Official Gazette for March 21, 1973: MALACANANG issued Memorandum Circular No. 627 clarifying the new schedule of office hours for government offices in the Greater Manila area, on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. The circular provides: 1) There must be a skeletal...

Official Gazette for March 20, 1973: THE PRESIDENT has approved the resolution of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) limiting the scope of price control to basic commodities that are consumed by the low-income groups to enable a more effective...

I have ordered the BSDU’s [Barrio Self-Defense Units] to be organized in all the provinces that may be hit by the insurgents (the three Davaos and North and South Cotabato, the two Lanaos, Basilan, the two Zamboangas and Sulu as well as Balabac and Palawan) he...

There is a fire in the center of Jolo and shooting all around, according to Gen. J. [Jose] Rancudo who received the news from his airforce ground troops in the airfield thereat. It may or may not mean an attack on the city. But it is the only disturbing event for the...

I am reviewing the Mindanao and Sulu insurgency. There has been a complete change of policy in Sulu. Now we will depend on the local executives, the mayors, to maintain peace and order with the Constabulary—not the Army and the Marines. The mayors and civil government...

I was able to bring about a situation where the mayors of Sulu proposed that they increase their police forces by an average of 200 men per municipality with salaries of P100 a month, assume responsibility for peace and order in their jurisdictions and go out and hurt...

Official Gazette for March 15, 1973: THE PRESIDENT assured the people engaged in local oil exploration ventures of extraordinary and more than usual protection and support from the government. He made the assurance after inducting the officers of the Petroleum...

Official Gazette for March 14, 1973: THE PRESIDENT and the respective managements of the country’s three airline companies agreed that in the interest of the public and for the security of the country, only one airline should operate the international and domestic...

There are fresh attacks in other parts of Mindanao like Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur and Sulu. But the garrisons have been able to repel them. We must concentrate on Cotabato where it was quiet as the armor (2 tanks, four APC’s [armored personnel carriers]) and...

Yesterday, the 11th, the critical period in Cotabato was passed. With only two companies of less than 200 officers and men, our troops, supported on the air and with only two 106’s Recoil-less and four 81 mm mortars opened the bridge at [Siniuay?] against an enemy of...