12:00 PM
After the dinner for
Admiral and Mrs. Noel Gayler June 7, 1973
No Official Gazette entry for this day.
Official Gazette for June 7, 1973: DEPARTMENT of Finance need not review a local tax ordinance which, due to its oppressive or confiscatory nature, has-been declared invalid by a provincial board. Justice Secretary Vicente Abad Santos issued the ruling in answer to a legal query posed by the Finance Department Secretary Abad Santos said the secretary of finance may no longer review the ordinance to suspend it in whole or in part if the tax rates imposed are found to be “unjust, excessive, oppresive, confiscatory or contrary to national economic policy.” The authority to review such oppressive tax ordinances was given to the secretary of finance through Presidential Decree No. 143.
REPRESENTATIVES of the French-German industrialist called on the President at Malacañang to report their participation in the Philippines’ economic development which is the setting up of a P27 million hydrogen peroxide plant in Valenzuela, Bulacan. The consortium representatives said that the plant, which started operations last May 25, has already received an order for 100 tons of hydrogen peroxide from Taiwan. Claimed to be the most modern and the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, the hydrogen peroxide plant will mean savings of $1 million annually in terms of hydrogen peroxide importation. Local production of hydrogen peroxide is considered a boom to local industries, particularly the textile and pulp paper industries, which use this product.
THE GOVERNMENT has collected a total of P8, 623, 023, 91 in the form of deficiency taxes on contraband items last month. This was reported by Gen. Pelagio A. Cruz, chairman of the Anti-Smuggling Action Center (ASAC) to Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata. Topping last month’s collection covered forest charges, fines and other fees in the illegal traffic of logs amounting to P6, 711,914.47. Confiscated blue seal cigarettes totalling 6,428 cartons amounted to P64, 287. Other items apprehended included dried marijuana and crude opium valued at P9, 700. Gen. Cruz reported that the accomplishments for May had exceeded that of April which was P3, 108,332.80. The ASAC chief attributed the increased collections to the hiked informers’ rewards given by the Government.
THE GOVERNMENT launched a nation-wide campaign against mislabelling of consumer items and violations of the Price Tag Law. Secretary of Trade Troadio T. Quiazon, Jr. mobilized the Fair Trade Board, Price Control Council, Bureau of Commerce and Constabulary troopers detailed with the trade department in the two-pronged drive. In this connection, the Fair Trade Board gave six business establishments found dealing in fake Gold Toe socks five days to show cause why they should not be held for violation of the law on mislabelling. Secretary Quiazon also ordered the apprehension of rice and corn retailers who do not attach price tags on their cereals and those who sell beyond the price fixed by the Price Control Board.
BUREAU of Public Highways has started construction work on the second phase of the Manila-Cavite coastal road aspect of the massive Manila Bay reclamation project. The President was informed by BPH Commissioner Baltazar Aquino that the Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines, which submitted the lowest bid during the recent bidding for this phase, has begun ground work some 300 meters away from the Cultural Center. The President, in Letter of Instructions No. 85, stressed that paramount importance must be given to this project that “even existing contracts that might be affected must give way” to its realization. The Manila Bay project calls for the extension of the southern terminus of Roxas boulevard up to Cavite City and its northern end up to Orani, Bataan. It also involves the reclamation of the foreshore and submerged land about 1, 000 meters wide to be developed into residential, commercial and industrial areas with tourist and recreation centers. The President said the project will solve the urgent transportation need of the Manila Bay region and promote the dispersal of population and activities from Metropolitan Manila.
SEVERAL importers and businessmen from Honolulu, Hawaii, are interested in buying a wide range of Philippine products. The new list of trade opportunities from Hawaii was transmitted recently to the Department of Trade by Hawaiian Philippine trade representatives. Secretary of Trade Troadio T. Quiazon Jr. who released the names of the Hawaiian business firms, said Hawaiian importers were interested in buying a wide range of Philippine products. These products include building materials, kapiz shells, woodcarvings, wood furniture, handicrafts, handbags, custom jewelry, painting exports, lumber products, shoes, slippers, rubber shoes, and chemical products. Secretary
and son Christopher at the Thursday
State Dining Room.
Wednesday I spent on the problem of negotiations with the Malaysians on the conflict in the south which involves Sabah.
The morning I dedicated to reviewing the situation and the documents as well as dictating the briefing for the military (generals and colonels) whom I met from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM and the Foreign Policy Council whom I had invited at 8:30 PM. I had dinner with all of them at the Heroes Hall. I attach the briefing papers.
After asking Ex-Vice Pres. And Sen. [Emmanuel] Pelaez to submit his report (which I attach and which he read) I asked the observations of Sec. [Carlos] Romulo, Pres. [Diosdado] Macapagal, Ex Sen. Pres. [Gil] Puyat, Speaker [Cornelio] Villareal.
Then I decided.
- Since it was the Philippines that asked for the negotiations to gain time, we have already benefited from it because the threat to publicly expose the Malaysian intervention stopped the flow of arms, thus leaving us free to liquidate the insurgency which was not resupplied from Sabah.
- And so we must continue the negotiations so we can gain more time.
- But we should keep the negotiations going until September during which period we should liquidate the insurgency.
- We should study how we can adopt the suggestion of Ex-Pres. Macapagal which, of course, I have originally proposed that we tell the Malaysians that we will withdraw the claim to Sabah if it will become an independent state. This, of course, the Malaysians will not like.
- By all means we should keep Indonesia on our side because if Indonesia starts supporting the Muslim rebels we would really be in trouble.
So since she is interested in playing mediator we should encourage her to do so.
Ex-Vice Pres. Pelaez will go to Indonesia to confer with Minister [Adam] Malik.
I noted the interest with which the generals and colonels listened to the documents
Quiazon said that interested parties may get the list of trade opportunities from the Department of Trade.
SOME 2,600 farm management technicians in 36 provinces have been retained on modern rice technology by four mobile teams of the National Food and Agriculture Council. The farm management technicians underwent two-day seminars on Masagana, 99 rice program which include the 16 steps on Masagana 99 rice culture. These included land preparation; seedbed preparation, plowing and harrowing; control of leaf hoppers; fertilizer management; weed control; and pesticide application. The teams are expected to cover 43 pilot provinces involved in the Masagana 99 intensified rice program by the end of this month.
involving Raschid Lucman and Ex Sen. Domocao Alonto in the training of the insurgents in Malaysia and Sabah, as well as the aid from Col. [Muammar] Kaddafi, Tungku Abdul Rahman and Tun Mustapha.
Then the Letter of Credit guarranteed [sic] by Col. Kadaffi, opened against a California Bank, in favor of men of Larry Tractman.
Today I spent working on the Veterans economic arm, the Commission on Elections for the referendum next July, the public works program and the rice problem.
The KBS [Kanlaon Broadcasting System] station at Roxas Blvd. completely burned last night. They will have to lease the ABS-CBN premises.
The Mutual Defense Board met this noon at the Luna Hall in the Dept. of Foreign Affairs. I took advantage of the presence of Admiral [Noel] Gayler, the CINCPAC [Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet] to give them (he and Mrs. Gayler and son Christopher) dinner.