[p.84] Was guest of honor of the convention for the merger of the two biggest labor unions, the PLC [Philippine Labor Cener] of [Roberto] Bert Oca and the PTUC [Philippine Trade Unions Congress] of Pedro Fernandez at 4:00 PM at the GSIS [Government Service Insurance System] auditorium. They constitute 65% of the organized labor force. They welcomed me warmly and applauded my speech enthusiastically. This will show that labor is on the side of government and not leftist as claimed by the KM [Kabataang Makabayan] and SDP [SDK Samahan ng Demokratikong Kabataan?].
This is the second time I leave the Palace [since the end of January], I should do so more often.
Had lunch with Gen. [Jose] Rancudo, CG [Commanding General] of the Fifth Fighter Wing who swore undying loyalty even if the other elements of the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] should turn disloyal. “One of my F-5’s can blast the Tabak
Official Gazette for February 15, 1970: President Marcos called on a united labor front to join the government in. pursuing measures for change and progress by the times. The President, addressing the delegates to the merger convention of the Pinagbuklod na Manggagawang Pilipino, or Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, also urged them to seek closer ties with other segments of Philippine labor not covered by the merger. The President motored to the GSIS Social Hall at 4 p.m. to deliver his address.
The merger of the Philippine Trade Unions Congress headed by Pedro D. Fernandez and the Philippine Labor Center headed by Roberto S. Oca, brought into the new organization some 300,000 organized, laborers, comprising about 65 per cent of all workers in the country. The President said that the merger climaxed a long and difficult struggle of the workingman for solidarity because over the decades Philippine Labor had always been “fragmentized, a house divided against itself, organized around personalities, and therefore powerless and impotent.” (See pp. 1805 to 1812 for full text of the President’s speech.) Earlier, the President issued an executive order requiring government offices, agencies and instrumentalities to submit to the Bureau of Internal Revenue an annual list of money payments on transactions with private individuals, corporations, partnerships and associations. The Chief Executive issued the order after it was ascertained that many government offices, including government-owned or controlled corporations, have not withheld from money payments to private individuals, corporations, partnerships and associations the internal revenue taxes due and payable on account of said money payments on transactions made.
This practice, the President pointed out, is not only a clear violation of the provisions of Republic Act No. 1051 and Revenue Regulations No. 21-67, but it also creates opportunities for unscrupulous taxpayers to evade the payment of internal revenue taxes.The President also issued another executive order creating a Presidential Census Coordinating Board, which will be responsible for the systematic coordination of government agencies and instrumentalities involved in the conduct of the 1970 census of population and housing. As counterpart of the census board at the local government level, there shall be established provincial, city or municipal census boards in each province, city and municipality, which shall provide such facilities and assistance as the Bureau of Census and Statistics may require. In the same executive order, the President designated May 6 this year as Census Day, the date when the field enumeration for the census of population and’ housing of 1970 commences.
Division installations in ten minutes,” he said. He said he is willing to fight even the Americans if necessary. I hurried to add that the Americans were on our side. He had the CAA [Civil Aeronautics Administration] Administrator, [Federico] Fred Ablan, with him (he is another jet fighter pilot). I ordered Laoag airfield which is only 5,000 [feet] long to be immediately lengthened to 10,000 [feet] so as to handle jets transport (commercial) as an alternative international airport. Actually this is to handle our jet fighters. The same thing with Zamboanga and Davao.
I have given the project on the [Sergio] Osmeña [Jr.] training camp in Samar to Gen. Ben [Benjamin] Reyes, III PC Zone Commander, and his CIS [Criminal Investigation Service] Chief, Maj. Manglongat, who strikes me as competent. Aerial photography may locate the area. And vertical envelopment by helicopter or by air drop may do the trick.
Imelda is again very confident that I have things well on hand. So does Father Dougherty feel the same way.