The Daily Mirror (most of the wise coffee-shop habitués call it the Daily Error) headlines that Sen. [Wenceslao] Lagumbay is being punished by me for refusing to sponsor tax measures—which is completely false as the truth is this is a Senate matter triggered by the newspapers and taken over by the Perez committee. I could not in conscience do anything but authorize the BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue] to reveal his name.
Now Aytona is caught in a bind for conflict of interest.
The PNB [Philippine National Bank] Union and PAGE (Phil. Association of Government Employees) are also threatening a strike or demonstration. They could not come at 6:30 PM and so I meet them at 12:00 noon tomorrow.
Played golf early in the tournament at Bonifacio to raise funds for the watering system.
Came back to the Palace in a hurry to catch the Ilocos Norte mayors and delegation being briefed by Imelda on their program for me on Monday, the eve of my birthday celebration. Retreated when Imelda shooed me away.
Inaugurated at 5:00 PM the CAA [Civil Aeronautics Administration]-PAF [Philippine Air Force] management operation and information center. Gave a plaque of appreciation to Gen. [Marvin] McNickle of the 13th Air Force USAF [United States Air
Official Gazette for August 29, 1970: President Marcos expressed optimism over the growth of Philippine aviation, the development of which, he said, has priority rating in the country’s overall development program. The Chief Executive made the declaration at the inauguration of the CAA/PAF Management and Information Center, where he was the guest speaker. “We are committed to the fullest development of aviation because we acknowledge its role in nation building,” the President said.
The new facility, he added, is another forward step in the effort to build a progressive aeronautics system. He recalled that less than a year ago, another modern facility, the CAA’s communication switching center, was also established. Emphasizing on the more important role of Philippine aviation in the rapid movement of goods and people, the President pointed out that aviation is “vital in the transmission of ideas and in the unification of our geographically fragmented country.”Moreover, he said, aviation “enables us to keep in step with the world and to join the space-oriented international aviation community.”
The President spent most of his time at his study, working on state papers, during which he took the opportunity to write to Pope Paul VI a thank you note for accepting the Philippines’ invitation to visit here.The President’s note will be personally brought to the Pope in Rome by the First Lady, Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos, who is enroute to London where she will enroll Ferdinand, Jr. in a boys’ school there.
The only break from his desk work came in the afternoon when the President drove to the CAA offices for the CAA/PAF Management and Information Center, inaugural ceremonies.
Returning to Malacañang, the President worked for a time at his desk, then left with the First Lady to fulfill a private engagement.
Force] for the help like the radar we are using at MIA [Manila International Airport] now, electric generators after the earthquake, etc.
1:10 PM
Have just arrived from Sec. [Carlos] Romulo’s house at Forbes Park where the cabinet tendered me a dinner for my birthday celebration on the 1st [11th] of September.
He had been able to collect an impressive collection of cablegrams from heads of state and heads of government. Although this message-sending is a yearly occurrence.
Dinner was up to 10:00 PM—then a reception and dance up to 12:15 AM.
This is a tradition I hope will be followed throughout the years as a President must depend for success upon his cabinet.
We also had the first picture taken of the cabinet with me (only the Vice-President was absent).
I am getting all the cabinet men to work. As I said in my response to Sec. Romulo, there is one basic difference between the cabinet of Pres. [Manuel] Quezon and my cabinet and this is that Quezon’s cabinet was composed mostly of political kingpins while my cabinet is composed of technocrats mostly without political backing.
I also announced the policy of more autonomy for bureau directors and department heads as well as the objective of establishing a civil service that can operate efficiently without the intervention except on basic policy of an elective legislature or even the President or department head.