July 10, 1971

Saturday

National Security Council (with Congs. Ramon Mitra, Jr., House Minority Floor Leader and Carmelo Barbero, senior opposition member of the House Committees of Foreign Affairs and National Defense) met on the Spratley Islands case at 11: AM at the fort Aguinaldo briefing room.

Mitra commended the Armed Forces and its Commander-in-Chief for the actions taken to occupy Thitu Island, Naushan Island and both he and Barbero agreed to the recommendations of the military to continue the occupation of the other islands.

I called the quiet occupation of the islands as a prudent, wise and non-provocative operation which at the same time provides security for the Philippines.

Actually what I had planned was to hand over to the Nationalist Chinese a fait accompli by such occupancy. With their present difficulties in the United Nations, the Chinese would not do anything to antagonize us.

I attach the papers on this question and the questions of prices going down and the sugar quota cut by the U.S. Congress. [1]

I held a press conference at 4:00 PM at my study to announce these actions of the government.

At the same time I announced that I had asked the Secretary of Foreign Affairs to request the Nationalist Chinese to withdraw their troops from Itu Aba or Ligaw (They have 20 officers and 400-500 men including ten LVT’s (Landing Vehicles-Tracked) 3.5 artillery, 20 mms AA and .50 and .30 caliber MG’s.

I based the request on the fact that in 1950 the Chinese had asked these islands to be placed under our supervision but we had refused; that these islands (The Spratley Island group are under de facto trusteeship because in Cairo, the Allied Powers ceded over from Japan to China, Manchuria, Formosa and the Pescadores. No mention was made of the Spratley Islands). All the other islands are res nullius or belong to no one. Therefore we can annex them by occupation, which we did.

11:30 PM July 11, 1971[2]

Sunday

Imee and Irene arrived by PAL [Philippine Air Lines] at 8:45 PM from Bangkok and London.

Irene is taller but slimmer. Imee is prettier and more confident. Both are fairer and more demonstrative. They apparently have minds of their own.

Pugger (Snow white), Sue Ann and their three puppies, all be-ribboned, were at the head of the main stairs waiting for them. Of course they looked cute and cuddly.

Imelda and I have certainly missed our children. But the stay in England has done them good.

They are still at the State Dinning Room exchanging stories after trying out the pastries from Fortnum and Mason of London which the children brought home for us. I tried the cinnamon and almonds. Before dinner we heard mass at the chapel below.

Imee says she does not feel like a University in England. Cambridge is for Math and Oxford is for Law. And she does not intend to take up law. But there is a great university, Sussex. Its only drawback is that it is known for drugs.

Mayfield is costlier than Ascot although the latter is more “posh.” And Mayfield looks down on Worth. Bongbong should hear this. “The boys of Worth have good manners. That is all you can say about them,” say the girls of Mayfield.

Worked for five hours straight on the papers piled high on my table (12:00-5:00 PM) so the bedroom would look neat for the children’s arrival.

Imelda has been working on the rooms of the girls for a week touching them up and throwing away the excess collections. The electronic equipment alone of Bongbong and Irene filled the entire long family dining table.

But all the three rooms now look smart and neat.

The typhoon (Oniang) has left the Philippines but another typhoon or tropical storm (anything with winds below 65 kilometers an hour is called a tropical storm and one with winds above that a typhoon).

Gov. [Benjamin] Romualdez is now in Washington without notice to Amb. [Ramon] Nolan and [Ernesto] Lagdameo so that he may work effectively on the sugar quota question now pending with the senate which has through some of its Finance Committee members threatened to farther cut the quota by another 10% from the 10% cut of the House.

Sangley Point development.

Increase in the salaries of Probationary Lieutenants Cadets and Trainees.

Pakistan-Indian conflict on the East Bengal border.

Free Trade Zone.

Kiram heirs.

Political matters including Ilocos Norte.

Speech before the World Congress of University Presidents tomorrow.

11:00 PM July 12, 1971[3]

Monday

What we have fearing about the fast developing international events in Asia spawning danger to our country may come about this year.

