangley Point. The official turn-over of the United States naval base at Sangley Point to the Philippine government was scheduled for September 1. A development plan for the eventual use and land allocation of the naval base has been prepared. Other preparatory work and pertinent analytical studies pertaining to the eventual transfer of Sangley Point had also been conducted. Named to the committee were the director-general of the Presidential Economic Staff or his representative, as chairman; and the chairman of the Board of Investment, the Secretary of Public Works and Communications, the administrator of Economic Coordination, the Flag Officer-in-Command of the Philippine Navy, Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force and the Director-General of the National Manpower and Youth Council or their representatives, as members. The governor of Cavite, the mayor of Cavite City, the chairman of the Cavite Socio-Economic Council, and the president of the Filipino Employees Association of U.S. Bases in the Philippines could seat as ex-officio members in the Committee on an invitation basis. At past noon, the President and the First Lady, Imelda R. Marcos, had as luncheon guests Administrator David Hamil of the U.S. Rural Electrification Administration and Mrs. Hamil who arrived in Manila recently in the course of a tour of U.S. assisted projects in Asia. During the luncheon, the President received assurance from the U.S. Agency for International Development that is would continue to support the rural electrification program of the government, aimed at providing cheap electric power in the rural areas and improve the living conditions in outlying regions. Among other luncheon guests at Malacañang were U.S. Ambassador Henry A Byroade, Director and Mrs. Thomas C. Niblock of USAID in Manila, Acting Executive Secretary Roberto V. Reyes, Chairman Gerardo Sicat of the National Economic Council, PACD Secretary Rosendo Marquez and Chairman Geronimo Velasco of the Electrification Administration.
[13] Marcos presented the guests with special leather-bound editions of the facsimiles of Jose Rizal’s Noli me tangere and El Filibusterimo, offered for sale by Baumann Rare Books in New York, that are inscribed as follows: In the Noli “June 21, 1971. Malacanang Palace. Manila, Philippines. To our friends Eileen and Joe, May this facsimile of the original manuscript of Rizal’s novel that laid the moral basis for the Philippine Revolution of 1896 remind you of the country of more than seven thousand islands. Ferdinand Marcos”; in the Fili, “June 21, 1971. Malacanang Palace. Manila, Philippines. To Eileen and Joe, This is the other novel of the Philippine national hero, who, long before 1896 sought reforms for his country, not revolution. May this remind you of our passionate efforts to recast our social structure. Affectionately, Ferdinand Marcos.” Another book, The Second Marcos Inaugural by Ileana Maramag inscribed by Marcos: “June 21, 1971 Malacanang Palace, Manila Philippines To Eileen land Joe, With affection and best wishes, F. E. Marcos.” is listed for sale at universtyarchives.com
[14] Official Gazette for June 22, 1971: P resident Marcos led the Filipino people in paying homage to the late President Carlos P. Garcia who was laid to rest at Fort Bonifacio, Rizal at high noon. The burial of the late President ended a week-long period of memorial services during which the remains of the former President of the country lay in state at the session hall of the Constitutional Convention at the Manila Hotel, at Malacañang, at the Tagbilaran Cultural Center, and at the House of Representatives. In an extemporaneous funeral oration, delivered in the session hall of Congress, the President extolled the late President as a politician, statesman, poet and dreamer whose irreplaceable loss will be felt by the whole nation. The President said the late President “symbolized the gentleman of the old school and represented the virtues of his generation—generosity, goodwill, graceful accommodation and compromise.”( F ull text of the President’s eulogy in OG .) The President and the First Lady arrived at the Hall of Congress at 7:30 a.m. and were greeted by other officials led by Senate President Gil J. Puyat and Speaker Cornelio T. Villareal, and members of the Constitutional Convention led by President Protempore Sotero Laurel. After the delivery of the invocation by Msgr. Mariano Gaviola, other funeral orations were delivered by President Protempore Laurel, Chief Justice Roberto Conception of the Supreme Court, Speaker Villareal and Senate President Puyat. At about 9 a.m., as the necrological services ended, the flag-draped casket bearing the remains of the late President was borne away by a funeral car at the head of a long procession which headed for the Manila Cathedral. At the Cathedral, a Mass was said for the dead by Rufino Cardinal Santos, after which the long procession started for the place of burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani at Fort Bonifacio. The funeral procession passed along Roxas Boulevard, through Harrison Boulevard to the South Superhighway, then Buendia and Ayala Avenue in Makati, and finally Mckinley Road to Fort Bonifacio. As the funeral cortege entered Fort Bonifacio, an artillery batten-boomed a 21-gun salute to the late President. At the gate to the Libingan, a composite battalion made up of units of the Philippine Army, Philippine Constabulary, Philippine Marines, Philippine Air Force and Philippine Navy, followed by a formation of the Presidential Guard Battalion, preceded the caisson bearing the casket. Following the casket were the President and the First Lady, the members of the Garcia family headed by Mrs. Leonila D. Garcia, members of the Constitutional Convention, other government officials, and relatives and friends of the bereaved family. At the foot of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the procession stopped as the Philippine National Anthem was played. Then, slowly and carefully, the casket was lifted by the pallbearers and gently placed at the graveside. Rufino Cardinal Santos then blessed the dead and, after the widow and Children of the late President, and other relatives and friends had taken a last look, the casket was closed and the flag draping folded and presented to Mrs. Garcia by the President himself. Then, the muffled drums sounded the three volleys of musketry reverberated as taps was sounded in a final salute. Overhead a plane hovered, swooped and springled the grave with flowers. As the casket was being lowered into the grave, another 21-gun salute bommed in the distance, and the late President was laid to rest. With the remains of the departed leader in its final resting place and the grave eventually sealed, the First Couple invited members of the bereaved family into the Presidential car and accompanied them to the Garcia residence on Bohol avenue in Quezon City. There the First Couple alighted and lingered for a while to comfort Mrs. Garcia and other immediate members of the family. The President and the First Lady were back at Malacañang about 2 p.m. In the afternoon, the President directed key officials concerned to go over carefully the bill (HB 3417) intended to increase the salaries of public school teachers. The President emphasized that in the bill to be presented to Congress, extreme care be taken to obviate any disparity in the matter of salary adjustment among teachers.
