1:45 AM
December 23, 1971
Washington Sycip of Sycip, Gorres and Velayo saw me on the BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue] and Luis Vera’s efforts to break up the big accounting firms.
Jim Wollahan [sic] [John Wolahan] of Caltex saw me on oil exploration, prices and the one year delinquency of Rubicon, owner of PAL [Philippine Airlines] majority shares, of $2 million on a $7 million loan from FNCB guaranteed by Caltex. He wants the government or a
Official Gazette for December 22, 1971: PRESIDENT MARCOS worked at his desk as usual and received visitors according to schedule.
Notable among the callers who trooped to the President’s study were:
1. Washington Sycip and Dr. Daniel Vasquez, who had a private audience with the President.
2. Caltex executive John I. Wolahan and Francis Ablan, who discussed business matters.
3. Gov. Antonio Villanueva of Ilocos Sur who led other leaders of the province in threshing out with the President the disruptions in the region.
During the two-hour confrontation meeting between the Villanueva-Crisologo faction, on one hand, and the group of Governor-elect Luis “Chavit” Singson and his brother Evaristo, mayor-elect of Vigan, on the other, the President forged an agreement and prevailed upon the contending political factions of the province to join hands in the fight against communisms and in the preservation of peace and order in Ilocos Sur.
The two factions agreed to the President’s proposals that:
A. They would help in fighting communism by putting their own men side by side with the Philippine Constabulary units against the NPA;
B. They would cooperate in the investigation of violent incidents by trained intelligence investigators; and
C. The municipal police forces would be screened, trained and then armed by the PC in order to be able to help preserve peace and order.
At the same time the President directed Brig. Gen. Eduardo M. Garcia, PC chief, to submit a report on which police forces would be given priority in training and arming, and to replace the original PC unit in the province with fresh officers and men. He also told Gen. Garcia to assign Lt. Col. Honorio Balanon as provincial commander, and to provide him with a good deputy.
D. Senators Mamintal Tamano and Ambrosio Padilla; Reps. Marcelino Veloso, the House majority floorleader; Godofredo Tan of Quezon, Emerito Calderon of Cebu, Antonio Villar of Pangasinan; and Governors Ignacio Santiago of Bulacan and Tito Primicias of Pangasinan. They discussed problems of their constituencies with the President.
In the course of his desk work, the President signed an executive order redefining the functions and powers of the Medical Assistance Program Task Force, which was created under Executive Order No. 337 issued on September 1, 1971. He redefined the task force’s function to obviate the duplication of functions of the Philippine Medical Care Commission created by virtue of Republic Act No. 6111, approved on August 4, 1969.
As redefined, the functions and powers of the task force are:
1. To advice the Commission on policies that would lay the groundwork for Program II of Republic Act No. 6111;
2. To suggest ways and means of providing medical care benefits to non-beneficiaries of Program I of the same republic act;
3. To advice the Commission on factual conditions in the rural areas relevant to the evolvement of Program II;
4. To recommend to the Commission the implementation of policies, plans, and action programs as formulated from the time or organization; and
5. To advice the Commission on pertinent changes and revisions of action programs as may be deemed necessary.
In the evening, the President and the First Lady, Imelda R. Marcos, honored cabinet members and other ranking officials at dinner
group of private financiers to take over.
Then met the Ilocos Sur leaders on the alleged NPA [New People’s Army] penetration of Ilocos Sur and the Dec. 19th incident of 8 towns being attacked by armed men. More and more it looks like Tony [Antonio] Villanueva stage-managed the attacks not the NPA. He and 33 mayors have resigned. I told them to stay in office. The two factions agreed to fight the NPA together.
Gave dinner for the generals both retired and in active service.
Met Joe Marie Locsin on the Free Press and my request for it to print both sides.