Official Gazette for June 5, 1973: THE GOVERNMENT’S efforts to develop Manila as another trade hub of international firms in Southeast Asia are being complemented by findings of United States and United Kingdom newspapers showing it as one of the least expensive places in the region. The President, encouraged by these developments, had set the Government machinery in motion to develop Manila into an Asian regional headquarters for foreign business and industrial conglomerates. The move was particularly directed at business companies with main offices in Hongkong, which he said have been affected by Inflation and the devaluation of the American dollar.
THE PRESIDENT assured a high-level delegation of Muslim leaders that the Philippines is exhausting all means to integrate the Filipino Muslim population into the country’s political and economic mainstream. The Chief Executive appealed to the delegation—which was composed of officials of the Muslim World League from Mecca—to cooperate in effecting this social assimilation. The members of the delegation made a courtesy call on the President prior to conducting a fact-finding trip in the south. They specifically asked the President what they can do to strengthen relations between Christians and Muslims in the country.
THE PRESIDENT approved 10-day no-visa visits for Hongkong businessmen and tourists in line with the relaxation of travel requirements for visitors from the Crown Colony. The Chief Executive announced the new travel incentives during a courtesy call of officers and members of the Hongkong Association of Travel Agents (HATA) in Malacañang. The President also directed Immigration Commissioner Edmundo Reyes to extend from 72 hours to 10 days the stay of Hongkong investors and stockbrokers without visa.
THE PHILIPPINES is going to tie up its tourism development programs with those of other Asian countries in order to boost local promotion plans. The Government’s new approach to local tourism development which will be mutually advantageous to the Philippines and her Asian neighbors, was announced by Secretary of Tourism Jose D. Aspiras as he welcomed members of the Hongkong Association of Travel Agents who are in Manila for their second annual convention at the Manila Hilton. The head of the newly formed tourism department said that by working closely with the successful promotional schemes of its Asian neighbors, the Philippines will be able to accelerate the growth of its tourism industry.
THE PRESIDENT stressed that the preservation of the environment is now one of the major concerns of the Government. The Chief Executive issued Proclamation No. 1149 declaring June 5 of every year a World Environment Day. Underlining the importance of the occasion, the President called on all Filipinos, especially government officials and employes, to observe the day with activities reaffirming their concern for the preservation, improvement and beautification of the environment.
PHILIPPINE Medical Care Commission has prepared new medicare application forms intended to lessen requirements for documentation and to facilitate processing. Dr. Pacifico E. Marcos, PMCC chairman, said that starting July 1 all claims for medicare benefits and payments should be made on the new forms. This is the second time that the medicare claim forms were revised since the Medicare Program was implemented in April, 1972. The forms can be obtained by hospitals, medicare members and employers from the medicare department of the Government Service Insurance System, the Social Security System, and the PMCC.
DEPARTMENT of Agriculture and Natural Resources has announced that importations of gamebirds or fighting cocks are now totally banned while those of race horses will be phased out within four years. Acting Agriculture Secretary Jose D. Drilon said the ban will take effect on July 1, based on the recommendation submitted by Director Pedro G. Refuerzo of the Bureau of Animal Industry. Director Refuerzo said that the average importation of gamebirds totalled 3,980 heads per year for the last 12 years, causing a heavy drain on the foreign exchange reserves. The average importation of horses in the last 12 years totalled 149 heads a year, the director said. The phase-out will limit importation to 100 for the first year, to be gradually decreased by 25 heads every year.
THE GOVERNMENT has collected a total of P3.4 billion in revenue for the first 10 months of Fiscal Year 1972-73. This increase in the re venue collection is 41.44 per cent more than that of the same period in FY 1971-72. Commissioner Misael P. Vera said that the P3, 448,543,725 collection do not include collections through customs during the first 10 months from July, 1972 to April 1973. The net amount that went to the national government for the 10-month period under review totalled P2, 458,137,177, or an increase of 52.98 per cent over the same period during FY 1971-72. Mr. Vera attributed the continuing increase in collection to extensive collection and tax information campaign launched by the Government with emphasis on the tax amnesty decrees and the filing of
Imelda and I, after we received the Hongkong Association of Travel Agents, talked to Father Horacio de la Costa, the Jesuit Historian, to participate in a Commission to unite the history of the Philippines. He saw the Presidential library and the Maharlika which we refer to as the Big Antique.
income tax returns.
