After the Media Noche we left the Palace for this ship. But with the waiting for the others like Kokoy [Benjamin Romualdez] and Juliette [Romualdez], we finally left at about 2:00 AM.
The morning I devoted to golf, preparing gifts and seeing the sugar people on the appointment of Ramon Nolan as trade representative with the personal rank of ambassador to go to the U.S. to work on the Sugar Act extension as 14 South American countries are trying to take over our quota. I also directed the collection of P1.00 per picul on an expected 30 million piculs for the next calendar year, the P30 million to be administered by a trust of sugar and union people (½ for bonuses and ½ for social amelioration). Will organize a Sugar Commission to work on the problem of surpluses.
Saw Ambassador [Henry] Byroade on the withdrawal of the U.S. of right of re-entry into Sangley Pt. Transmitted to him the message of Pres. [Anwar] Sadat of the UAR [United Arab Republic] that the U.S. judge UAR justly and that the ceasefire cannot last for long and then there would be war for the UAR would fight at no matter what price to recover “the sacred lands” taken by the Israelis.
Wrote a poem for Imelda to go with her diamond rosary. [poem on the following sheet, transcription follows the draft markings]
Appointed two new Court of Appeals Justices—Juan O. Reyes and [Mateo] Canonoy.
Official Gazette for December 24, 1970: President Marcos issued a new proclamation further amending Proclamation No. 775 dated November 20, 1970, as amended by Proclamation No. 776 dated November 23, 1970, so as to include the provinces of Batanes and Laguna as calamity areas. Under Proclamation No. 775, the areas declared as in a state of public calamity were the Greater Manila area, Rizal and Bataan. To these areas were added, by virtue of the amending Proclamation No. 776 the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Zambales. The new Proclamation included Batanes and Laguna in the calamity areas because of the heavy damage to public and private properties and agricultural crops in these provinces, also wrought by the recent typhoon.
The President did not receive callers in order that he could dispose of important state papers, as well as go over the list of prisoners recommended for executive clemency by the Board of Pardons and Parole. He extended executive clemency to 115 prisoners in keeping with the tradition of granting pardons to deserving prisoners during the Christmas season. Of these prisoners, eight were given absolute pardons, one a special absolute pardon, four conditional pardons, 58 conditional pardons with parole conditions, and 44 commutations of sentence.
In other actions, the President ordered the deportation of three Chinese nationals whose continued presence in the country is considered a menace to the peace and safety of the community. Ordered expelled from the country, on the recommendation of the Deportation Board, are Jimmy Chua y Ojeda. Johnny Lu, and Gan Hal Sun alias Tan Kook.
Approved the rotation after four years policy of the Board of Foreign Service and transferred some ambassadors.
Some walked softly into my life
Sixteen years ago.
And so my heart soared
Scaled the high mountain top.
And the world lay before me
A new domain—wondrous magic land.
The land of legend and of miracles
Where time and beauty has no end.
I am pleased for you were always there
Beside me, come storm and thunder, you were anchor and armor.
Our love has refused to stray, mine
Heedful only to your magic call.
“Beloved every yesterday is a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.”