Marcos Diaries

January 20, 1972

Nationalist Chinese Foreign Minister Chao Shu Kai paid me a visit to assure me that there will be no negotiations with Red China on the problem of the two Chinas and to say that the US has repeatedly assured them that the US would abide by its commitments to Taiwan....

January 19, 1972

Played golf at 7:00 AM with Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, [Roberto] Bobby Benedicto, Greg[orio] Licaros and Amb. [Toshio] Urabe. But I walked only for first two holes and rode on the golf cart the rest of the game. Could not hit too well—five over par. But I was able...

January 18, 1972

Worked on the State of the Nation address and the information campaign. It seems that all the newspapers are going to pool their resources to fight the parliamentary system being debated in the Concon [Constitutional Convention]—all because they believe I am for it....

January 17, 1972

Imee and Irene left at 7:10 PM by PAL [Philippine Air Lines] for London. Now the palace is going to be blue and lonely again. I have become very irritable because of confinement to bed. Slept up to 5:00 PM this afternoon. Then brought the girls to the airport although...

January 16, 1972

Conference on the retraining and remotivation of the offices specially having to do with the barrios and the towns. Scolded the men a little as apparently the men in the field have lost their motivation and are not as dedicated as they used to [be]. Then there must be...

January 14, 1972

Finalized the budget, the reorganization of the Armed Forces and the Bureau of Customs. My vertigo has not improved notwithstanding the histamine shots by Dr. Cua Lim. And I felt pain in the chest muscles. So I have been resting. I intend to rest the whole day...

January 13, 1972

Met the governors and the congressmen the whole morning. Lunch at the house of Speaker [Cornelio] Villareal where we discussed: The reorganization of the entire government The RCO (the Rural Cooperative Office) with an appropriation of P150 million. The congressmen as...

January 12, 1972

We are establishing diplomatic relations with Romania and Yugoslavia in accordance with the trend to “open new windows” to the world. This was recommended by the Foreign Policy Council after listening to the Security Council with a briefing by Gen. [Fidel] Ramos on...

January 11, 1972

I issued Proclamation No. 890 lifting the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus throughout the Philippines except with respect to those who are presently detained under Proclamation No. 889—and amendments thereto. This was prompted by the issuance of a warrant of...

January 10, 1972

[Continuation of this entry on Marcos conversation with his children missing] …himself when he writes down a resolution. And it will be harder to break it when you have written it down.” “I had to change many habits when I became President. Even at my age.” And I told...