Worked on and approved the 15th year reparations schedule tonight.
Also directed the sale at public bidding of 120 million kilos of tobacco now in the bodegas by a cabinet level bidding committee composed of the Sec. of Finance, Sec. of Justice, Auditor General, Gen. Manager of PVTA [Philippine Virginia Tobacco Administration] and a representative of the opposition Liberal Party.
But a P5 million deposit must be made with a P1 million peso bond and 25% to be paid within thirty days after the award of the bids.
Locked into the loss of about P100 million in taxes of cigarette manufactured here. Controlled by Chinese and Stonehill interests.
Met PAL [Philippine Air Lines] management on the pilots’ threat to resign en mass and the collapse of the Air Agreement in Washington.
Went to Canlubang for golf, a conference with leaders and the baptismal of the son of Luis (Tito) Yulo and Tessie Hugo, named Jose Marie. Studied the extension of the South Super Highway.
Met Greg[orio] Licaros and talked to [Eusebio] Villatuya of PNB [Philippine National Bank] on the SPCMA [Sugar Producers’ Cooperative Marketing Association, Inc.] purchase of Esfac [Esso Standard Fertilizer and Agricultural Chemical Co., Inc. ]—as well as the monetary situation.
The Lopezes are beginning to gobble up all kinds of businesses specially those belonging to the Americans.
Official Gazette for December 8, 1970: After rising quite early, President Marcos worked at his desk, then at about half past 8 went to Canlubang with the First Lady, Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos, for a private engagement. On his return to Malacañang, the President resumed his desk work. Late in the afternoon, he sat down with Benigno Toda, Jr. PAL president and Rafael Ygoa, executive vice president to thresh out the problems of the airline, particularly the threatened mass resignation of PAL pilots.
After the meeting, the President continued to work on government papers, which he did through the evening. In a speech at the ceremonies marking the centenary of pharmaceutical education in the Philippines, held at the Hotel Intercontinental, which was read for him by Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr., the President asked the nation’s pharmacists to continue to upgrade their profession and make it “relevant to the needs of our society.” The President cited the rich tradition of pharmaceutical education in the country which has bred patriots and national leaders. He also reiterated his exhortation to pharmacists, first made at the convention of Asian pharmacists some weeks ago, to help in their own sphere in the effort to enhance regional cooperation through exchange of vital information and research data on pharmacy.
They took over Meralco [Manila Electric Company], are setting up a Luboil or lubricating oil factory, borrow from PDCP (Phil. Dev. Corp. of the Phil.) where they have set Bert Villanueva as their dummy, bought AG & P then spread the word that we bought it; they are already in control of ABS-CBN and the Manila Chronicle.
Their favorite line is that they do not need any help from the government but they have been using their influences inside government to get what they want.
When they raised the rates of Meralco, they bribed Com. Enrique Medina, then Chairman of the PSC [Public Service Commission], the amount of one million pesos to get this approved.
Their man, Ramon Mitra, whom I appointed to the Monetary Board under the threat that they would continue their abuse of me and Imelda over their media, actively promote their interests brazenly and unashamedly.
They openly admit that they tap the telephone lines of their adversaries or suspected non-allies and threaten their opponents as they did when they filed an administrative charge against BOI [Board of Investments] Commissioner Tordesillas who refused to approve their applications without question and investigation.
We have to make a stand against these dangerous men and their operations. These are the men who will wreck our society—insatiable, rapacious and obsessed by the love of money.