Created the new category of award and decoration of National Artist for the first awardee, Fernando Amorsolo.
“Sunlight, the signature of his art.”
Necrological Services at the Cultural Center at 9:30 AM.
Graduated the trainors in cooperatives at the Maharlika Hall after meeting the Ford export Vice President.
“Cooperatives are crucial to our battle against the violent ideology, communism.”
Then lunch and a speech before the Convention of the Rice and Corn Confederation.
Official Gazette for April 28, 1972: PRESIDENT MARCOS attended the necrological services for the late Fernando Amorsolo, dean of Filipino painters, held in the morning at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
In his speech, the President disclosed that he has signed a proclamation establishing a new category of awards and decorations for state honorees.
In paying homage to Amorsolo, the President said that “in him we honor every Filipino Artist—living, dead, or unborn.”
The President then motored to Manila Hotel where he was guest speaker at the 18th National Rice and Corn Convention.
The President enjoined the rice producers and millers to maintain reasonable rice prices, assuring them that the government would desist as much as possible from importing rice but would continue instead to subsidize local producers.
At the same time, he appealed to the leaders of the rice industry to help the government conduct an extensive and intensive campaign of information and education to acquaint the people with the services provided by the government, such that propaganda and untruths spread by elements seeking to undermine democracy and freedom could be negated.
The President warned the delegates not to lose the fight by default,, which may happen if responsible citizens do nothing in the face of the propaganda of falsehoods.
After his address, the President was presented a plaque of appreciation “in grateful recognition of his sincere efforts, bold program, extensive farm-to-market road building, irrigation dams, pumps, and support for the growth of the rice and corn industry and his concern for the welfare of both the producer and consumer.”
The President was back at Malacañang before noon to address the 174 trainees, from the Agricultural Credit Administration, Presidential Arm on Community Development, Agricultural Productivity Commission, National Manpower and Youth Council, and Cooperatives Administration Office.
The President reiterated that the cooperative system is the appropriate instrument for radical but peaceful change in a society beset by inequality in its system and unequal distribution of wealth and income.
He urged the trainees “to see to it that the cooperatives you will help organize become viable societies, capable of contributing not only to the well-being of their members but also to the development of the country.”
In concluding his address, the President underscored the importance of the cooperative institution by saying that “nothing must block it” and assuring the trainees that “your efforts will be supported by the powers of the Presidency of the Philippines.”
The President worked on official papers the rest of the day.
I opened the Olympic exhibits at Rizal Memorial at 5:00 PM, exercised alone at the golf course from 6:00 PM to 7:15 PM, then decorated Lt. Gen. Michaelis, the Commander in Chief of the UN [United Nations] Forces in Korea and dinner with the Administrative Council of the CBCP—Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
I place in another envelope the speech of Pres. [Richard] Nixon on Vietnam, an assessment of Vietnamization and the Isabela situation.