It is unknown where this text comes from because this entry is missing.
Official Gazette for April 28, 1975: THE PRESIDENT sought to redefine and draw a new Filipino elite from the country’s “rich mosaic of groups” who are united in their ability to perceive national interest. During 20th anniversary ceremonies of the Summer Institute of Linguistics at the Maharlika Hall of Malacañang, the President lauded the SIL for its mission and commitment to work among cultural minorities to bring them, through literacy, closer to the world of modernization, and to increase their potentials for individual and community welfare. He said that one of the Government’s most urgent tasks is to disseminate a redefinition of the Filipino elite, a status in the New Society that inheres in those who have the ability to perceive the national interest, and who have the capacity to perceive and pursue approaches or solution to national problems.”
SECRETARY OF INFORMATION Francisco S. Tatad said society must safeguard its moral and intellectual resources from “the shallow expressions of panderers, psychopants and false experts who will set the standard of what is current and, therefore, what is intelligent.” The DPI secretary told the biennial conference of the Philippine Library Association that service to the New Society will not be Found in educators who silence their students from discussing the various realms of thoughts and in public advocates who refuse to state objectively in the media of the merits of the Government’s efforts but state them instead in a fawning and mendacious manner. Mr. Tatad pointed out that in nation rebuilding, the reexamination of certain values, including those in learning and scholarship, is of primary importance.
FORTY MAJOR rice-producing provinces, notably in Mindanao, are now ensured of increased rice production and smooth distribution to market places following the release by the President of P35 million for construction of “rice roads” and river control projects. Immediately after releasing the amount, the President authorized Commissioner Baltazar Aquino of Public Highways and Director Desiderio Anolin of Public Works to rush construction of the projects either by administration or by contract without public bidding to expedite the work. Of the P35 million released by the Government, P13 million will be used for the construction of farm-to-market roads in the rice-priority areas in 15 provinces to ensure the smooth how of the staple from the farms to the market places.
THE PRESIDENT said that sports reinforces a citizen’s commitments to the goals of his community and his country, apart from being a bridge towards greater brotherhood among countries. The President made this observation in a speech read for him by former Sen. Ambrosio Padilla, Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation president, at the opening of the 10-day Asian Baseball Championship Series at the Rizal Memorial baseball stadium. He also said that when groups of people contend with each other as in the current baseball series, “sports assumes a more profound meaning and wider dimension.” The Chief Executive also received the heads of the delegations participating in the series from Japan, Australia, China and Korea in Malacañang.
BUREAU OF CUSTOMS released guidelines on seizure, forfeiture and custody of apprehended, untaxed or underpaid motor vehicles. The guidelines, which are aimed at protecting those who availed themselves of the car tax amnesty are: 1) Seizure of untaxed motor vehicles shall be made only by persons lawfully authorized to effect seizure. 2) All applications for the issuance of warrant of seizure and detention shall be made under oath subject to the penalties of perjury and falsification. 3) All seizures shall be reported to the collector of customs under whose authority the warrant was issued and the motor vehicle apprehended shall be deposited with the Auction and Cargo Disposal Division. 4) For the purpose of giving such notice and all other proceedings in the matter of such seizure, the person named in the registration papers issued by the Land Transportation Commission shall be deemed to be the “owner” of the car. 5) The seizure case shall immediately be heard and the collector of customs shall enter a declaration of forfeiture. 6) After the decision has become final and executory, the forfeited car shall become the property of the government. 7) All motor vehicles paid under Presidential Decree No. 52 shall be considered as legally released and cleared of any duty, taxes and liabilities except those which are withheld by the commissioner for further verification and or investigation.
MONETARY BOARD of the Central Bank has recommended an increase in the capital base of rural banks by at least P200 million to make them more responsive to the land reform program of the Government through expanded lending operations. The board drew up a plan to convert the outstanding rediscounting obligations of the rural banking system totalling P200 million into equity of the Government in the rural hanks. CB Governor Gregorio S. Licaros said that the scheme will enable the Agrarian Reform Fund to enlarge its resources and exercise a bigger
AN OVERALL REVI EW OF BOTH THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE PHILIPPINES AS WELL AS TH E MILITARY AND SECURITY POLICIES:
This, of course, impinges on the economic planning which involves the entry of investments from foreign lands because as of today, more than 51% of all investments are still Americans, although the Japanese are moving in strongly and may take over the predominance in investments in the Philippines than at any time.
However much we may avoid it through safety precautions adopted either by legislation or by executive and legislative measures, investments do establish certain vested rights to protect and therefor do affect not only foreign policies but also military policies.
It is to be expected that South East Asia which is one of the richest sources of strategic raw materials will become the area of rivalry for industrialized countries who are concurrently military powers.
It is expected that there will be a shortage of copper, nickel, chromite, bauxite and other strategic materials which abound in the area. This complicates the problem of seeking to ultimately establish a zone of peace and neutrality to embrace all of South East Asia.
At the same time, it has always been at the back of the mind of small nations of South East Asia that ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] would ultimately develop into a military aggrupation that will counter-balance as the fifth force now predominant in the area, namely—the United States, Soviet Russia, the People’s Republic of China and Japan.
