January 9, 1972

Am at the palace while the children are giving a party at the lounge on board the 777 with the mothers supervising from the sidelines.

This has been a series of parties to introduce the children to their contemporaries in Manila. I am sure that the children have enjoyed their holidays.

But the report cards of Bongbong came in yesterday and I had to scold him for being reported as being lazy by his tutor and not at all working hard, although talented.

Imee insists on going to Harvard where there may be too much freedom. She finds Mayfield is devoted merely to passing O level exams and getting good grades—not good education. Or so she says.

So we spent the whole afternoon after lunch in a bull session (before I left for the MBC [Manila Broadcasting Company] Channel 11 inauguration at 5:00 PM) wherein Imee cried again that we do not understand her in her wish to go to Oxford. Irene cried quietly with her.

I had to explain that I am concerned because my children are showing the instability that I have discovered is one of the main flaws in the character of the Marcoses—including me. I had to tell them of my own experience—in athletics, in college at Pre­law and in the war. And the story of their great uncle, Antonio Marcos, who had better grades than Jose Rizal (he had the best grades ever obtained in Ateneo) and he was top in everything he went into seriously but he had to concentrate on it. Yet when he left scholarship for politics, he was a complete flop.

So all I asked was that each one learns to concentrate. “And,” I said, “I have a feeling that you are all turning into rolling stones. You have no roots.”

“You, Imee, said you were discontented with Assumption College. You wanted to go to Leyte. You have become impulsive. You are never satisfied.’”

“But is that not necessary for progress?” she asked in argument. The girl is logical and sharp, whatever her deficiencies.

Official Gazette for January 9, 1972: PRESIDENT MARCOS devoted most of his time in the morning and early afternoon going over state papers. Later in the afternoon he was guest of honor and speaker at the inauguration of the Metropolitan Broadcasting Company’s Channel 11 studios in Quezon City.
In his remarks, the President underscored the identical objectives of media and government, pointing out that these are “compossible” and not “conflicting,” as they both seek the people’s well-being and the national welfare. (For full text of the President’s speech see pp. 390-394).
The President was accompanied by the First Lady, Imelda R. Marcos, who officiated at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The last page of this entry Jan 9 and the first page of Jan 10 [pp 969-970] are missing. In the PCGG transcription

there is no notation of these missing pages, furthermore transcriber left out three lines of handwritten text at the top page of p. 971.