Saturday
28 Official Gazette for January 10, 1970: President Marcos followed his regular weekday schedule, a departure from his usual weekend norm, when he usually focuses on his desk work and does not receive visitors. He had several visitors in the morning, a conference in the afternoon, and inducted the new Central Bank governor in addition. In-between all these chores, he also worked at his desk going over state papers and reports. The President inducted Gregorio S. Licaros, the DBP chairman in the last four years, as the governor of the Central Bank vice Alfonso Calalang, at a simple ceremony in Malacañang. Present at the ceremony were members of the Licaros family, officials of the DBP and the CB, and other prominent public officials. Among the President’s callers were:
1. A wartime buddy of his, American Capt. Donald Jamesen and his wife, whom the President met when he was brought in by submarine to help guerrillas operating in Northern Luzon. 2. USAF Brig. Gen. Joseph Capuchi, and his wife, who is here as official guest of Secretary of National Defense Ernesto Mata. The USAF brass called to pay his respects. 3. A group of teachers from Batanes who came here to testify at the Comelec probe of election venalities in that province.The teachers attended the meeting between the President and Comelec Chairman Jaime Ferrer and Commissioners Cesar Miraflor and Lino Patajo. Also at the meeting were Brig. Gen. Vicente Raval, PC chief, and Col. Rafael Dumlao, C-2, who reported on the Batanes situation. During the meeting, the President announced that he was ready to call a special election in the lone congressional district in Batanes should the Speaker of the House of Representatives certify to the existence of a vacancy on the basis of findings and recommendations of the Commission on Elections.
In the afternoon, the President directed Secretary of Justice Juan Ponce Enrile to designate one City Court and one Court of First Instance as salas for hearing cases involving foreign tourists visiting in the Philippines. The President specified to Secretary Enrile that these courts should operate with specific instructions from the Secretary of Justice “to dispose of any case brought before them within 48 hours.”
In two separate memoranda, the President also formalized various decisions he announced earlier, namely:
1. To the Secretary of National Defense, to organize a special Metrocom team to help the Manila police and the Pasay City police provide protection and security for tourists, [especially those within the tourist belt area. The team shall include a mobile patrol unit and a foot patrol group, which will be deployed in coordination with the police units from the Manila and Pasay City police departments which have primary patrol responsibility in the tourist belt area. 2. Also to the Defense Secretary, to place at the disposal of the Board of Travel and Tourist Industry two Philippine Navy hydrofoil, which will be used to ferry tourists to and from Corregidor, and other nearby areas. On this point, the Defense Secretary was instructed to discuss with the Commissioner on Tourism the matter of expenses for the operation of the two boats, preferably on a 50-50 basis. 3. A joint memorandum to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Commissioner of Immigration, to abolish visa requirements for any tourist bound for the Philippines.“For their entry to the Philippines, it shall be sufficient for tourists to present confirmed airplane or ship, as well as hotel, reservations for their trip to and out of the Philippines,” the President specified. The President also told the Foreign Office and Customs officials to take any other steps, or adopt other measures, that will facilitate the entry of tourists into the country. He stressed, “It is my desire that efforts be exerted to make processing of papers of tourists a very pleasant experience for them.
In another directive, the President asked Secretary Alejo Santos of the Anti-Crime Commission, and concurrent director of prisons, to ensure that working prisoners get mere privileges such as better food and clothing, medical care, and other essential needs. In this connection, the President directed the prisons chief to organize a management council which will supervise all the properties of the Bureau of Prisons, particularly the rich untapped lands belonging to the penal colonies.
The President gave these instructions to Secretary Santos upon the latter’s submission of a proposed bill to Congress which would authorize payment of reasonable compensation to prisoners working at trades in the colonies.