Official Gazette for January 26, 1973: PRESIDENT MARCOS issued Letter of Instructions No. 53 calling on all heads of departments and agencies of the government, including chiefs of government owned and controlled corporations, to draw up plans, programs, studies and recommendations for the immediate implementation of policies contained in the new Constitution. In drawing up these plans, the department heads were cautioned to observe utmost economy without prejudicing the country’s development goals. They were also told to attend immediately to matters which do not call for top-policy decision and may be implemented on a department or agency level and to report to the President actions taken on this score. The department heads were required to submit their proposals and recommendations, together with drafts of implementing decrees, orders or circulars, within two weeks.
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 107 creating the National Economic and Development Authority, was issued by the President. The Authority shall recommend to the National Assembly, after consultation with the private sector, local government units and other appropriate public agencies, continuing, coordinated and fully integrated social and economic plans and programs. Under the decree, the NEDA is composed of the President as chairman, the executive secretary, NEDA director general; and the finance secretary, secretary of agriculture and natural resources, secretary of trade and tourism, secretary of public works, transportation and communications, secretary of labor, secretary of education and culture, governor of the Central Bank, commissioner of the budget, and chairman of the Board of Investments, as members.
ONE PRESIDENTIAL executive assistant and two presidential assistants to coordinate the activities of the President’s own staff for a more effective implementation of his policies, decisions and directives under the new Constitution, were reappointed by the President. They were 1) Presidential Executive Assistant Jacobo C. Clave, former press secretary, a lawyer and former foreign affairs and Senate reporter of the Manila Daily Bulletin; 2) Presidential Assistant Guillermo de Vega, professorial lecturer at the University of the Philippines, a doctorate degree holder in political history and concurrently chairman of the Board of Censors for Motion Pictures; and 3) Presidential Assistant Juan C. Tuvera, former assistant press secretary, member of the Board of Liquidators and former newspaperman. The three have been serving the President since his inauguration in 1966.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Juan Ponce Enrile ordered that no arrest, search or seizure shall be made on the person or property of legitimate businessmen and merchants as well as the corresponding release of such person or property without prior clearance from the Office of the Secretary of the Department of National Defense. This directive was contained in DND Department Order No. 738 dated Jan. 25, 1973, which states that the control of such arrest, search and seizure is in consonance with the government’s effort to stabilize the peace and order situation by removing the negative factor which may tend to cause alarm or agitation that would unduly disturb the legitimate operation of businessmen and merchants in the country.
BUREAU OF REHABILITATION of the Department of Social Welfare was deputized by the Dangerous Drugs Board to look after drug dependents on probation under the custody of the board. The DDB provided the bureau the following guidelines in handling the drug dependents: 1) The person under probation must be required to be at his home between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m.; 2) He shall not change his residence without first notifying in writing the board’s agent and/or representative; 3) There shall be a limitation on the dependent’s social activities especially where he is likely to be in contact with persons of disreputable character or brought into association with persons of bad moral habits or inclinations; and 4) He shall be required to report to the board’s representatives once every two weeks or as often as may be necessary for educational lectures on the evil effects of dangerous drugs on his physical and mental conditions, as well as on society.
RULES AND REGULATIONS implementing Presidential Decree No. 96 prohibiting, unless authorized, the attachment on any motor vehicle of such signaling or flashing devices as sirens, whistles, domelights, police and emergency red flashing lights and blinkers, bells and very loud and startling horns—were promulgated by the Land Transportation Commission. Only the following vehicles are authorized to be equipped with those devices: law enforcement vehicles—red domelights and sirens; fire trucks—amber domelights, sirens and bells; hospital ambulances—blue domelights and sirens; tow or service cars and wreckers—blue domelight only. The rules allow the attachment to all motor vehicles of the following: ordinary horn to warn other motorists and pedestrians; signal lights for making left and right turns; amber or white flashers installed in front and red flashers in the rear of
Chief Justice [Roberto] Concepcion plans to resign on the insistence of Sec. [Vicente] Abad Santos to comply with the new constitution by transferring the administration of all the courts to the Supreme Court.
I attach the reports of Sec. Abad Santos.
I am receiving the Sulu and Basilan situations because of the capture, torture and killing of the Chief of the MIG [Military Intelligence Group] in Sulu, Maj. Quirante and an enlisted man, who were baited into a conference in Tawi-Tawi purportedly for the surrender of Tom Biteng. I have ordered that two battalions be sent to pursue Biteng.
The Basilan insurgents seem to be wreaking havoc on the private plantations dividing the private lands and causing disorder. Commodore Fernandez strongly recommends strong measures. But he has always been impulsive and rash. So the Chief of Staff is there studying the situation, to report back tomorrow.
We must get American, British and Australian business interests involved in the Sulu area so that we will not be fighting there alone if the developments become critical.
ehicles to warn other motorists and pedestrians in case of emergency; and white headlights and rear lights that are red, yellow or orange. Tail lights, stop rights, license-plate lights and parking lights shall be installed in all motor vehicles. Also required are colored riding lights on each of the four corners not more than 10 centimeters from the top of trucks, buses, trailers and other similar vehicles for use during nighttime while on the public highways.