Arrived at Cagayan de Oro at 8:00 AM. Woke up at 5:00 AM. Read Three Faces of Fascism by Ernst Nolte (Prolix, strained, belabored and pedantic). Went back to bed at 7:20 and slept for another thirty minutes.
Briefing by Gen. [Antonio] Venades, 4th Division Commander and Task Force Pagkakaisa Commander and IV PC [Philippine Constabulary] Zone Commander Gen. [Wilfredo] Encarnacion.
Gen. Encarnacion is old and seems to have settled down to routinary matters. He should be relieved soon.
No contingency plans for Mindanao. Two reserve battalions being trained at Surigao and Cotabato Sur. But armaments and equipment good only for one battalion. Two battalions would cost P7,550,000 more or less annually.
5,000 (more or less) wanted unarrested men. 10,000 loose firearms.
Intelligence Spotty.
Communications improved but still incomplete on the tactical level.
Official Gazette for June 21, 1972: THE PRESIDENT, together with the First Lady, arrived at Cagayan de Oro City on board the RPS Ang Pangulo. A big crowd accorded the First Couple an enthusiastic welcome on their arrival at the pier.
Following the military honors at the wharf, the President motored to Camp Evangelista where he was given a briefing by the military.
The President was informed by the military officials that the peace and order situation in northern Mindanao has somewhat stabilized, but he nevertheless directed them to exert more aggressive intelligence efforts against infiltration of hostile elements.
The one-and-a-half-hour briefing was conducted by Brig. Gen. Antonio Venades, Task Force Pagkakaisa commander, and Brig. Gen. Wilfredo Encarnacion, Fourth PC Zone commander.
Also present were Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, Senator Emmanuel Pelaez, Reps. Ali Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte and Vicente Cerilles of Zamboanga del Sur, Governors Tarhata Alonto Lucman of Lanao del Norte, Carlos Cajelo of Cotabato, and Concordio Diel of Misamis Oriental, Mayor Reuben Canoy of Cagayan de Oro City, Brig. Gen. Fidel Ramos, PC chief; Brig. Gen. Jose Rancudo, PAF chief; Commodore Hilario M. Ruiz, PN flag-officer-in-command; and Brig. Gen. Bienvenido Castro, Task Force Pagari commander.
The President had an interview with newsmen after the briefing and then proceeded to the capitol building for a conference with national, provincial, city and municipal officials.
He emphasized to them that the key to the solution of the nation’s problems is production. He also said he was happy to find that the military, with the cooperation of the civilian authorities, had been able to normalize the situation in the Cotabato and Lanao provinces.
Following his meeting with the civilian officials, the President set sail for Zamboanga City for the continuation of his on-the-spot assessment of the situation in the South.
Transport 50% deadlined.
Met the mayors, electric cooperative seminar delegates, barrio people, govt. [government] workers and leaders. “Security includes not only the military but the economic and social development of the country. The latter is the true foundation for security.”
The true solution to our problems can be stated in one word: “Production.” “If every man, woman or child contributed to the nation some form of production, no matter how modest, we would solve all our problems overnight.”
Then went to Del Monte by car to play golf. Left at 1:00 PM. Arrived there at 1:35 PM. Teed off at 1:50 PM. Finished at 3:35 PM. Returned to the ship at 3:45 PM. Arrived at 4:30 PM. Returned to the ship at 3:45 PM. Arrived at 4:30 PM.
But Imelda had gone to the marketplace and was mobbed by thousands of people who kept asking her to run for president. She attracted more spontaneous attention than we did. Although the people came out into the streets to wave and smile and cry out happy greetings.
This will disturb the presidential hopefuls in Manila.