Official Gazette for February 10, 1970: President Marcos was busy all day with state matters, conferences and visitors, making a fuller day than usual, topped late in the afternoon with a merienda with student and labor leaders. In the morning, he received former Senator Manuel Manahan, and later Dr. Jorge Juliano who came with a group of student leaders of the Central Luzon State University, not to render a protest but to discuss certain problems of the institution.
Also in the morning, the President received Lt. Gen. Marvin McNickle, who took over command of the U.S. Thirteenth Air Force, with head quarters at Clark Air Base, from Lt. Gen. Francis Gideon. The President also received Kevin Buckley of Newsweek magazine and Stanley Karnow of the Washington Post. Both interviewed the President.
Early in the afternoon, the President submitted to Congress his budget proposal for the fiscal year 1970-71, which calls for a total expenditure from all funds of P3.482 billion, against expected receipts of P3.668 billion, or an expected surplus of P186 million. The President submitted his budget proposal within the deadline set by the Constitution which provides that the budget message be submitted to Congress within 15 days after the opening of the regular session (January 26). In his message to Congress, the President said that the expenditure policy for the incoming fiscal year was formulated in the light of current economic and monetary problems, which require fiscal policy to complement the monetary policy. The President said the measures supporting restraint embodied in the proposed budget are necessary to correct the imbalance in the country’s international transactions. The following guidelines were set by the President in relation to the expenditure policy for the coming fiscal year:
1) To observe the rule of fiscal restraint. 2) To limit total general fund obligations to the level of collectible revenues. 3) To curtail current operating expenditures, particularly for travel, supplies and materials, equipment and personnel. 4) To rechannel savings to productive programs. 5) To postpone new public investments until after the completion of on-going projects. 6) To give priority to programs promoting food production and to dollar-earning industries. 7) To provide funds for social services requiring urgent expansion or upgrading. 8) To limit the budget for national defense and maintenance of peace and order to a level consistent with a policy of self-reliance and internal security. 9) To use the proceeds from the sale of bonds exclusively for self-liquidating or income-producing projects. 10) To avoid borrowings from inflationary sources.
In accordance with these guidelines, the President ordered enforcement of austerity measures such as the sidelining of new positions; the suspension of purchase of supplies and equipment, including motor vehicles; restriction of domestic and foreign travel as well as overtime services; reduction of the number of casual workers; and implementation of the economy proposals made by the Reorganization Commission.
Late in the afternoon the President sat down with student and labor leaders at merienda. The meeting, attended by Secretary of Labor Blas F. Ople, lasted till evening. Earlier, the President directed acting Secretary of Finance Cesar E.A.Virata to conduct an examination of the financial status of the government’s financial institutions. These financial institutions are the Philippine National Bank, Government Service insurance System, Social Security System, Development Bank of the Philippines, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. The President said that the examinations should reveal their respective financial status as of September 30, 1969 and as of December 31, 1969.He asked Secretary Virata to submit to him a report on the examinations as soon as possible.
In an address read for him in the afternoon by Legislative Secretary Flores Bayot on the occasion of the observance of Constitution Day at the National University, the President pledged that civil rights and all the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution will be protected under his administration. The President said the democratic system was not a perfect system but it is the only option for men who care for their freedom. “The reforms may come slowly, but they will come,” the President declared, “for otherwise, the democratic spirit will wither.”
Addressing himself to the radical youth, the President asked them “to help build and not tear apart our society and our government, I ask the hardliners among the student activists to give this system a
[p.76] Have just met with the KM [Kabataang Makabayan], NATU [National Association of Trade Unions], MASAKA from 6:00 PM to 11:15 PM. They claim they will not engage in a hate-Marcos campaign but will limit their demonstration to the campus and prevent violence.
Now the NUSP [National Union of Students of the Philippines] also want to meet with me. And so do the Upsilonians.
We are succeeding in dividing the student leaders into the radicals and the moderates.
Have had to grant some of their demands—things that I wanted to do anyway.
But four enlisted men were killed at Mapalacsiao, Tarlac by men believed to be Maos at 1:00 AM today.
The demands of the radicals are socialistic if not communist—not merely nationalistic. We will have to play along with them, take away their steam while we go after the Maos and the HMBs [Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan].
Imelda met with the two Cardinals, Archbishops [Lino] Gonzaga and [Teopisto] Alberto, on the problem of the Jesuits and the ultra-liberal priests. They intend to put up a magazine and a newspaper.
Have asked Gen. [Hans] Menzi to resign his position as Senior Aide so he can devote his full time to the Bulletin, Liwayway, his business interests and the preparation of a house in Australia and San Francisco if necessary.
second hard look and to consider its advantages over any other. I ask the student groups on both the extreme left and the extreme right to give us the benefit of a second chance and accept our invitation to more purposeful dialogue and reconciliation with our people. I ask the students and all our young people to wage the peaceful revolution—one that will not maim bodies but which will enrich minds, the kind that will not divide our people but would bring them together. I am with you in this movement. As long as I am President, it shall be a matter of national policy to assimilate the views of the young in our political and national policies,” the President said.