It is indeed a galling and frustrating situation to be a small and weak nation begging from both ally and former enemy—the U.S. and Japan.
The thought is not ennobling that we survive upon the philanthrophy [sic] of other
Official Gazette for July 14, 1971: President Marcos urged the Asian and Pacific Council (ASPAC) to form a consensus on the immediate tasks before the nations of the region, which he said, in a larger perspective, aim at strengthening the peace and stability of the region.
He declared that in achieving this objective, a decisive influence “on the future course of our nations and on their common well-being” will be exerted.
Delivering the keynote speech at the opening of the ASPAC sixth ministerial conference, held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati, Rizal, in the morning, the President, however, emphasized that there is good reason to view with optimism the prospects of success in solving the problems eyed by the council.
Despite the hopeful elements which encourage an optimistic view of the region, the President said, “the Asian and Pacific area remains a troubled one,” pointing out that it is in the midst of problems “for which there are no immediate solutions, and these are problems which bear the most intimate relation the peace of the continent.” (Full text of the President’s Speech in OG).
The pressure of desk work prevented the President from attending the launching of the Medical Assistance Program (MAP), held at Talavera, Nueva Ecija in the afternoon. He asked his brother, Dr. Pacifico Marcos, to represent him at the affair and to deliver his message for the occasion. In his prepared speech, the President hailed the MAP, but cautioned that its success would depend on the kind of cooperation established between the community and the doctors, stressing that the “active participation and support of every community” are decisive in fully realizing the program.
The private medical practitioners of the country, he said, play a critical role in “the life and future of the nation,” and expressed confidence in their capacity to fulfill this role by virtue of “this unprecedented and voluntary program of medical assistance that you now undertake with the national government.”
While attending to official papers, the President created the Coordinating Committee on Project Feasibility Studies, with the primary task of coordinating and correlating all project feasibility studies towards the attainment of national objectives. Named to head the committee was PES Deputy-General for Operations Antonio Locsin.
The President also issued orders deporting two Chinese nationals considered undesirables and whose continued presence in the Philippines is deemed a menace to the peace and safety of the community. Ordered deported by the first available transportation to China or Taiwan were Santiago Chengalias Santiago Ching alias Santiago Chung alias Roberto Chua, and Valentin Go. The President issued the order upon the recommendation of the Deportation Board, which found them guilty of committing acts contrary to good morals and public policy.
In the evening, the President signed into law Senate Bill No. 614 (H. B. 3305), regulating rentals for two years, of dwelling units or of land on which another’s dwelling is located and penalizing violations thereof.The bill provides, among others, that “no lessor of a dwelling unit or of land on which another’s dwelling is located shall, during the period of one year from the effectivity of this Act, increase the monthly rental agreed upon between the lessor and the lessee as of the effectivity of this Act when said rental does not exceed three hundred pesos (₱300.00) a month. Thereafter, for the next year the rentals may not be increased more than ten (10%) per centum.”
The President was guest of honor and speaker late in the afternoon at the launching of the special fund campaign for the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Philippine Scouting in 1973, at ceremonies held at the Malacañang Maharlika Hall. In his extemporaneous remarks, the President said that scouting is the best youth activism and one of the best types of manpower development because it is concerned not only with vocational skills, but also with the inculcation of sound physical, moral and spiritual values.
nations—not on our own strength.
So while we can, we must rectify this situation brought about by the improvisations and indecision of past administrations.
We can only do so by being self-reliant and self-sufficient. This will be a long road. But we must walk it.
What came as a surprise to me and Sec. [Carlos] Romulo was the revelation by Ex. Foreign Minister [Kiichi] Aichi that Japan’s trade with Red China is $800 million.
I could feel that there may be something more than just trade that exists between the two big countries of Red China and Japan.
Of course, Aichi said laughingly that Japan was in a position to help other countries like the Philippines because they (Japan) are not engaged in the production of nuclear weapons.
This morning, Kokoy [Benjamin Romualdez], whom I called about the sugar problem says the Senators of the U.S. are concerned about the possibility that the relationship between Japan and Red China may not just be trade. And they (the senators) may come to Asia and the Philippines to find out during their August recess (tentatively set Aug. 6th),
Japan seems to be eager in bringing in Red China into the UN [United Nations] although this may be due to the common belief that this is the only way in which to control Red China.
This morning I must have shocked the delegates to the ASPAC [Asian and Pacific Council] with the candid and truthful speech I delivered on the situation in Asia: the inflexibility of the policies of the Superpowers; the polarization of the whole world to the two ideologies of the free world and communism; the prejudice to the small developing nations who would rather be left alone to pursue their plans of development; the evolvement of a feeling for neutralism; the neutralization of Southeast Asia—acceptable if the countries here can protect their neutralism; the Chinese wish to enter the family of nations to stop Russia from intervening in the affairs of the Pacific and Asia and preparing for the eventual conflict with Japan, while the small nations can only hope for peace, the basic prerequisite for development.
I noted the Foreign Ministers standing up straight in the chairs as if they were electrocuted—specially the Chinese Foreign Minister, Chow Shu-Kai whom I mentioned the People’s Republic of China as offering the destruction of nuclear weapons and the awkward silence of the other nuclear powers.
I am sure some of the delegates will say the speech was out of place and undiplomatic. So will the media.
Kick-off ceremonies for the campaign fund for the Golden Jubilee of Scouting in the Philippines.
Bongbong has been delayed because his plane could not land in Karachi because of a plane on the runway with a flat tire. So he was supposed to arrive in Bangkok at 1:20 AM then arrive at MIA [Manila International Airport] at 5:30 AM and the typhoon hits Manila at 6:00 AM. So I have asked Bongbong to be kept in Bangkok till the typhoon has passed the Philippines.
The Senate has approved the budget but with a complete repeal of all the powers of the Presidency. It is an attempt to immobilize me not only for the elections but for the rest of my term.
I meet Sen. Pres. [Gil] Puyat, Sen. Pres. Pro Temp. [Jose] Roy, Finance Chairman [Dominador] Aytona and Com. [Faustino] Sychangco at Puyat’s residence tomorrow at 10:00 AM.
I do not believe anything will come out of the meeting.