First the Americans are withdrawing from Vietnam. Ultimately the Communists may take over all of South Vietnam. Exported war by the Chinese may bring Thailand, then Malaysia and Singapore under Red China rule. Thus Sabah would become Red Chinese territory. Since it is so close to us, it may become a staging ground for infiltration for subversion into our country.

The same thing is true of Nationalist China. The United States, according to the dispatch from their State Department shown me by Ambassador [Henry] Byroade, is convinced that Red China would be allowed entry in the United Nations this year even if such entry is considered an Important Question which requires a 2/3 vote for approval. So the United States is probably going to work for both Chinas to be recognized although this may objected to by both.

Thus if for some reason, Red China should now claim the Spratley Islands group and occupy it, we would be endangered to our southwest.

In both instances if the Phil-American Mutual Defense Pact is still in force, the United States would be involved if there is external aggression against us. What may happen is more infiltration and/or subversion. Then the U.S. would not be involved. We would be left to our own devices.

The Foreign Minister of China who arrived this morning, allegedly claimed that China owns the Spratley Islands specially Itu Aba or as we know it, Ligao Island.

I have asked Sec. [Carlos] Romulo to meet with him tomorrow.

Spoke before the First World Conference of University Presidents this morning. Then gave them a reception 6:00-7:00 PM this morning.

Worked on the financing of calamities and self-employment projects.

P39 million—calamity fund

P45 million—Highway fund including Contingent and Discretionary

P40 million—General fund for public works

This July:

P64 million for rural improvement—For barrio self-employment

P100 million—for public works in general

Then work out the highway projects for Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Bulacan.

The ASPAC [Asian and Pacific Council] meets next Wednesday. And Bongbong arrives on that day at 7:45 PM.

The two girls, of course, kept us up to early this morning with their stories and their gifts. I do not know where they got their money (they say that they saved up all their allowances for our pasalubong) but I got some great books (Churchill’s a History of the English Speaking Peoples, Encyclopedia of Military History, Dupuy and Dupuy, The War in the Far East by Collier etc. Ambassador Jaime Zobel [de Ayala] sent me some books too) and some mod clothes. So did Imelda. She actually got a lot of clothes and things to wear.

This morning when I arrived at the Phil-Am Bldg. for the University Presidents conference, some demonstrators (about a 100) carrying the usual placards and led by Edgar Jopson of the supposed moderate groups of NUSP [National Union of Students of the Philippines] started to shout obscenities at me like “Marcos Puppet” “Marcos fascist” “Education fascist” “Colonial education” and on my way out, they added “Marcos Magnanakaw”.

As Father [Jose] Cruz our retreat master had said, because the alleged moderates do not have any well knit ideology to rally about, in the long run they join the communists.

This seems to be true of Jopson’s group. They seem to have joined the radical and Maoist KM’s [Kabataang Makabayan].

Jopson was reported to have been in Sulu last April in the company of Voltaire Garcia distributing subversive KM propaganda.

10:30 PM July 13, 1971[4]

Tuesday

Ambassador [Henry] Byroade has just called me by telephone to tell me that his information is to the effect that “we may wake up tomorrow with bad news about sugar.” Some members of the committee in the US Senate (Finance under Sen. Russell Long) have come up with a formula that would have all suppliers pegged to the average of their deliveries in the past five years (since 1966). This would mean another cut in our quota of an additional ten percent. We stand to lose another $30 million for a total of about $60 million.

This loss added to the loss of our prices in logs (about $30 million) will certainly, cause serious imbalance in our international payments.

I am shocked at the insensitivity of the American members of Congress to our plight. It looks like they may be retaliating for the lowering of the price of oil products which affects the leaders of Sen. Russell Long of Louisiana.

I am sure there will be a hue and cry about the cut on the sugar quota. There may even be demands for the abrogation of the military bases pact. We hear it even now.

America will keep on losing its real friends. Even I, who is prejudiced for her feel that she does not wish to keep her friends.

Met Foreign Minister Chou Shu-Kai of Nationalist China on the Spratley Island question and the entry of Red China into the UN [United Nations] from 10:00 to 10:45 AM. We agreed that we would settle the question of the Spratley Islands by quiet diplomatic negotiations.

