Official Gazette for February 26, 1973: SECRETARY OF JUSTICE Vicente Abaci Santos ruled that the prospective members of the interim National Assembly (members of the defunct Congress and Constitutional Convention delegates who have opted to serve in, the Assembly) are not disqualified, at present from:1) Holding any office or employment in the government or its agencies, including government-owned or controlled corporations or be appointed to any civil office. 2) Appearing as counsel before any court inferior to a court with appellate jurisdiction, before any court in any civil case wherein the government or any of its agencies is the adverse party or before any administrative body (The prohibition against being directly or indirectly, financially interested in any contract with or in any franchise or special privilege granted by the government or any of its instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations, shall not apply to them. 3) Serving as officer director legal counsel or consultant of any private bank. 4) Serving as members of the Monetary Board or as deputy governor of the Central Bank.
SOLICITOR GENERAL Estelito P. Mendoza stressed that the archipelago doctrine, which the Philippines is vigorously advocating as the guiding principle for delimiting seabed areas and territorial waters is vital to Philippines national interest. In a speech before a meeting of the Philippines Society of International Law and the Philippine Commission of Jurists, the government official said that the doctrine implies full dominion and sovereign rights over the waters among the islands which comprise the Philippine archipelago. It was emphasized that it is imperative for the country to control the waters within the archipelago and within the broadest possible area, over waters surrounding it, to assure that these waters may not be used for hostile purposes. Such control was also deemed necessary to prevent “pollution to a degree which would cause irreparable injury to us,” so that the people may enjoy the water resources which logically belong to them. The archipelago concept allows an archipelago like the Philippines to draw straight baselines connecting the outermost points of the outermost islands and drying reefs and call the waters within the baselines as internal waters and the waters seaward from the baseline as the territorial sea, as limited by Article II of the Treaty of Paris.
LAND TRANSPORTATION authorities agreed to extend the mantle of legitimacy to public motor vehicles which operate by attaching to lines of authorized franchise holders in what is more popularly known as “kabit” system, upon their owners’ compliance with certain requirements. Under the system agreed upon among LTC Commissioner Romeo F. Edu, Board Transportation Chairman Cesar Guzman and Col. Paulino Briones Jr., the owner of the “kabit” vehicle must execute an affidavit stating the name of the operator under which the “kabit” is being operated; that he is the real and lawful owner of the vehicle and that. he is applying or has applied with the Board of Transportation for a separate certificate of public convenience for operating motor vehicles as a public utility; the payment to the Land Transportation Commission in the form of a deposit subject to the approval of the BOT of their certificate of public convenience; and in the case of disapproval, he shall return the public utility plate or plates that were issued to him by the LTC. They also agreed that effective this year, public utility vehicles with bus-bodies, but previously registered as PUJ, shall be registered only as buses. The BOT agreed to amend the franchises covering these vehicles so that they shall be operated as buses instead of PUJs.
REPRESENTATIVES of the government of the Philippines and of the United States Agency for International Development signed a loan agreement in Manila, providing $20 million to finance the acquisition and importation from the United States of wheat and other selected agricultural and industrial commodities and related services, it was announced. The agreement was signed for the Philippines by Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata. United States Agency on International Development Director Thomas C. Niblock signed for AID. The AID loan is repayable over a 40-year, period, with, a grace period of 10 years during which no repayment of principal will be due. Interest on the loan is payable at two per cent per annum during the grace period, and three per cent thereafter.
ACTING ADMINISTRATOR Reynaldo J. Gregorio of the Social Security System urgently calls the attention of all SSS members to review their membership records, and correct, if necessary, the important data on designated beneficiaries, dependents, and civil status. It must be noted that the basis for the adjudication of social security claims is the SSS member’s record, otherwise known as SSS Form E-1. This record shall be the basis for determining the legal dependents entitled to Medicare benefits. It is, therefore, imperative that SSS members submit the duly accomplished form correctly prior to any claim for benefits. This announcement is made in the light of actual eventualities wherein persons have been unjustly deprived of benefits due to the member’s oversight or
The stock market is still climbing as the price of copper, gold and copra also keep going up. More corporations to mine copper, gold and nickel are being farmed.
The stock market will be the source of funds for these activities.
Joe [Jose Campos] will finally get about 39% of the Marcopper stocks which were quoted at P8.90 this morning at the stock exchange. He just signed a contract for the 20 million shares of Brookes Cadwallader and his children.