[15] Official Gazette for June 23, 1971: P resident Marcos ordered the revamp of two bureaus which he described as “most inefficient,” notably to weed out misfits and improve performance. The President ordered the revamp of the Bureau of Posts under the Department of Public Works and Communications and the Bureau of Customs under the Department of Finance. The President also expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of road construction, even as he directed Acting Secretary of Public Works and Communications Baltazar Aquino to rush completion of the cementing of Pampanga road, the Ilocos Norte road, and the Bataan road. The condition of the Bataan road, he said, has discouraged tourists from, traveling to Bataan. In his directive on the revamp of the two bureaus, the President ordered the pinpointing of responsibility and the prosecution and separation from service of personnel found guilty of misfeasance and malfeasance in office. In a day which he devoted mostly to office work, the President received a few callers, among whom were a group of Agrarian Relations Court judges who presented a resolution pledging support of the administration policies in land reform and other important areas; and Senator Wenceslao Lagumbay who discussed local problems with the President. He worked at his office through the afternoon and evening.
[16] Finding Guide to the Kingsbury-Smith Papers in the U.S. Library of Congress states that as a journalist some of Kingsbury-Smith’s subjects became personal friends. There are separate folders of correspondence, notes, transcribed interviews in the collection for both Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos.
[17] Official Gazette for June 24, 1971: P resident Marc o s reiterated his call for “improved honesty, efficiency, initiative and courtesy in the public service” in a speech on the opening of the 11th general convention of the Confederation of Government Employees held at the capitol building in Pasig, Rizal. The President, at the same time, pledged that he would continue to “hold uppermost, within the means of our government, the happiness and well-being of all government employees.” The President asserted that it is the rank and file of government employees that serve as a link between the government and the people. “In effect, the performance of the government is your performance,” he said and added that the government is not what the President, or Congress or the Supreme Court makes it but is what the rank and file employees make it. “I call on you to be honest, morally and intellectually, which means doing your functions and duties efficiently and without regard to any ulterior consideration,” he added. With no scheduled callers to attend to the President concentrated on deskwork. Among other actions, he created a coordinating committee for nuclear power study, ‘which will look into the feasibility, in all its aspects, of establishing a nuclear power plant in the Philippines before the end of this decade. An agreement in principle has been entered into by the National Power Corporation (NPC) and the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) for the integrated planning of capacity additions to the Luzon Grid. Named to compose the coordinating committee were the commissioner of the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission, as chairman; and the assistant general manager of the National Power Corporation, the deputy director-general for operations of the Presidential Economic Staff, and the director of the Office of Foreign Aid Coordination, National Economic Council, as members. Issued earlier by the President was the following message on the 400th anniversary of the formal organization of Manila as a Christian city: The 400th anniversary of Manila as a Christian city comes at a time when the Philippines is poised to enter a new era, a period characterized by ferment and debate, an outward reaching out as well as an inward search for identity and direction. All these manifestations are sharply reflected in Manila, which has always been the central nervous system of the nation, and for more than three centuries the cultural, economic and political capital of this archipelago. Today Manila has the image and pulsebeat of a modern city, vet different from similar metropolises in that somehow it has retained the increments of history and the distinct substance of the Filipino. This is only right for we need, among other imperatives, to assert our uniqueness as a people, to keep alive our history as a nation, because there is a real danger of losing our identity in a world more and more growing impersonal and insensitive. I welcome therefore the efforts to perpetuate in Manila the Filipino essence, perhaps best exemplified by Andres Bonifacio, happily enshrined as the city’s emblem of Filipinism, who possessed the rugged individualism, the sturdy virtue, the affinity to the land, the love of freedom which define and animate the Filipino. As the nation grows and develops, Manila will surely pace the rest of the country as it has done in times past, thereby posing new challenges not only to the city’s leaders but to its population, a puplation which is, properly, a cross-section of the nation’s inhabitants, affirming once again the central place Manila enjoys in the life of the Philippines. It is my pleasure indeed to extend congratulations to the people of Manila and to its energetic leaders, beginning with Mavor Villegas with the hope that the next decade will be the most dynamic and significant period of growth for Manila, for it is the period when Manilans working together and spurred by; the same great dreams can bring about a renascence of their City, perhaps to surpass the progress it has