And while he was agitated by the question of the entry of Red China into the UN, vigorously gesticulating that Red China would not get the votes, he seemed resigned that the proposal of two Chinas would be approved—“but this will not come from us,” he said.

Then I met Japanese Foreign Minister Kiichi Aichi, also the leader of their delegation to ASPAC [Asian and Pacific Council], on the $65 [million] loan to the Philippines which he assured me the political leadership would give as they have decided to do so although there may be some beauracratic [sic] obstacle and delays, and on the published Japanese proposal for the two Chinas to be members of the UN.

While he denied that they had come to a decision on the Chinese problem, he informed me that his government could not agree to the exclusion of Nationalist China from the UN.

“I hope that the Philippines will join us in the solution that may be acceptable,” he said.

“We hope that you will exchange information and observations with us,” I countered.

Apparently they are for a two China policy or dual representation.

A few minutes ago (about 11:00 PM) Ambassador Byroade called up again to say that Ass. Sec. [John] Irwin [II] of the State Dept. was now before the Long Committee and that he (Amb. Byroade) had now some hope that we would still be able to get a better deal.

“I wanted you to know that the executive department, at least, is doing everything to help you,” he added.

I have also called up Amb. [Ernesto] Lagdameo to go and see Senate Majority Floor Leader [Michael] Mansfield. I cannot get in touch with Kokoy [Benjamin Romualdez]. He does not seem to be in his room in the Shoreham in Washington.

12:00 PM July 14, 1971[5]

Wednesday

It is indeed a galling and frustrating situation to be a small and weak nation begging from both ally and former enemy—the U.S. and Japan.

The thought is not ennobling that we survive upon the philanthrophy [sic] of other nations—not on our own strength.

So while we can, we must rectify this situation brought about by the improvisations and indecision of past administrations.

We can only do so by being self-reliant and self-sufficient. This will be a long road. But we must walk it.

What came as a surprise to me and Sec. [Carlos] Romulo was the revelation by Ex. Foreign Minister [Kiichi] Aichi that Japan’s trade with Red China is $800 million.

I could feel that there may be something more than just trade that exists between the two big countries of Red China and Japan.

Of course, Aichi said laughingly that Japan was in a position to help other countries like the Philippines because they (Japan) are not engaged in the production of nuclear weapons.

This morning, Kokoy [Benjamin Romualdez], whom I called about the sugar problem says the Senators of the U.S. are concerned about the possibility that the relationship between Japan and Red China may not just be trade. And they (the senators) may come to Asia and the Philippines to find out during their August recess (tentatively set Aug. 6th),

Japan seems to be eager in bringing in Red China into the UN [United Nations] although this may be due to the common belief that this is the only way in which to control Red China.

This morning I must have shocked the delegates to the ASPAC [Asian and Pacific Council] with the candid and truthful speech I delivered on the situation in Asia: the inflexibility of the policies of the Superpowers; the polarization of the whole world to the two ideologies of the free world and communism; the prejudice to the small developing nations who would rather be left alone to pursue their plans of development; the evolvement of a feeling for neutralism; the neutralization of Southeast Asia—acceptable if the countries here can protect their neutralism; the Chinese wish to enter the family of nations to stop Russia from intervening in the affairs of the Pacific and Asia and preparing for the eventual conflict with Japan, while the small nations can only hope for peace, the basic prerequisite for development.

I noted the Foreign Ministers standing up straight in the chairs as if they were electrocuted—specially the Chinese Foreign Minister, Chow Shu-Kai whom I mentioned the People’s Republic of China as offering the destruction of nuclear weapons and the awkward silence of the other nuclear powers.

I am sure some of the delegates will say the speech was out of place and undiplomatic. So will the media.

Kick-off ceremonies for the campaign fund for the Golden Jubilee of Scouting in the Philippines.

Bongbong has been delayed because his plane could not land in Karachi because of a plane on the runway with a flat tire. So he was supposed to arrive in Bangkok at 1:20 AM then arrive at MIA [Manila International Airport] at 5:30 AM and the typhoon hits Manila at 6:00 AM. So I have asked Bongbong to be kept in Bangkok till the typhoon has passed the Philippines.

