Wednesday
Yesterday I received a report of Cong. [Roque] Ablan [Jr.] confirmed by Lupiño Lazaro himself that several people—[Joaquin] Chino Roces, Sen. [Jose] Diokno, Col. Ozaeta, L. Alcuas (activist group of Ateneo), Doronilla of NPC etc. are trying to convince the jeepney drivers before elections to strike against the suspension of the privilege of the writ.
Five days of press stories and editorials as well as financing was promised by Chino Roces who may be conspiring with [Eugenio] Iñing Lopez [Sr.].
I attach the report.
I have asked Bobby Reyes to get in touch with Lazaro to convince him not to strike.
Imelda arrived by PAL [Philippine Air Lines] from Honolulu at 4:10 PM.
I finished the conference with the rice retailers, traders, millers and merchants at about 1:00 PM, met the Cotabato mayors and the government prosecutors, then had a luncheon-conference on the briefing for the Supreme Court (with Gen. [Fidel] Ramos, Sol. Gen. Felix Antonio, Col. [Tagumpay] Nanadiego, Col. [Ignacio] Paz) at 2:00 PM up to 3:10 PM, went to airport—was back at the Palace at 5:15 PM—met the congressmen from the north and then had a TV interview from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, finished with political leaders at 10:00 PM. Then went to [Bahay] Pangarap for the dry run of the briefing with Justice Fred Ruiz Castro. Finished at 12:00 PM.
Am now in the bedroom with Imelda for a lively recounting of her hectic trip.
1:25 AM October 28, 1971[1]
[1] Official Gazette for October 28, 1971: P resident Marcos had a long list of callers, notable among whom were Senator Arturo Tolentino and Rep. Ali Dimaporo, with whom he conferred privately; top officials of the First National City Bank of New York; and officials of labor unions of government corporations. Later in the day, the President received a group of mayors from Pampanga, led by Gov. Francisco Nepomuceno. The meeting was also held privately. Throughout the day congressmen and governors were received by the President. Among them were Reps. Constantino Navarro of Surigao del Norte, Jose Puyat, Jr. of Surigao del Sur, and Marcelino Veloso of Leyte; Governors Julian Pacificador of Antique, Gualberto Lumauig of Ifugao, and Recaredo Castillo of Surigao del Sur. The FNCB officials who called on the President to pay their respects were Walter B. Wriston, chairman and chief executive; William J. Spencer, president; and Samuel Eastabrook, vice president. They flew into town for a joint meeting here of the FNCB board of directors and trustees, the first to be held outside the U.S. mainland. hey were accompanied to Malacañang by Central Bank Governor Gregorio S. Licaros and Ramon Orosa, FNCB resident vice president. The delegation of the Confederation of Unions in Government Corporations (CUGCO) was led by Antonio Ancheta of the Government Service Insurance System. The union officials assured the President that they were not planning to strike as reported in the newspapers but that they merely wanted to take their problems to the President and enlist his assistance in solving them. Ancheta and his group said they were protesting the issuance of a circular by OEC Administrator Eduardo Rodriguez requiring managements of government corporations to first consult him before entering into agreements with the unions. The President directed Secretary of Labor Adrian Cristobal and Administrator Rodriguez to sit down with the CUGCO officials and chart the way toward the preservation of industrial peace in government corporations. The President continued to see visitors throughout the day whenever he was not busy with other state problems.