Official Gazette for December 26, 1972: PRESIDENT MARCOS sent a message for “Day of Peace” to His Holiness, Pope Paul VI, through the Philippine ambassador to the Vatican in Rome. The message reads:
“My countrymen and I join in the laudable personal crusade of Your Holiness on behalf of world peace. Peace is possible—but not until the terrible race for military supremacy is permanently halted, and not until justice is conferred on the third of humanity which continues to be deprived of their just share in the bounty of the world.
“Our task today is two-fold: first, to help create the institutions through which all men of goodwill could collaborate in solving the ills which afflict mankind; and second, to undergo the necessary purification of spirit in order to combat the pessimism which beclouds our efforts to complete man’s programs for peace.
“To this two-fold task, of which Your Holiness is the acknowledged prime mover, the Filipino people extends its warm-hearted support. May the Lord in this Holy Season bless the efforts of your Holiness to establish a universal peace based on justice and may these efforts find a willing response in the hearts of men everywhere.”
AS OF DECEMBER 19, 1972 a total of 67,432 members of the GSIS and the SSS have availed themselves of the medicare benefits, Chairman Pacifico E. Marcos of the Medical Care Commission announced. Dr. Marcos said that the GSIS and the SSS medicare departments paid a total of P15, 170,511 for services rendered to medicare patients—P5, 320,783 by the GSIS and P9, 849,728 by the SSS. The average claim per patient was P227.48. Payments were made to hospitals, doctors and drugstores. Collection of contributions for the health insurance funds or medicare funds for Program I beneficiaries (GSIS and SSS members and their dependents) was started in January, this year. Total collection as of December 19 amounted to P88,159,811. Dr. Marcos said “this is a good indication that perhaps within 1973. Phase One or Program I can be expanded to include all legal dependents of SSS and GSIS members.”
STUDIES ON THE feasibility of transferring the domestic shipping port from North Harbor in Manila to an alternative site in Southern Luzon was directed by President Marcos. An alternative port for domestic shipping is being considered in view of the increasingly felt need to decongest the port facilities in the Greater Manila area.
FINANCE SECRETARY Cesar E. A. Virata announced that there are now a total of 9,294 defective scales and other instruments of weights and measures either confiscated or sealed in public markets by provincial, city and municipal treasurers and BIR men. The latest report on the number of defective instruments of weights and measures confiscated or sealed was reported to Secretary Virata by 18 provincial treasurers and 23 city treasurers who confirmed the rampant use of such defective weighing instruments and measures in public markets and other places of trade and commerce in their respective localities. Section 289 of the National Internal Revenue Code penalizes any person who uses such defective instruments of weights and measures by a line of not less than P200 nor more than P4,000 or by imprisonment for not less than three months nor more than two years, or both, at the discretion of the court.
BRIG GEN. Jose L. Rancudo, Philippine Air Force commander, ordered the immediate airlifting of all information materials on the proposed Constitution for distribution to places which cannot be reached by land transportation. The PAF chief said that information pamphlets, and brochures on the forthcoming plebiscite were given priority so that the people would be informed before they make their final decision on Plebiscite Day.
LIBERAL PARTY congressmen, mayors and other local leaders were commended for joining the national campaign for ratification of the proposed Constitution, “thereby subordinating their political interests to the larger demands of duty to their people.” The commendation came from Dr Guillermo C. De Vega, chairman of the National Ratification Coordinating Council Secretariat, who added: “Only by the explicit identification of our political action with the national interest can we lay aside bitter partisan strifes and bring our country out of the divisive tendencies of the past.” The other day, nine LP congressmen and almost all LP governors, mayors and councilmen endorsed the approval of the proposed charter, declaring it to be “good for the general welfare.”
On board the 777
enroute to the Hundred Islands
then to Agoo, Poro and Currimao
Imelda’s wounds are healing well except for the cut in the right forearm which seems to be slightly infected. She has been directed to start exercising the fingers of the right from the junction of the fingers and the hand.
Ex. Gov. Udtog Matalam, founder of the Mindanao Independence Movement, his son Junior and daughter Chito to came to Malacañan finally.
We obtained many kinds of confidential information from him. That there is a serious secessionist movement financed by Tun Datu Hadji Mustapha bin Datu Harun, Chief Minister of Sabah; that the MIM was organized by them as a vehicle for the advancement of the Moslems but without violence; that at least 500 Moslems from Mindanao and Sulu were trained in Kuala Lumpur in an island off the northern part of Malaysia; that in the mobile training grounds in the Philippines about 10,000 have been trained; that Ex. Gov. Matalam drove away the Kuala Lumpur trained soldiers sent to him to Cotabato; that Junior Matalam was close to Nur Misuari, the NPA [New People’s Army] leader, who used to sleep at his house in Cotabato; that he, Junior Matalam, was originally listed as the commander of the Bangsa Moro, the Armed Force of the dissident secessionist movement but as soon as the money arrived from Sabah he was struck off the list; that Junior Matalam did away with the three out five men of Misuari sent to Cotabato to start trouble, the other two escaping; that the secessionist movement in Basilan—Al Suara, headed by Mahamad Edris, is spreading; and the firearms and men are Infiltrating into Sulu and the fastest way to stop the violence is to cut off Sulu from Sabah.
I have directed the Armed Forces (the SND [Secretary of National Defense], Chief of staff, major service commanders, J-2 [Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence], Gen. [Ignacio] Paz and J-3 [Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations] Col. [Mamerto] Bocanegra I called to a conference) to mount an intelligence penetration project into Sabah through Eddie [Eduardo] Martelino who escape from house arrest and is now hiding in Sulu after posting notices of the escape of Eddie from house arrest and to prepare for a possible confrontation with Sabah or Malaysia. I attach the Far East[ern] Economic Review article on Mustapha.
The basic strategy should be pacification for the mainland of Mindanao so that we can concentrate our troops and resources in Basilan and Sulu. Two battalions are being sent to Sulu, the 26th coming from Basilan.
But I have directed that at every point of contact with the enemy our troops must be superior in number at the rate of two to one.
We lost a C-47 in the drop of flares in the Dec. 24th fighting of 100 men against our 14 men PC [Philippine Constabulary] detachment at Tungkil Island. So I have directed the stoppage of the use of planes (The enemy lost five KIA [killed in action]. 2 of our men were wounded).
But we have artillery, both land based and sea-based, to prepare the targets for attack and 4 APC’s [armored personnel carrier].
I have decided that after we mount an information drive up to the end of the year I will postpone the plebiscite indefinitely because of the possible failure of elections in some places.
But I will call a Citizens Assembly through the Dept. of Local Governments, the local executives and barrio captains wherein we will ask the questions: 1. Do you want martial law to continue? 2. For how long 3. Do you want Pres. Marcos to continue as President? 4. Do you want Congress to meet in session to pass legislation and investigate the acts performed under martial law?
Then I order the Congress not to meet until I call it.