I write this also at 11:30 PM at Dole Phil. in [Geronimo] Ronnie Velasco’s cottage.
Lazy day. Woke up at 9:00 AM. Golf at 10:00 to 12:00 AM. Lunch at 12:45 and then we heard the news of the earthquake. Intensity 7 at Manila, 5 in Laoag and Legaspi, 4 at Calapan and 3 at Cataruan. Epicenter of this tectonic earthquake 197 kms. North North East of Quezon City. Pedro Guevarra School Annex collapsed. It is now the center
Official Gazette for April 7, 1970: President Marcos mobilized all national relief agencies including the Armed Forces, in the aftermath of the strong earthquake which rocked Southern Luzon and other parts of the country. The President also ordered a survey of damages.
The Chief Executive was informed of the quakes in a radiophone conversation with Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr. Secretary Melchor informed the President that the earthquake which occurred at about 1:35 p.m. was recorded as Intensity VII in Manila and Quezon City. The President thanked the broadcast media for helping the city residents and preventing panic among the people.
Upon the President’s instruction, Secretary Melchor made an ocular inspection of some areas in Manila, especially the collapsed P. Guevarra Elementary School on San Fernando Street, Binondo, Manila.
The President also told Secretary Melchor to start an investigation into the construction of the building to determine the culpability of the contractors for substandard work. Following his inspection, Secretary Melchor:
1. Organized a task force headed by Col. Amado Santiago of the 52nd Engineer Brigade to excavate the ruined schoolbuilding to rescue any possible victims; 2. Instructed Brig. Gen. Mariano Ordonez, Metrocom commander, to secure the disaster area, to facilitate the relief work; 3. Instructed the 51st Engineer Brigade to assist the 52nd brigade in the rescue operations. In this regard, Secretary Melchor directed Col. Santiago to organize a shifting of the rescue work for continuity of operations.; 4. In a telephone conversation with Mayor Antonio Villegas of Manila, asked the city executive to investigate the cause of the building’s collapse; 5. Instructed Cabinet Secretary Aguinaldo Maaba to coordinate the activities of all government agencies concerned to facilitate relief operations in other areas of the country where disasters may have occurred.
Secretary Melchor also told the President that the provincial PC commands were required to send their respective reports immediately. Other matters reported by Secretary Melchor to the President included:
1. As a result of the earthquake, he had authorized all government employees to be dismissed from work so that they could be with their families. Only those engaged in relief work were required to be on standby duty; 2. Some public utility operators continued their services and did not join the nationwide stoppage of work, and therefore public transportation services in the Greater Manila Area did not get to be as difficult as expected; 3. The Price Control Council was meeting at 3 p.m. to continue studies on realistic scale of prices for commodities, as well as the floor wages demanded by the country’s labor sector; 4. Upon the recommendation of Mayor Villegas, the Department of Education was directed to suspend classes in Manila as well as in the suburban areas, and to survey the fitness of school-buildings for further use.
On another front, Malacañang said that residents of the western lake-shore areas in the vicinity of Taal Volcano could be allowed to return to their homes. However, Volcano island itself would remain off limits. The Commission on Volcanology reported to the President that the activity of Taal Volcano had subsided and evacuees may be allowed to return to their homes in the lakeshore barrios along the western side of lake Taal.
of relief operations. 51st Eng. [Engineer] Brigade, PC [Philippine Constabulary], PGB [Presidential Guard Battalion] and Red Cross there. 4 teachers recovered, one dead. 4 others in the city may be dead.
International and MIA [Manila International Airport] facilities for air navigation damaged. Temporary systems established.
[Alejandro] Alex Melchor [Jr.] and [Juan] Johnny Ponce Enrile apparently taking care of things very well.
Imelda cooked crab in banana leaves with garlic and ginger for dinner.
Talked to the children by the Dole wireless system through a phone patch at 2:00 PM and again at about 8:30 PM. Irene was more concerned about Pugger their Pekinese than about anything else. They were evacuated to [Bahay] Pangarap. Only one 10 inch vase Sang de berg [Oxblood?] of Imelda at the reception hall crashed. Parts of the chandeliers fell and Malacañang has some more cracks.
Dinner and reminiscences of criminal practice and Yamashita’s treasure and the war up to 11:00 PM with Ronnie and Linda and Paul and Phyllis Sink.