May 15, 1973

[1] Official Gazette for May 16, 1973: THE PRESIDENT gave the assurance that there will be no recurrence of the perennial shortage of rice this year. The Chief Executive said that the Government was able to minimize losses in rice production due to last year’s devastating floods in Central Luzon through “Operation Rice Bowl” recovery efforts. The expected decrease in harvest will be pegged down to a minimal seven per cent of previous projections. The Government has also purchased in advance enough rice stocks and had entered into purchase contracts to fill the deficiencies estimated at 600,000 tons, the President reported. The President said that to attain self-sufficiency in rice, he has launched the Masagana 99 rice production program in 43 provinces harnessing the efforts of both the Government and the private sector. LOCALLY MANUFACTURED cars are subject to lower tax rates than imported ones beginning January 1, this year. This was contained in Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 5-73 by Finance Secretary Cesar E. A. Virata to explain certain amendments to the National Internal Revenue Code pursuant to Presidential Deere No. 69. Under Section 184-A of the NIRC, Mr. Virata said, a progressive system of tax computation has been adopted to compute taxes on locally manufactured and imported motor vehicles. Prior to this amendment, taxes of local and imported cars were computed on the same level. Car assemblers are now entitled to the reduced rate of tax on the importation of completely knocked down units and of replacement parts only when they are duly registered under the progressive manufacturing program of the Board of Investments. Percentage tax on imported cars are based on the landed cost plus mark-up as established by Section 183 (b) while locally made cars are taxed through their gross selling prices. DR. PACIFICO E. MARCOS, chairman of the Philippine Medical Care Commission reported that Filipinos who are seriously ill or dying of grave disease now have a better chance of survival through immediate medical assistance. With the implementation of the medicare plan, the percentage of death in the country without medical attention has gone down by 45 per cent. By the end of this year, the percentage is expected to be about only 20 per cent. SECURITY GUARDS can now secure their license from the Constabulary provincial commanders in the respective provinces they are working, Camp Crame announced. Colonel Miguel Gantuangco, commanding officer of the PC supervisory unit for security and investigative agencies, said the approval of such licenses has been delegated to zone commanders and/or deputy zone commanders in the PC zones. Those in Greater Manila may obtain theirs from the PC chief of staff in Camp Crame. Applicants working in the provinces may file their applications with the PC provincial commanders who will in turn screen and process the applications and forward them to the zone headquarters. The zone-3 officer will screen and process the applications in coordination with the zone-2 officer. THE GOVERNMENT is looking into reported cases of coffee hoarding by traders who are holding out stocks for higher prices. The complaint was filed by local coffee producers to the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Denying any shortage of coffee, the producers said that a sizable amount of coffee produced are in the hands of traders who are holding out for higher prices. The DANR ordered an investigation into the reported hoarding of coffee. It is also studying the possibility of creating a Coffee Marketing Board whose function, among others, will be to reconcile the interests of producers, processors and consumers.

