Wednesday
Arrived at 11:00 AM at Pier 5 and immediately went to work.
Suspended all releases of public works funds including calamity funds. Directed the balances of the different items to be determined. Met [Faustino] Com. Sychangco on this.
Most of my time was consumed by the meeting with the Cons. [Constitutional] Convention delegates headed by Bibit Duavit on the position taken by Sen. [Arturo] Tolentino and Speaker [Cornelio] Villareal that the Cons. Convention cannot call a plebiscite and appropriate funds for it as they did. Sen. Tolentino has talked to Chairman [Jaime] Ferrer and the latter informed him that the Comelec [Commission on Elections] would adopt a resolution to implement the call to plebiscite of the Cons. Convention which resolution Sen. Tolentino could question in the Supreme Court. Some of the delegates indicated a desire to be parties petitioners.
We broke up at about 3:30 PM after lunch.
I also gave the go signal for a tabloid size 40-page “Daily Express.” Initial capital needs would be about P3 million. If we have 15 pages of ads daily then we could net P22,000 monthly. Otherwise we must be prepared to lose money.
I directed that the financial requirements be restudied and resubmitted.
Target date of opening is Jan. 1st, 1972.
Then I directed the campaign of the senatorial and local candidates to be reassessed specially on TV and radio.
And the problem of prices to be the subject of briefing before the cabinet tomorrow.
As well as the 4 year development program by the NEC [National Economic Council].
12:00 PM September 30,[1] 1971[2]
Thursday
Have just met for dinner some twenty seven delegates when they asked questions about our experience in government. Imelda was there and was very forthright in expressing her views.
I enclose the note of Bibit Duavit. It was a most enlightening evening.
Held a cabinet meeting on the rice situation, the new 4 year development plan and the various individual projects.
I place in Envelope No. X-A the records I used in the meeting.
In the afternoon I met the Sulu delegation including the rival factions, the civic leaders and the military. I directed the replacement of the Jolo PC [Philippine Constabulary] detachment, the disarming of all men including policemen except when on duty when they should be accompanied by two PC men and armed with a short firearms.
And no policemen from another town or for that matter no one can bring firearms openly. They will be arrested and the firearms confiscated.
[1] Entry is misdated as September 31.
[2] Official Gazette for September 30, 1971: P resident Marcos had two major conferences; one with the Cabinet and the other with the political and civic leaders of Sulu. Among the major items taken up at the Cabinet meeting, which lasted from 9:30 to 11:30 at the State Dining Hall, was the problem of rice distribution, particularly in places of scarcity. The, President mobilized the government machinery towards solving this particular problem, saying that the government should utilize all powers, including confiscation of hoarded stocks to normalize the flow of the staple into the market, especially in the rural areas. He created a committee composed of the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, as chairman, and the Secretary of Commerce and Industry, the chairman of the Board of Investments, and the Acting Secretary of Public Works and Communications, as members, to study and recommend immediate solutions to the problem. The President then instructed the Secretary of Justice to assist the committee in devising ways of counteracting hoarding, even to the extent of confiscating hoarded stocks. During the meeting, the heads of departments and agencies concerned reported on other government projects, such as on rural electrification, mass housing, cottage industries, fisheries, cattle and swine dispersal, and other projects designed to provide rural employment. On mass housing, the President directed the Government Service Insurance System, the Social Security System, the People’s Homesite and Housing Corporation and the National Housing Corporation to coordinate their respective activities in the implementation of the administration’s housing program. On cattle dispersal, the President urged the department heads concerned to get some action done at lower levels. He directed as well that artificial insemination centers be set up in every big barrio. The President said expenses for these centers should be minimized through the construction of bamboo buildings instead of the costly concrete affairs being set up by the Bureau of Animal Industry. Following the Cabinet meeting, the President repaired to his study where he signed House Bill No. 229 appropriating the sum of ₱590,000 to indemnify the heirs of the victims of the January 30, 1970 student riot, and for other victims of a public demonstration, rally, protest march, assembly or mass action occurring after January 1, 1970. The bill, which was sponsored in the House by Rep. Alfredo G. Lamen of Mt. Province and in the Senate by Sen. Mamintal Tamano, was signed by the President in the presence of the heirs and relatives of the six deceased victims of the January 30 mass action. Of the amount appropriated, ₱90,000 would be paid as compensation to the heirs of mass demonstration victims Ricardo Alcantara, Fernando Catabay, Felicisimo S. Roldan, Bernardo Bausa, Jesus Mejia and Leopoldo Inelda, who were killed during the mass demonstration of students on January 30, 1970. The President then met with the political, civic and religious leaders of Sulu on the peace and order condition in that province. During the conference, the President ordered the strict implementation of the firearms ban and the screening of members of the police department in the province, so that only qualified men may be authorized to carry guns. The President reminded all Jolo leaders that policemen and provincial guards could no longer act as bodyguards for candidates and officials under the new election code. Among those present at the conference were Sulu Gov. Murphy Sangkula and former Secretary of General Services Sali Ututalum contending gubernatorial candidates; Rep. Indanan Anni, Mayor Aminkadra Abubakar of Jolo, Dr. Miguel Cuevas, president of the Sulu Lions; Maj. Fernando Villamor (ret.) of the local Knights of Columbus; Mrs. Lily Cid, president of the Catholic Women’s League; Acting Secretary of National Defense Efren I. Plana, Brig. Gen. Eduardo M. Garcia, PC chief; and Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan, IVPCZ commander and Lt. Col. Rogacion Espiritu, Sulu provincial commander. The President attended to some individual callers the rest of the afternoon, and then worked on urgent official papers till early evening .