made in all the centuries past. In a conference in the evening with a team he had dispatched to Cotabato to verify reports of mass killings in the area, the President directed Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile to deploy a batallion combat team in Cotabato to conduct a search and destroy operation against outlaw bands responsible for the loss of lives and. property in the area. The team, composed of Secretary Enrile, Rep. Constantino Navarro of Surigao del Norte, who is chairman of the House committee on defense; and Rep. Ali Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte, president of the Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan Association (Minsupala); returned to Manila late in the afternoon and rendered its report to the President. During the conference, the President also ordered, among others: First, The Department of Health to dispatch medical teams to minister to the health needs of refugees, and the Department of Social Welfare to send relief teams to locate and attend to the relief requirements of evacuees and assist in their relocation in suitable resettlement centers, pending normalization of conditions in the region; Second, The disbandment of the Cotabato Peace Commission previously created to help restore peace in the province. The commission had been found to be ineffective. In dispatching a batallion combat team to the area, the President said the government has no other alternative but to saturate the area with troopers in order to put a stop to what he considered senseless killings and destruction of property in the province. He observed that the warring groups in the province had violated agreements entered into with the President in a series of meetings at Malacañang to police their own ranks, disarm their men, and refrain from resorting to violence as a means of resolving their conflicts.
[18] Official Gazette for June 25, 1971: P resident Marcos gave three hours of his time to a conference on the Cotabato situation, when he met at Malacañang the political leaders and officials of that province to thresh out the problems and the solutions to the resurgent armed strife among hostile factions in the region. Deeply concerned about the situation in that province, the President asked the officials and other leaders of the region to stick to their posts during this emergency so that the people may better respond to authority and allay their fears.He also issued directives and asked local leaders to coordinate with the military in hardening peace and order in the area. Present during the conference were Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile, Acting Executive Secretary Roberto V. Reyes, Sen. Mamintal Tamano, Reps. Constantino C. Navarro, who is chairman of the House Committee on National Defense; Mohammad Ali Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte and Salipada K. Pendatun of North Cotabato. Mayor Omar Dianalan of Marawi City, Gov. Simeon Datumanong of North Cotabato, Board Member Doroteo Palencia, Mayors Esteban Doruelo of Pigkawayan, Nicolas Dequinia of Midsayap, Armando S. Lagda of Kabacan and Dima Dalid of Carmen, all in Cotabato. Earlier in the morning, the President received officials of the Anti-Communist League of the Philippines. The group requested the early release of the ₱250,000 authorized by Congress for the expenses of holding the joint conference of Asian anti-communist groups in Manila next month. Those who composed the group were Senators Jose J. Roy and Leonardo B. Perez; Reps. Ramon D. Bagatsing, Frisco San Juan, Salipada K. Pendatun, Fermin Z. Caram, Jr.; former Director of Prisons Alejo Santos, Antonio Roxas Chua, Col. Ernesto Golez, N. Fernandez, Leon O. Ty, former Rep. Inocencio V. Ferrer, and Prudencio T. Europa. Among the few other callers the President received was a delegation from the Philippine Jockeys Association and the Sta. Ana Park Horse Race Trainers and Jockeys Association, headed by Lumen Policarpio, which presented a plaque of appreciation to the President for his support of R.A. 6115 providing benefits to these class of workers, and which he subsequently signed. In-between these conferences and callers, the President acted on other urgent official matters, including certifying to Congress the bill giving public school teachers increases in salary rates. He also designated Speaker Cornelio T. Villareal as his personal representative at the inauguration of President Park Chung Hee of Korea on July 1. Others designated to compose the Philippine delegation were Philippine Ambassador Benjamin Tirona to Korea; Mayor Elias Lopez of Davao City; Brig. Gen. Edilberto Bernales of the Philippine Air Force and Atty. Ramon Martinez. Among other actions, the President declared July 1, 1971 (Thursday) a special public holiday in the province of Southern Leyte, marking the 11th anniversary of its creation as a separate province. Proclamation of the public holiday was requested by Governor Salvation O. Yñiguez and Rep. Nicanor E. Yñiguez of that province.
[19] Official Gazette for June 26, 1971: P resident Marcos had his schedule of activities for the day cleared of callers, even as he devoted his working hours to urgent official papers preparatory to his trip to the Leyte provinces. Among the matters acted upon by the President were nominations to various posts in the government, which he submitted to the Commission on Appointments for confirmation. Heading the list of nominees were Dr. Estefania Aldaba-Lim, as Secretary of S ocial W elfare; Eduardo Rodriguez, as administrator of economic coordination; Gregorio Cendaña, as director of the National Media Production Center; Juan Mariano, as director of soils; and Godofredo L. Alcasid, as director of the National Museum.