[2] Official Gazette for May 17, 1973: THE PRESIDENT has issued Presidential Decree No. 190 creating the National Defense College of the Philippines for the effective implementation of the country’s defense plans. The college is envisioned to graduate potential military leaders and civilian executives who may be drafted to positions in the military establishment as well as the various branches of the government. The college, which shall be organized and administered by the Armed Forces chief of staff, shall be supervised and controlled by the secretary of national defense. WORLD BANK has approved a $11.6 million loan for the development of fisheries projects in the Philippines. This was announced by Secretary of Finance Cesar E.A. Virata after he was informed through a cablegram by Mr. Raymund Goodman, director of the East Asia Pacific Department of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), also known as the World Bank. The fisheries loan, which will be paid in 17 years exclusive of a six-year grace period, was negotiated with the World Bank by a Philippine panel headed by Ambassador Eduardo Z. Romualdez. LABOR AND MANAGEMENT will be equally represented in the proposed labor relations board as contemplated under the proposed labor code. Department of Labor Secretary Blas F. Ople made this assurance during an open forum following his speech before the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. The proposed board—which will take over the functions of the National Labor Relations Commission—will be actually tripartite in character, the labor secretary said. Mr. Ople stressed that the drafted labor relations system will be “result-oriented and is envisioned to settle labor disputes as speedily as possible.” The draft labor code further seeks to disseminate unenforceable labor laws that favor neither management nor labor but only unscrupulous third parties, he added. THE GOVERNMENT has lifted travel restrictions on at least three categories of overseas-based Filipinos to further encourage them to visit the country to survey its improved conditions under Martial Law. Foreign Undersecretary Manuel Collantes, chairman of the special committee on travel for abroad, announced that the following categories of Filipinos are not required to revalidate their passports: 1) Those who are permanent residents abroad who come to visit the Philippines; 2) Those in the active service of foreign government and; 3) Bonafide crew members of international air carriers and ocean-going vessels. The move was taken following reports that a number of Filipinos residing in the United States has signified their intentions to visit the country to see the marked improvement under Martial Law. SOME 1,200 hectares of coconut plantations throughout the country will benefit from the initial rat control operations to be launched by the RP-German rat control project. Plant Industry Director Eliseo Carandang reported that the anti-rodent program for coconut plantations will be launched this month in Lucena, Quezon; Argao Cebu; Calope, Bohol; Piñan, Zamboanga del Norte; Panabo, Davao del Norte; and Digos, Davao del Sur. A bilateral project between the Philippine Government and the Federal Republic of Germany, the rat control program now covers a total of 16,200 hectares.

[3] Official Gazette for May 19, 1973: THE PRESIDENT authorized alien firms to engage in the rice and corn industry in order to attract foreign investments in the development of virgin lands for the cereals. Presidential Decree No. 194 authorizes aliens, as well as associations or corporations owned in whole or in part by foreigners to engage in the rice and corn industry. The decree was issued by the President “to encourage foreign investments on a large-scale to develop virgin lands for rice and corn.” THE PRESIDENT appointed three delegates to the 1971 Constitutional Convention and a presidential assistant executive secretary as members of the nine-man Commission on Elections under the new Constitution. The Chief Executive also named Chairman Adrian E. Cristobal of the Social Security Commission as special presidential assistant in a concurrent capacity. The four members of the elections commission are: 1) Sec. Flores Bayot; 2) Lininding Pangandaman; 3) Venancio L. Vaneza; and 4) Casimiro Mandarang Jr. The President has to fill up to other slots in the expanded commission. MUNICIPAL HEALTH officers will be “the prime movers” in bringing the benefits of the country’s medicare program to the grassroots level. This new role of the rural government physician was delineated during the recently concluded 16th annual convention of the Association of Municipal Health Officers of the Philippines in Baguio City by a battery of speakers which included Department of Health Secretary Clemente S. Gatmaitan and Philippine Medical Care Commission Administrator Jose C. Denogo. The municipal health officers will head and supervise community hospitals and health centers now being established throughout the archipelago in connection with Phase II of the Medical Assistance Program, the health secretary said. THE PRESIDENT expressed his determination to steer the nation toward a “new normalcy” distinguished by a real justice for all and by the supremacy of public interests. Recalling that a new society for the people was ushered in by the institution of Martial Law, he declared, “there is no doubt in my mind now that the gains that we have attained under the present regime thus far, covering a very brief span of eight months, were gains that could not have been possible under the old society over a long period of time.” The President warned against any “backsliding to a discredited past,” stressing “we must shape for our people a destiny they can be proud of.” The Chief Executive was addressing the Philippine Department of the American Legion in a speech read for him by Gen. Romeo G. Espino, Armed Forces chief of staff, on the occasion of the Department’s 53rd annual convention at the Veteran’s Center in Taguig, Rizal.