I directed Com. [Misael] Vera to update the list of notorious income tax evaders. He is agreeable that Com. [Conrado] Diaz take his place as commissioner of BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue] if he should be replaced.
The Complaints and Investigation Office under Capt. Evangelista may have to be absorbed by the Tanodbayan.
Gen. Hans Menzi—He leaves for the U.S. as his sister is dying of cancer. And he goes to train for his executive jet.
Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile—We conferred on the Basilan and Jolo situations. In Basilan the pincers of our troops are moving forward inexorably but there seems to be a build-up in Jolo. I asked Gov. [Murphy] Sangkula and Cong. [Indanan] Anni to get the local policemen and the surrenderees to help fight the insurgents. They agreed.
forgetfulness. For purposes of clarification, the following information must be noted by the members: 1) Beneficiaries are persons named by the member in his SSS Form E-l who are entitled to receive the death benefit, when the member dies. The law limits the choice of beneficiaries specifically to the following persons: the legitimate spouse, the legitimate, legitimated, acknowledge natural children and natural children by legal fiction, and their legal descendants, and the legitimate parents, the brothers, and the sisters. The beneficiaries mentioned in the SSS Form E-1 of the members are the only ones entitled to his benefits. Dependents include the member’s legitimate spouse, the unmarried legitimate or legitimated children under twenty-one years of age, of the member’s parents who are totally dependent upon him for regular support. Mr. Gregorio also calls the attention of women members who have changed their civil status to indicate in their records their husband’s surname. The same report must be made in case the marriage is dissolved, if the member desires to revert from her husband’s surname to maiden name. With the unmarried male, they need not report their change of civil status should they get married, but may report any change in their data of beneficiaries and dependents.
COMMISSION ON IMMIGRATION and Deportation issued Office Order No. 117 in implementation of the President’s directive to ease visa requirements for Chinese stock brokers and investors from Hongkong, Singapore, Taipei and other financial capitals of the world who wish to enter the country. The order states that the certification of a Philippine consular officer abroad or a local capitalist or stockholder regarding the profession of the prospective applicant, and the purpose of his coming, may be filed with the office of the Commission of Immigration, together with a request for the applicant’s entry pursuant to this order. If the request is approved, the airline or shipping concerned will be authorized to book the applicant for entry to the Philippines without a visa for a 72-hour stay. In meritorious cases, a 72-hour stay may be extended upon application, after justification that a longer stay is necessary.
It is unknown where this and preceding paragraphs come from because the first page of this entry is missing.
Ex-Sen. Benigno Aquino has been deprived of his privileges as a detainee. He cannot be visited and will now be investigated formally. He is supposed to have disclaimed authorship of the Bangkok Post articles. I attach copy of today’s Hongkong Standard which rehashes the story.
We should ignore the story but the Information Secretary should prepare an answer to my questions that have arisen specially the role of Gen. [Romeo] Espino and the incidents antedating the proclamation of martial law.
I have ordered all international communications carriers to be owned by Filipinos. The companies now owned by foreigners have agreed.
I met Dr. Fouad Kaissar Abdo, a Lebanese international trader, formerly in the Intelligence of the Egyptian government, friend of Pakistan Pres. Ali Bhutto, consul general in Libya for 6 years where he says everybody is poor except Col. Alkassafi (Khadaffi [Muammar Gaddafi]) and can be bought.
He was brought in by Cong. Eduardo Cojuangco and Jess Tanchangco of NGA [National Grain Authority] as he is the source of the Pakistan rice (300,000 tons and an option for another 300,000 tons).
The red power in Libya is not Col. Khadaffi but Prime Minister [Abdessalam] Jalloud. And the Moslem leaders here can obtain loans or outright aid from Libya. He has met Cong. Ali Dimaporo.
The Palestine guerillas travel on Pakistan and Mauritania passports. He met a Palestine guerilla in Pakistan who was interested in coming to Manila. So he expects some more trouble here if we do not prevent it. He promises to identify the persons to be sent here to execute the plans of the Palestine guerillas.
He will go to Libya next Monday after he returns from London where he flies tonight.
Imelda can now play badminton. He [sic] played in Talaga and in the gym here at Malacañang this evening. Played with her for some time.
This should exercise her right hand which can grip the racquet but with difficulty.
She has been very gallant and gracious about her wounds and ugly scars on her beautiful hands.
Not just an affectionate lovely wife but a true partner in all my endeavors.