In my speech before the graduates of the National Defense College of April 15, 1975 which was extensively reported by the Washington Post through its Chief Correspondent in Asia, Don [Donald] Oberdorfer [Jr.], I stated that necessity and not hostility motivated my demand tor a reassessment of the military agreement between the United States and the Philippines, for I pointed out that the matter of determining the effectively of the military agreements which are intended to protect the Philippines from external aggression and other forms of attack raised the very problem of survival under our present security arrangement with the United States. I did explain that the United States is our closest ally, a very valuable ally up to now, that I am not seeking to [battle?] the United States into giving more military or other help by demanding a reassessment. I quote: “It is an inquiry on the part of a younger brother addressed to an older
degree of influence over the rural banks in the latter’s financing program. It will also strengthen the financial condition of the rural banks and relieve them of a financial burden in that the funds that otherwise would go to the servicing of their CB obligations would instead be utilized for wider lending operations.
MEDICARE has not left out the unemployed segment of the population. Dr. Pacifico E. Marcos, chairman of the Philippine Medical Care Commission, stressed this in a speech before the Philippine Medical Association convention at the Hotel-Intercontinental in Makati, Rizal. It is true, Dr. Marcos said, that in Program I of Medicare, only employed (members of either the Government Service Insurance System or the Social Security System) are covered by Medicare. But Medicare Program II, which will be implemented as soon as possible, will provide medical care even to the unemployed. At present, the Medicare chief explained further, the unemployed are indirectly benefited by Medicare Program I because this phase of Medicare has removed the unemployed from the charity wards of government hospitals. Thus the charity wards are left to the truly indigent, he said.
brother to whom he has depended not because of special relations but because of written treaties and agreements signed by the duly authorized representatives of both governments and ratified and confirmed by the respective Congresses of the two governments.”
Continued the quotation: “Prudence requires any political leader in the area to look into these matters in view of the debacle in the Indo-China area.” I attach the report of Don Oberdorfer in this clipping or the Washington Post.
On April 16th, I delivered the speech on the requirements of security and survival which is the basis for the call for a reassessment of the military arrangement. I have directed that we now protect our rear and our front if there is any retaliation on the part of the American government or government enterprises. I announced in the speech on the 28th before the Tripartite Congress of Labor and Management that we will continue to protect the business and investments in the Philippines in accordance with already established policies and the present reassessment of the military and security arrangements with the United States will not affect such pledges of aid and support for the business and investment sector.
At the same time, I have sent Governor Benjamin Romualdez to the United States to immediately get in touch with our friends in the U.S. Congress and in the State Department, specially Majority Floor Leader of the U.S. Senate Senator Mike Mansfield and of Speaker [Carl] Albert of the House of Representatives to assure them that the move to reassess our security arrangements are intended to strengthen both countries, and not to embarrass the United States in a difficult time. Our Governor Romualdez has spoken to me twice and he assured me that there is presently no move on the part of the American leadership both in the Government and in the business sector to retaliate against the Philippines but that they have adopted a line of the Washington Post editorial which states that the candid and clear headed vision demonstrated by the President of the Philippines in demanding a reassessment at a time of crisis should be welcomed as an opportunity on the part of the United States to now clarify as well as our position in relation to its allies not only in Asia but all over the world.
If this be the position adopted by the American leadership, then it becomes necessary that we now work out in detail the basis for our demand that the military agreements be abrogated completely and in lieu thereof, a more emotive and dignified as well as viable understanding be arrived at.
Office of the President
of the Philippines
Malacañang
______ revelation to me by Bob Shaplen of the New Yorker, during his interview about two weeks ago that Sec. [Alejandro] Melchor [Jr.] had said that he (Melchor) had prepared the position of the Philippines in the bases negotiations as presented to Sen. Mansfield about a month ago in the luncheon I gave for the Senate majority floor leader.
PC [Philippine Constabulary] Chief, Maj. Gen. Fidel Ramos has reported to Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile that when he went to Washington to attend the reunion of West Point Class ’51, he was asked in the Pentagon whether Sec. Melchor could take over the government and/or run the national government.
Maj. Gen. Fabian Ver of NISA (National Intelligence Security Authority) reports the dangerous activities of the members of the staff of Sec. Melchor, special Cols. Almonte and Cardenas.
When my bullet proof car, a Chrysler Imperial was brought in by C-130 which is operated by the PADC [Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation] under Sec. Melchor, the C-130 was loaded with smuggled household items and the officers of PADC refused to be inspected at the MIA [Manila International Airport] claiming the goods were for Malacañan.
The wire services also carried the story that under the table payments were made by Lockheed for the purchase of our C-130’s which was handled completely by Sec. Melchor. Sec. Melchor has explained that this was the previous years’ request of the Lockheed Philippine agent Boddy Orara for representation expenses before he bought the C-130’s. However he has said that the rebates paid back for Lockheed were all spent for legitimate purposes.
This is the first time I hear that Lockheed paid back rebates on the C-130 sale.
So he has become a liability and may have to be laid off.
But the dangerous aspect is selfishness and divisiveness that has crept into the ranks that was [sic] once united.
I am still around and there is a blatant and open grab for power.
So I will have to ask both to request a leave of absence from their positions.
The first two pages of this entry are missing, so it is difficult to determine the date on which it was written. The third page, which can be found in EDA, is labeled April 1975.