Official Gazette for January 30, 1971: PRESIDENT MARCOS met with his Cabinet to discuss ways and means of effectively moving the bureaucracy, to push to the level of the rural masses the President’s “democratic revolution” for 1971.
The meeting, which started at mid-morning and winded up at 2 p.m., took up the following points:
1. Within the framework of the new orientation, there must now be a concerted effort among all those in government to restore to the taxpayer, the feeling that it is his right to expect genuine, efficient service from those in the public service. It shall be the duty of all personnel holding key positions in government to see to it that there is a consistent performance audit of their respective offices and agencies truly responsible to public need. Key government personnel shall henceforth use all means possible to retrain and reorient lower echelon personnel along the only philosophy acceptable to the leadership in regard +o public service, namely that, the civil servant must know, at all times, that he is a servant of the people, and at no instance their master. In this moral campaign that must be undertaken by government, the Cabinet agreed on the need to lead the example.
In this connection, the President called the attention of the Cabinet on the need for bold moves to seriously remove incompetent, corrupt and unduly privileged personnel from public service, without regard to political or blood connections and other such ties that may have in the past served to tie down the hands of administrators called upon to enforce efficiency and justice.
It was agreed that a system be worked out whereby citizens’ grievances against particular personnel of government, or any particular office would be efficiently monitored and acted upon by an appropriate body. More immediate than this, a performance evaluation task force will monitor the performance of all offices and agencies, on the basis of continuing assessment and evaluation by appropriate teams of the same task force.
2. Referring to specific priority projects for 1971, the Cabinet agreed that government should now undertake a massive low-cost housing program for the workers and small employees to be supported principally by the SSS and the GSIS. The SSS has a P150 million allotment for the project in 1971, the GSIS P200 million. The President expressed the desire that the GSIS should produce units between P10,000 to P12,000. The SSS informed the meeting that its units are estimated to cost P8,500 each.
The President directed the agencies concerned to study the possibility of arriving at a situation where workers and small employees may be able to acquire low-cost houses without having to have collaterals. Speaking on this subject, the secretary of labor pointed out that workers’ housing should be given higher priority by the various government financing institutions since most of them depend heavily on workers’ deposits.
Upon suggestion of the chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines, the meeting agreed that GSIS and SSS should support to the full extent workers’ low-cost housing, while PNB and DBP support industry and agriculture, including small scale industries.
The meeting heard a report on the cottage industry mass-employment scheme of the NACIDA, as well as electrification-scheme of the National Electrification Administration.
3. Referring to the matter of public utility rates, the President created a Presidential Commission to supersede the existing committee of limited membership to undertake a general review of all public utility rates with a view to ascertaining whether present conditions justify any modification of their rates and with a view to safeguarding the public interest.
Named to this commission were Chairman of the Board of Investments Vicente Paterno, OEC Administrator Eduardo Rodriguez, and Secretary of Justice Vicente Abad Santos.
Present; during the meeting were Secretaries Carlos P, Romulo of Foreign Affairs, Cesar E, A. Virata of Finance, Vicente Abaci Santos of Justice, Arturo B, Tanco. Jr. of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Manuel P. Syquio of Public Works and Communications. Onofre D. Corpus of Education, Bias F. Ople of Labor, Juan Ponce Enrile of National Defense, Amadeo H, Cruz of Health, Constancio E, Castañeda of General Services, and Gregorio M, Feliciano of Social Welfare, Press Secretary Francisco S, Tatad;
The cabinet meeting to which were invited the heads of offices and agencies carne off very well.
We initiate the written criticism and checking of the conduct of public officials by citizens who visit their offices.
And the specific projects have been worked out: Housing—P300 million from the SSS [Social Security System] and GSIS [Government Service Insurance System]; the national electrification program—P600 million; the Naceda [National Cottage Industries Development Authority], Dept. of Labor program for mass employment in cottage industries; the land title distribution program (50,000 titles this year); land reform by cooperatives.
We agreed on the first priority—reform the bureaucracy specially at the points of contact with the people like licensing offices.