The Senate has approved the budget but with a complete repeal of all the powers of the Presidency. It is an attempt to immobilize me not only for the elections but for the rest of my term.

I meet Sen. Pres. [Gil] Puyat, Sen. Pres. Pro Temp. [Jose] Roy, Finance Chairman [Dominador] Aytona and Com. [Faustino] Sychangco at Puyat’s residence tomorrow at 10:00 AM.

I do not believe anything will come out of the meeting.

11:45 PM July 15, 1971[6]

Thursday

Some senior officers of the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] are supposed to be concerned that we adopted, in the National Security Council, the decision to request Nationalist China to leave Itu Aba, a decision they consider precipitate and unwise because we do not have the military might to enforce it, considering the powerful navy and airforce as well as land forces of Nationalist China. They blame Sec. [Carlos] Romulo and the Dept. of Foreign Affairs of the decision.

If anyone is to be blamed it should be me. For I ordered the request to be made immediately when the news broke out of the Itu Aba Chinese garrison allegedly shooting at our fishing ships.

And the decision was made after a sober and meticulous estimate of the situation. We or rather I came to the conclusion that with the Nationalist Chinese facing the survival issue of expulsion from the UN [United Nations] and the entry of Red China, she would hardly be using force in the Spratley Islands.

Japan has surprisingly expeditiously given the $65 million loan; $25 million for projects and $40 million a commodity loan; seven years grace period; 13 more years to pay and 3½% interest.

We intend to seek a reconsideration so that $15 [million] would go to projects and $50 million for commodities because commodities would generate pesos immediately (we import from $35 to $40 million monthly) while projects would take some time to prepare for funding; then we will seek a lowering of the interest from 3½% to 3%.

Even if the Japanese deny the request, everyone will be on notice that we are not happy with the terms of the loan. The Japanese, according to Sec. Cesar Virata, will be expecting the request for reconsideration.

The swift action by the Japanese may have been due to my appeal to Ex. Foreign Minister [Kiichi] Aichi and my speech before Aspac [Asian and Pacific Council] that shocked the delegates but wherein I referred to Japan as the most industrialized nation in Asia and a Great Power in the world! What a few chosen words can do.

I met the Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Albay political leaders on the problems of the coming elections.

Scolded the mayors of Ilocos Norte as well as the governor (my sister Elizabeth) and the two congressmen for petty bickerings prejudicing the administration of the province and reflecting upon my leadership.

I notified them that if the parliamentary system of government is adopted I was returning to my old district in Ilocos Norte and that the incumbent congressman, Simeon Valdez, an uncle, had agreed to this in 1969. He admitted this.

Then we settled down to the projects to improve the province.

In Albay it looks like Gov. [Jose] Estevez is now a controversial candidate as he has been playing footsie with the Liberals and fraternizing with the political enemies of the Nationalista [sic] congressmen. I have to give him an appointment in the executive dept.

Mrs. [Pepita] Aquino, wife of Com. [Baltazar] Aquino will be the candidate.

The Ilocos Norte conference ended up as a crying jig with Congressman [Roque] Ablan [Jr.] first crying when I scolded him for saying that everything that he has done was upon my orders. Then the Governor cried when I said that [s]he was not conducting the affairs of government properly; from her behavior she is petty, undiplomatic patronizing and quarrelsome.

Then I pointedly told Cong. [Simeon] Valdez that one of the basic rules that I established when I was in the district which I asked to be continued by my successor was that no one in public office would make money out of any business in the district—and that he, the congressman had violated this. I no longer had to tell him that he even authorized a bill granting a franchise (telephone) to his wife.

He started sniffling too!

But what angered me and I told all the leaders so was that I had built the Virginia tobacco industry, the garlic and onion industry (agriculture in general) in the north so that the benefits of progress may seep down to the level of the farmers but now the middlemen, the traders and merchants like the Chuas, have been allowed to monopolize the increased income. The farmers are complaining about the low prices of their produce, tobacco selling for P.30 a kilo when the lowest price I provided by law was P1.50 a kilo.

Of course, the leaders, specially Cong. Valdez denied this.

