Sec. J. [Juan] Ponce
Gen. [Romeo] Espino
Gen. [Rafael] Zagala
There should be no farther constructions in the Fort Bonifacio area that has been set aside for sale or for use by the new MIA [Manila International Airport]. I notice some going on.
F. E. Marcos [Signed]
11:00 PM February 25, 1972[1]
Friday
Flew to Caliraya Lakes (Sierra Lakes) to look at [Manuel] Neling Nieto’s [Jr.] land development at 7:35 AM by helicopter. Imelda had invited her friends and their husbands: Ising [Maria Luisa] Madrigal Vazquez, Zita Fernandez Feliciano, Offie [Ofelia] Recto, Agnes Sison Romualdez, of course Neling was there. He and Pepe Oledan fixed the food for breakfast and lunch.
Returned at 11:35 AM. The flight to the lakes took about 36 minutes because I went all the way to the boundary of Laguna and Quezon which is the middle of the Sierra Madre. Mauban seemed to be only about 9 kilometers as the crow flies from the lake. And we went around the lake up to the headwaters.
Intelligence reports that heavily armed NPA [New People’s Army] have been sighted in the area. Last sighting was Feb. 14th when 18 heavily armed men passed through and asked for 25 pairs of rubber shoes. But we secured the area with about 200 men and six officers under Major Angan.
After breakfast we visited the highest point above the lake marked for the Japanese shrine which Ex-Prime Minister [Nobusuke] Kishi visited on his last visit here last month. And checked the NPC [National Power Corporation] area, illegal logging.
Then while Imelda cruised around in Neling’s speed boat, I waterskied around the lake which is pretty big. It was the longest I had ever skied but there were practically no waves so I was not tired.
Then shower and lunch. And returned to [Bahay] Pangarap via Los Baños this time to avoid the gusts to the north of Laguna de Bay.
Organized the Mindanao Development Authority at 12:00 AM with Ernie Aboitiz as Gen. Man.—chairman, members—[Sixto] Ting Roxas, Victor Guevara and Cardenas as members and delegate Luis (Moro) Lorenzo as reserve for the time he is through being Concon [Constitutional Convention] delegate when I can appoint him a member.
After a nap, played golf & exercised.
Worked on:
MIA [Manila International Airport] offers by CDCP [Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines]
North expressway & South Superhighway
Disposal of Tobacco by PVTA [Philippine Virginia Tobacco Administration]
The overstaying Chinese problem with Tony Roxas Chua
Then had dinner at Pangarap with [Geronimo] Ronnie Velasco, Ting Roxas, Don Manolo Elizalde, Cesar Zalamea, Tito Yulo with [Juan] Johnny Ponce Enrile and [Edgardo] Eddie Angara as their lawyers. They may take over PAL [Philippine Airlines] from Benny [Benigno] Toda’s [Jr.] Rubicon which is delinquent.
11:45 PM February 26, 1972[2]
Saturday
Prepared the materials for the dialogue with the 100 top businessmen after luncheon under the sponsorship of PACE magazine.
Lasted up to 3:00 PM.
Mostly financing, taxes, peace and order.
I attach the materials in Envelope XVI-B.
Bobby [Roberto] Benedicto came back from Tokyo last night. After golf we conferred on:
Liwayway
KBS [Kanlaon Broadcasting System]
FEMI [Fareast Managers and Investors, Inc.]
Traders Bank
The Aquino plan to attack him on a privilege speech
We may not be able to go to Surigao tomorrow as the weather there has been bad and our probing flights could not land.
Mayor Manuel Rojas of Cavite City (Aling) and his policeman driver were killed in ambush yesterday afternoon at Bacoor, Cavite.
I attach the report of OPAMA.
I have ordered the preparation of the call for bids for the coastal road to Bataan up to Bulacan, Bulacan where we intend to set up the new MIA [Manila International Airport] after about ten years of the present one; the North Diversion Road up to Angeles, Pampanga; the South Superhighway up to Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
1:00 AM February 27, 1972[3]
[1] Official Gazette for February 25, 1972: THE PRESIDENT had only one scheduled conference day, and decided to concentrate in his study of pending state papers. He submitted, to the Commission on Appointments for confirmation the ad interim appointments of 37 individuals headed by Juan Ponce Enrile as secretary of national defense. The nominees included a member of the Board of Investments, five officials in the foreign service, and 30 in the judiciary. At about noontime the President interrupted his desk work to confer with Messrs. E. Aboitiz, Sixto K. Roxas, Luis Lorenzo, Victor Guevara, and Ramon Cardenas, He designated Aboitiz as chairman-general manager and the four others as members of the Board of Directors of the Mindanao Development Authority (MDA). The Chief Executive directed the immediate revitalization of the MDA and specifically instructed the new governing body to follow through his earlier order to set aside 20 per cent of the special economic development plan from reparations for the revitalized agency. After the conference, the President resumed his desk work.
[2] Official Gazette for February 26, 1972: PRESIDENT MARCOS as usual started working on state papers early in the morning. He formed a panel to conduct public hearings on whether the country should import flour, and to look into complaints that “the pan de sal had shrunk and appears to be still shrinking.” The President instructed the panel to invite to the hearings representatives of flour mills, bakeries, as well as from consumer groups. He also directed the panel to submit its report and recommendations as soon as possible. The panel is composed of the Chairman of the National Economic Council, the Secretary of Commerce and Industry, the Director-General of the Presidential Economic Staff, and a representative of the Central Bank. In response to representations made by the press sector; the President issued a proclamation declaring the period from March 6 to 12, 1972 as National Press Week. The setting aside of Press Week was to enable the people to appreciate fully the “vital role of the press in our community and national life.” At about 2:30 in the afternoon, the President left Malacañang for the Plaza Restaurant in Makati, Rizal where he was guest of honor at a luncheon meeting of the country’s top 100 businessmen. Addressing the gathering of business leaders, the President reiterated the basic policy of the government “to establish a balanced agro-industrial economy” for the country. At the same time, the President assured that the government will continue helping them and that it will seek their counsel and advice on vital problems. He concluded his remarks by saying that “right now we are engaged in the implementation of economic development plans including manpower training, rural employment, and formation of cooperatives to turn the rural areas into productive units; and that “the government is ready to help the businessmen for the government is not an isolated institution—but rather reflects sensitively the feelings, attitudes and opinions of our people.” (See pp. 1897-1898-D for full text of the President’s Speech.) An open forum followed the President’s speech.
[3] Official Gazette for February 27, 1972: Being a Sunday, the President engaged in a little deskwork on state papers. The Chief Executive asked Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr., to deliver a speech for him at the opening of the Northern Mindanao Athletic Meet in Surigao City. The President announced through Secretary Melchor the start of a massive program of development for Mindanao, with the immediate establishment of moshav-type cooperatives as barrio project to be called Bayanihan ng Nayon. The cooperatives will be responsible for the production of dairy products and such projects as fisheries, irrigation, cottage industries, truck gardening and other activities that will serve as the basic structure for the agro-industrial development of the entire country. In line with all this, the President said the government was also drawing up a physical fitness program. “Physical fitness,” he said, “must engage us a permanent goal—a way of life in and beyond the athletic field.” The Chief Executive, together with the First Lady, Mrs. Imelda P Marcos, heard Mess at the Malacañang chapel in the evening.