Not only courtesy but efficiency so as to give the people that the officials are their servants.
Executive Secretary Alejandro, Melchor, Jr., Chairman Gerardo Sicat of the National Economic Council, Budget Commissioner Faustino Sy-Changco, Presidential Economic Staff Director-General Apolinario Orosa, Land Authority Governor Conrado Estrelia, Chairman Vicente Paterno of the Board of Investments, PNB President Eusebio Villatuya, SSS Administrator Gilberto Teodoro, Central Bank Governor Gregorio S, Licaros;
DBP Chairman Leon ides S. Virata, GSIS General Manager Roman V. Cruz, Jr., Manager Gaudencio Tobias of the National Housing Corporation, PHHC Manager Sebastian Santiago; N ACID A Administrator
Mario Reyes, Ronnie Diaz of the National Manpower and Youth Councils OEC Administrator Eduardo Rodriguez. NIA Administrator Alfredo Juinio, Secretary Manuel Elizalde Jr. of PANAMIN, Secretary Eliseo Villamor representing Secretary of Commerce and industry Ernesto Maceda and Col. P. Dumol representing Chairman Ronnie Velasco of the National Electrification Administration,,
Earlier, the President received the offer of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines to use the organization as an instrument for social change in line with the President’s cad for a democratic revolution.
The offer was made by the executives and other .officials of the BSP, headed by Dr. Vitaliano Bernardino, president; and Antonio Delgado, vice president of the national council and executive chairman of the World Jamboree Committee,
The BSP executives informed the President that in line with the objectives of the BSP Golden Jubilee celebration, the organization will “restructure its activities to exploit to the fullest its potentials , as an instrument for social change.”
The scouting organization will implement this policy through programs designed to “provide scouts and non-scouts alike opportunities for maximum involvement and participation in impact projects of economic and social nature.
In the evening, the President received 20 city mayors who presented a resolution of loyalty and support in his policies to preserve the government and bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, by some 52 city mayors who had unanimously adopted it.
The Chief Executive enjoined the city mayors to take a firm stand against the enemies of the Republic before it is too late,
The city mayors were led by league chairman Mayor Macario Asistio of Caloocan, and Mayor Elias Lopez of Davao City.
I have created a Presidential Performance Task Force headed by Executive Secretary Alex [Alejandro] Melchor [Jr.].
The cabinet meeting starting at 10:30 AM ended about 2:00 PM.
All the while the radical KM [Kabataang Makabayan] groups were demonstrating in front of Malacañan (about 1,000 only).
There has been no violence in the demonstrations this day which is supposed to be the anniversary of the Jan. 30, 1970 violent demonstrations when four died.
But more PC [Philippine Constabulary] men are being fielded in Tarlac as the NPA [New People’s Army] has become more active there. One BSDU [Barrio Self-Defense Unit] unit apparently has been taken over by them and the two non-commissioned PC men supervisors murdered. There are more assassinations.
Commander Melody [Benjamin Bie Jr.] has submitted his first report that the CPP [Communist Party of the Philippines] has had a reorganization. [Jose Maria] Sison is still head, No. 2 is Nilo Tayag, No. 3 is Lt. Victor Corpus who takes the place of Arthur Garcia, deceased. Dante retains his command of the NPA.
A report has just come in from Metrocom [Metropolitan Command] that some KM are in Tondo and Malabon planning to come up the Pasig behind Malacañan and prepared to bomb the palace from that unprotected side.
But the patrol boats and security are prepared for them.
The City Mayors came to pledge their total and complete support for the Democratic Revolution.
The governors have done likewise.
The local officials are now enthusiastic and prepared to openly fight communism.
The Senate as usual is still wasting time on privilege speeches and threats of impeachment and overriding my veto of the bill of automatic releases of the Congressional and Judicial appropriations.
And so with the newspapers. All news are slanted to criticize and denigrate me.
So we will have to activate our old propaganda machinery—audio-visual units, TV and radio programs and news-making for a purpose.
A master program should give to our men in the field our position on any current question.