THE PRESIDENT has formed a special committee to coordinate and integrate a systematic development of the Export Processing Zone in Mariveles, Bataan. The Chief Executive said the integration of the projects would provide better planning in laying out an industrial complex based on the various firms revelance and utility. Circular No. 635, which created the special committee, notes that development projects undertaken by both the Government and the private sector around the zone have been programmed independently of each other. The Secretary of the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications will act as committee chairman, with the secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources as vice chairman.
DEPARTMENT of Tourism will adopt a seven-point program envisioned to develop the country’s potential tourists spots, to intensify promotions of both domestic and foreign tourism and to liberalize entry equipments for foreign tourists. Tourism Secretary Jose D. Aspiras outlined the guideline during the radio-television broadcast of “Pulong-pulong sa Kaunlaran.” It includes: 1) The physical development aspects of tourism with a view to preparing the country to receive more tourists. 2) The participation of private enterprise in the development program with the assistance and encouragement of the tourism department. 3) A sustained and massive foreign promotion program through more information offices abroad. 4) Professionalism in the rank and file of the tourism department. 5) Technical and financial assistance for the private sector, including in the field of investments and the drafting of rigid standards to ensure high quality service and ethical business practices. 6) The promotion of domestic tourism simultaneously with foreign tourism. 7) The further liberalization of entry requirements for tourists.
THE GOVERNMENT is endorsing a month-long fair depicting the country’s economic, political and social progress. The fair will be sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines in conjunction with the trade chamber’s 70th anniversary celebration this year. The proposed industrial and commercial fair will be held in December at the Quirino Grandstand (Luneta) and will involve various government agencies headed by the Department of Trade. Secretary of Trade Troadio T. Quiazon Jr. endorsed the project because it will accentuate the partnership between the Government and private sector for national progress.
THE PHILIPPINES is extending $5,000 relief assistance to six African countries now facing famine. The President, expressing concern over the emergency situation, instructed Secretary of Foreign Affairs Carlos P. Romulo to wire the Philippine Mission in the United Nations to pledge the cash assistance for the African countries. The six African countries threatened with famine are Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Upper Volta—all located in the Sudano-Sahelian region of Africa. The Philippine donation was made in response to the urgent appeal of the secretary-general of the United Nations.
SHARES of stocks sold outside the Philippines need not be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC issued this ruling in connection with the sale of $15 million worth of 328,005 shares of stocks by the Marinduque Mining and Industrial Corporation (MMIC), a Philippine firm, to the International Financing Corporation, an affiliate of the World Bank. The question of the issuance and sale of notes by the MMIC to the IFC was referred to the SEC by the Bancom Development Corporation. From facts gathered from the SEC, it appears that the MMIC has entered into an investment agreement with the IFC in Washington D.C., on December 16, 1971. One of the conditions imposed by the IFC under the investment plan was that MMIC will have to file with the SEC in Manila MMIC’s registration statement under the Philippine Securities Act. Under the SEC ruling, no registration statement is required to be filed with the SEC and that the IFC may dispose of any or all the debentures or warrant shares provided the sale is done outside the Philippines.
THE COUNTRY’S Masagana 99 rice production program received an allocation of P77.5 million from US Agency for International Development (AID) for the financing of farmers’ fertilizers, seeds and pesticides. The agreement was signed by Director General Gerardo P. Sicat of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and Mr. Thomas C. Niblock, director general of USAID in the Philippines. Farmers involved in the Masagana 99 program in 43 provinces may use the fund to finance requirements for fertilizers, seeds, pesticides and other agricultural inputs. The amount of P40 million was authorized to be released immediately.
The writing of a scholarly Philippine history is most urgent.
I have called all the generals and ranking colonels of the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] to a conference and dinner tomorrow at 7:00 PM at the Heroes Hall on the arrogance and demand of the Malaysians for the Philippines to withdraw its claim to Sabah.
The position of the Malaysians is most humiliating to the Philippines. They deny their participation in the aggression of foreign troops and foreign trained troops and armaments, but they claim that if the Sabah claim is withdrawn then this would help defuse the situation.
It is now necessary to inform the military of the developments which may bring about a confrontation in the future with Malaysia.
I intend to keep the military in the background but informed of the reasons for the policies and their implementation.
It may be necessary to allow the newspapers to set up their own newsprint factory. The Daily Express spends P2 million a month, the Bulletin probably spends about a half of this and The Times Journal about P400,000. Newsprint constitutes 62% of newspaper expenses.
And newsprint manufacture is an essential part of the media which is supposed to be owned a hundred percent by Filipinos.