I write this at 8:10 PM
Dec. 6th, Sunday, as we
approach Manila
They are setting the sea detail for docking on Pier 5.
We have spent the day in Talaga Bay, Mariveles, Bataan although I helicoptered at 9:30 AM to Malacañang to speak at the Free Farmers Federation convention. For the first time I had only one Huey unescorted and piloted by two young lieutenants because the other helicopters were sent to Maricaban Island and Limbones. But we skirted the Bataan peninsula eastern coast to Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal and Manila. It took us 45 minutes when I returned to Talaga Bay at 1:30 PM with Lt. Col.[Petronilo] Lapeña and [Delio]
Official Gazette for December 5, 1970: President Marcos worked mostly at his desk, acting on official papers, including signing the appointments of two judges, and the members of the Board of Examiners for Electronics and Communications Engineers.
Appointed were Judge Emigdio H, Lopez, as district judge of the 15th Judicial District, to preside over the court of first instance of Agusan del Sur, with official station at the town of Prosperidad: and Silverio C. del Leon, as municipal judge of Makilala, Cotabato. Named to the electronic and communications board of examiners were Engineers Rosauro P. Calupitan, Felicito Rey Signo and Rigoberto Z. Espinoza.
In a quiet day with no conferences or official callers on his schedule, the President found time to fulfill private engagements in the morning. In the afternoon and through the evening, he remained at his desk doing his paper work.
Official Gazette for December 6, 1970: President Marcos ordered a restudy of the Public Land Act, with the view to correcting the inequities which work against the poor. He issued the order to the departments of justice and of agriculture and natural resources, in the course of a speech at the 17th annual convention of the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) held at the San Beda College auditorium in the morning.
The President said the study will be to formulate an amendatory legislation to the Public Land Act, to be proposed to the coming regular session of Congress. At the same time, the President ordered the Director of Lands to be guided by the rule that all grants and concessions granted, whether for logging, pasture, or mining, “are subject to private rights already established by long, continuous and unquestioned possession and ownership.” He said cultural minorities under this rule nave established rights and titles to the lands which they and their ancestors had been occupying and tilling for generations and generations back.
In the afternoon, the President appointed another district judge, reappointed two members of the board of trustees of the National Coordinating Center for the Study and Development of Filipino Children and Youth (NCCSDFCY), while appointing three new members of the same board.
Those appointed by the Chief Executive were: 1. Eduardo C. Tutaan; as district judge of the 15th Judicial District. Judge Tutaan will preside over the court of first instance of Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and the cities of Marawi and Iligan, Branch IV, with official station at Baroy, Lanao del Norte. 2. Alfredo Lagmay, Amelia D. Felizmeña and Antonio P. Coronel, as acting members of the NCCSDFCY board of trustees. Reappointed to the same board following the expiration of their terms were Dr. Serafin D. Quiason and Dr. Francisco Casanova. The board has the secretary of education as chairman, and the director of the Child Study Center as the other member.
Among other actions, the President approved the proposed ₱5 million trust fund for jeepney drivers, to be established by the Petroleum Institute of the Philippines, Inc. The setting of the trust fund was broached to the PIP by the President when he met with oil and gasoline executives last July 16, by way of threshing out the problems confronting the jeepney drivers.
Oxceña [Oseña] piloting, and flying only at 80 and 90 knots an hour instead of 100 and even 110 as we did when going to Manila; it took us only 25 minutes passing by the Cavite coastline, cross water to Corregidor and Sisiman Cove then south to Talaga Cove and Bay.
Promised Rotary International President William Walk that I would go to Sydney, Australia to speak to the Rotary International (15,000 Rotary heads) on May 16, 1971. He was accompanied by Senate Pres. Gil Puyat and Rotarian Francisco Delgado.
The reception I received from the Free Farmers was warm, spontaneous and genuinely enthusiastic. And I identified myself with them and the entire reform movement. “You are the hope that we can achieve the peaceful reformation of our society. For if we cannot reform peacefully, violent reformation is inevitable. As long as I am President, the head of state will encourage you.” I appealed for farmers’ cooperatives.
And I am preparing the reforms that I refer to. It will probably shock many of my affluent friends. “I do not care if such reforms or changes are called or labeled communist or socialist. If they are for the good of the country and our people we will adopt them.”
Ate at Malacañang with Father [Isidoro] Otazu [O.S.B.], Father Rector of San Beda, whom I invited to go with me to Talaga Bay. Then we ate again with Imelda and party at the unfinished house in Talaga. Took a nap from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM. Swam until 5:30 PM. Cold but not chilly.
Yesterday, the 5th, we attended two weddings in the morning, one at 7:00 AM (Mary [the Queen] Church, Greenhills), the marriage of the son of Ambassador [Modesto] Farolan and Linda Rigor, and another at 8:00 AM at ______ the marriage of the daughter of Cong. Carmelo Barbero to Manuel Villaruz (they met when they were scholars on cooperatives in Israel).
Then we passed by the San Juan house which still showed the effects of the typhoon (Yoling) and took the boat at about 10:15 AM for Talaga where we arrived at about 12:30 PM.
We went ashore at about 2:00 PM, looking over the bay and the house, swum at 5:00 PM and were back on the boat at 6:15 PM.
Spent the evening up to 11:30 PM in lively conversation.