The conference was an eye-opener. I noted that after everyone had said his piece, they all settled down to constructive proposals to improve the province.

I ended up with the statement that all of us must remember that we all pledged to remain faithful to our ideals; that the people expect us to serve them not ourselves; that in whatever position I may be I will not tolerate anyone who is not self-sacrificing; that I am usually patient but when I have reached my decision, I do not flinch in implementing them.

Even I felt good that I had done a good deed to the people of my province.

12:00 PM July 16, 1971[7]

Friday

The bedroom is topsy-turvy from the children horsing around with me looking like a clown with a thinking cap (badly fitted, too small) on the head, a shirt too long for me both from Bongbong and clowning to beat the circus while Imelda presides over the unlikely proceedings with an openly admiring smile as she sits up in bed in her nightgown.

For Bongbong has just arrived (7:15 PM) by SAS [Scandinavian Airlines] from Bangkok. Actually several hours late as his plane was scheduled to land at 6:15 PM. And we are one big happy family.

Some of the cousins are sleeping in the “downtown bed” (carryover from Irene’s baby terminology and which means the floor where they have spread their mattresses.

Pres. [Richard] Nixon is going to Red China as the guest of the People’s Republic of China and his chief foreign policy advisers, [Henry] Kissinger, visited Peking as the guest of Chou En Lai July 9-11th. This was announced this morning.

Everybody seems to think that I knew all of those as two days ago in my Aspac [Asian and Pacific Council] speech I had asked for more flexibility among the nuclear powers and hoped that the threat of nuclear revanche would be decreased by a more positive reaction to Red China’s offer to a destruction of nuclear weapons—specifically proposing that the U.S. and China reach mutually viable basis for understanding.

This is indeed the beginning of a new era as I said in the toast to the success of Aspac tonight. It is an era of flexibility and of great decisions.

I am happy to belong to it.

12:45 AM July 17, 1971[8]

Saturday

The Korean Prime Minister’s observations about my speeches.

Thanat Khoman’s observations about my Aspac [Asian and Pacific Council] Speech. The [Richard] Nixon visit could strengthen the concept of Aspac. And the speech was the prophetic voice of Aspac.

Again the inquiry from all quarters as to whether the new American policy means the dismantling of military bases, the mutual defense pacts, Seato [Southeast Asia Treaty Organization] etc.

The cable of Amb. [Ernesto] Lagdameo seeks to explain that actions to improve relations with China will not be at the expenses of old friends. I attach the cable.

I have called a special session for August 2, 1971 inasmuch as the Conference Committee has not finished to work on the Appropriations bill, as well as other important bills.

The weather is getting worse. There is another storm to the east and the waves in Corregidor and Talaga are 10-12 ft. high as the cruise tomorrow for the Millers has been cancelled.

Instead we play golf at Manila Golf.

1:30 PM July 18, 1971[9]

Sunday

We have just arrived from the instant party of [Ramon] Monching and [Imelda] Meldy Cojuangco called at the request of Imelda to entertain the Millers, our guests at the palace, since our Manila Bay cruise was cancelled due to the typhoon off Polillio.

I no longer enjoy parties as my mind is on the reform program and on the international situation that seems to be fast changing.

Brought Paul Miller to 9 holes of golf at Manila Golf, then to the American Battle Monuments and lunch at the Nayon Pilipino, a tour of Rizal Park and Fort Santiago, a nap (he slept two hours) then I heard mass with the children at 8:00 PM and left for the Cojuangco’s at 8:30 PM.

I have started to teach Bongbong archery and he is taking very well to it using a 20 pd. bow. He was with Miguelito [Vazquez] this afternoon and has been spiritually recounting his rugby games.

Still no news about the sugar quota decision of the Finance Committee of the Senate that is acting on it. There is a telephone operators’ strike in America.

But I will have to Organize a sugar commission soon to prepare the way for the proper distribution of quotas and the systematic reassessment of the sugar policies specially diversification of markets like the world market which has half the price of the US market and almost like the domestic market. We should send Amb. [Ramon] Nolan to London on the world sugar conference to get a quota of 200,000 so as not to depress the domestic market.