[4] Official Gazette for My 20, 1973: THE PRESIDENT has issued Proclamation No. 1140 authorizing the Boy Scouts of the Philippines to conduct its annual fund campaign from July 1 to December 31. The Proclamation dated May 10, called on all citizens to give the BSP “their unstinted support in order that it may be able to continue with Youth Citizenship Training Program.” The Chief Executive said “the involvement of more youth and adults in the scouting movement for a better tomorrow requires the sustained and continuous support of every citizen.” The BSP, which is celebrating its golden jubilee Dec. 28 to Jan. 4, has more than one million members and 77 councils throughout the country. THE PRESIDENT spelled a more comprehensive sphere of influence where the country’s teachers must undertake the patriotic mission to inculcate the initial reforms and goals of the New Society into the people’s way of life. The Chief Executive, in a speech read for him by Department of Education and Culture Secretary Juan Manuel at the Sixth annual conference of the Philippine Association for Teacher Education at the FEU auditorium, said the teacher today must instill the hopes and aspirations of the New Society not only to students, but also “to the public, in general, the out-of-school youths, and less fortunate and the under-privileged.” The Chief Executive entrusted the teacher with the function of training, educating and orienting the youths under their charge and guidance, and the thousands of their fellow teachers in the field on the principles and goals of the New Society. THE PRESIDENT announced he is authorizing the increase of the Development Bank of the Philippines’ capitalization from P500 million to P1.6 billion to make it a more effective partner in progress and development. He made the announcement during the second presentation of the multi-network program, The DPI Report, wherein he also reported that the Government’s massive development projects are gaining enthusiastic support from foreign financing institutions and the local private sector. The President said that the resources of the government financing institutions like the DBP complement foreign loans and local private initiative in bringing to reality the Government’s dream of progress for the country. SECRETARY of Information Francisco S. Tatad said the Government’s development efforts and the reforms it has achieved under the New Society are the country’s defenses from the perils of expansionist powers. “In development and transformation lies our strength to resist the tide of anarchy, subversion and aggression,” he stressed in a keynote speech at the 53rd convention of the American Legion’s Philippine Department held at the Veterans Center in Taguig, Rizal. The secretary explained that there can be no security without development and that security must rest on development. He said the inverse is equally true adding that this is the reason why Philippine society had to make a stand against rebellion last September. BUREAU of Internal Revenue reminded all persons with two or more Tax Account Numbers to report their numbers to the BIR on or before June 30 to avoid criminal liability. This was announced by Acting Commissioner Conrado P. Diaz as he circularized all BIR fieldmen to implement the provision of the law penalizing all persons in possession of two or more TAN’s after June 30. Mr. Diaz said that the penalty for possessing more than one TAN is a fine of not more than P300 or an imprisonment of not more than six months, or both. THE GOVERNMENT’S financing scheme setting aside P1.6 million for the cultivation of some 3,471 hectares of irrigated lands will benefit the pioneering settlers in the still virgin Estrella Valley in Narra, Palawan. This was announced by the Agricultural Credit Administration after it released P120,000 from the allotments for loan to the various agricultural needs of the Palawan settlers. The financing scheme, as envisioned by the ACA in coordination with the Department of Agrarian Reform, principally covers rice and corn farmers in tenanted areas, landed estate, old settlements and proposed settlements in the country. Aside from the ACA, rural banks have also been urged to extend credit loans to farmers pursuant to Republic Act No. 6390. PHILIPPINE Medical Care Commission assured its members of the agency’s solvent financial status as it announced the forthcoming implementation of additional benefits and coverage. The assurance was made by PMCC Chairman Pacifico E. Marcos in an address delivered at the in-service seminar of the Division of School Health Services of the Philippine Normal College. The PMCC chairman said that this healthy condition of the program which has now a reserve of more than P100 million has made the PMCC contemplate for additional benefits and coverage without any corresponding increase in contributions on the part of the members.