Official Gazette for February 9, 1973: PRESIDENT MARCOS assured the American people through Vice President Spiro T. Agnew that the Filipino people are deeply committed to freedom and that they have pledged not only their fortunes and their lives but also what is the most precious to them—their honor. The President gave this assurance during the luncheon tendered by him in honor of the visiting United States vice president and his party, who planed in shortly before noon from Kuala Lumpur in the course of an eight-nation tour of Southeast Asia. The President also took the opportunity to express the gratitude of the Filipino people to the American people for their generosity in extending assistance to the Philippines. The President recalled that President Nixon sent Dr. Robert Chase, a famous American surgeon, to treat the First Lady for wounds she suffered at the hands of a would-be assassin last December. The President also recalled the grant of a $50-million aid for the flood victims. The President, likewise, expressed gratitude for the grant recently of $20 million commodity loan at very generous and concessional terms.
COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS announced the start of the registration for 18-year-olds in accordance with the provisions of the new Constitution. Because of the Bureau of Census projection for 1974 that there will be an estimated 4,164,154 in the 15-to-19-years-old age bracket, the commission expects more than two million youths within the 15-to-19-year-old category. The Comelec has also directed its Registration Department to speed up its work of preparing guidelines for the registration of illiterates who have also been enfranchised, by the new Constitution. The registration of illiterates would require procedures not spelled out in the Commission’s existing rules and thus, there is need for formulation of new guidelines.
GOVERNMENT POLICY to spur the accelerated development of the Philippine export trade had received another boost with the issuance of a new customs regulation designed to facilitate the processing of export documents and to expedite the loading of export products destined for markets abroad. The regulation, embodied under Customs Memorandum Order No. 9-73, directs and authorizes all collectors of customs throughout the country to accept and process documents involving all exports, except sugar and copra, and to allow immediate loading of the same in the ports concerned. This new procedure eliminates the old requirement that air export documents should be directly forwarded to and processed by the Export Coordination Department of the Bureau of Customs in Manila. The new regulation actually gives exporters the option to file their export documents either in Manila or in the ports where their products are being loaded, whichever is convenient for them.
LAND TRANSPORTATION Commission ordered the impounding of all motor vehicles displaying fake or illegal number plates. Falling within this category of plates are board tacked to the front and rear of vehicles bearing such inscriptions as “REGISTERED—NO PLATES AVAILABLE” “FOR REGISTRATION” and also commemorative car plates, the permit for which have already expired. There is a sufficient number of, LTC plates, the LTC said. The LTC issued letters to car dealers warning them against this illegal practice. Any car owner who desires to operate cars pending registration may do so by applying for a conduction permit at any LTC agency at a charge of P4 per trip.
BOARD OF INVESTMENTS Chairman Vicente Paterno stressed the government’s role in the technological development during the seminar of the private sector, and metal industry research and development center workshop. He pointed out that the policies which would greatly spur the transition of the nation’s local engineering industries from maintenance part manufacturers to original parts manufacturers are the following: 1) The encouragement and institution of a domestic content program; 2) Adoption of horizontal integration for engineering industries; and 3) Local manufacture of capital equipment. The BOI official deplored the heavy importation of industrial equipment, which can be manufactured locally at lesser cost in view of the nation’s vast natural resources and intelligent, highly trainable manpower.
FINANCE SECRETARY Cesar E.A. Virata urged family corporations to open their enterprises to public participation to spur business and economic activity so that a greater number of our people can be benefited. Speaking before the first session of the annual conference of the Scottish Riteg of Freemasonry of the Philippines, the finance secretary said the New Society will move forward with the support of the silent majority which had no political forums in the past because forums were dominated by vested interests. To achieve the goals of the New Society, the secretary cited the following measures being undertaken by the government: 1) Education and training of the youth to prepare them for future productive employment. 2) Accelerated development of the rural sector
We gave a warm and friendly reception to Vice President Spiro Agnew. He might have expected a cool rebuff from us for coming to the Philippines as an afterthought.
And he commented after I had shown him the documents specially the letter of credit for $7.5 million given to Larry Tractman and the problem on Spratley Islands as well as the foreign-trained troops supporting the Muslim Secessionist Movement—that the situation was graver than he thought; that it did not look as if the threats against our Republic was not a casual matter but a seriously organized one.
The maps showing the occupancy of Itu Aba on the South China Sea as straddling the sea lane and air lane from the Philippines to the China mainland were impressive.
I asked that the status of the Spratley Islands be now clarified while still early.
And that the U.S. now fulfill its commitments under the military agreements of assistance.
In the toast I thanked the U.S. for the sending of Dr. Robert Chase to attend to Imelda, the $50 million Rehabilitation Fund and the $20 million Commodity Loan for 40 years, 10 years grace, 2% interest for the first 10 years and 3% after that.
He responded that “they are watching the reforms I have initiated.”
I attach the copies of the papers I gave Vice Pres. Agnew.
He arrived at 11:30 AM came to take lunch at 1:00 PM and left the palace at 3:30 PM and took off direct without stopping at Hawaii for San Clemente where he reports to Pres. [Richard] Nixon.
We gave him documents we have not even shown to the U.S. Embassy here.
FINANCE SECRETARY Cesar E.A. Virata urged family corporations to open their enterprises to public participation to spur business and economic activity so that a greater number of our people can be benefited. Speaking before the first session of the annual conference of the Scottish Riteg of Freemasonry of the Philippines, the finance secretary said the New Society will move forward with the support of the silent majority which had no political forums in the past because forums were dominated by vested interests. To achieve the goals of the New Society, the secretary cited the following measures being undertaken by the government: 1) Education and training of the youth to prepare them for future productive employment. 2) Accelerated development of the rural sector which include efficient irrigation drainage and flood control systems, construction of roads and similar projects. 3) Increased production on the countryside to generate employment and discourage the migration of the skilled and unskilled job seekers to the urban areas.