Test of Bongbong II successful. We recovered the rocket although the nose was smashed in some rocks. We will keep it in our museum.
We now go to the production of 50 to 100 kilometer land to land rockets by the end of the year and 5,000 in three years.
Carballo Island is fitted to be a testing ground. Spent the whole morning there which I reached by helicopter on a 30 minute ride.
Received the report of Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile on his Washington trip. The Defense officials were non-committal on the request for surplus.
Talked to Imelda at about 4:30p.m. She is in London and preparing for her trip to Moscow on Tuesday.
Official Gazette for March 12, 1972: PRESIDENT MARCOS designated the Cabinet members as regional development coordinators and instructed them, whenever necessary, to personally supervise all development program in their respective regions.
The President made the designation when he conferred with them in the morning in order to pursue more vigorously the objectives of the development program and insure equal distribution of economic benefit among the rural areas.
Aside from their supervisory assignment, the President also required the members of his official family to:
1) Submit periodic reports on the progress of development;
2) Appraise him and the cabinet of the situation that may bear watching from a national viewpoint, and on developments deemed crucial to the management of the overall development program; and
3) Be present and to participate in decision-making whenever local leaders from his region confer with the President on matters of regional development.
The secretaries of foreign affairs, finance and justice were directed to give their general support to the program.
Among other things the President designated two individuals as members of the board of the Agricultural Cooperatives Administration, thus completing the board’s membership.
Designated by the President were Fidel Infantado and Candido Guiam, representing farmer-beneficiaries of the Agrarian Reform Program and the minority party, respectively. The two are the only regular members of the board as provided for in the law.
The other members of the Board, who are ex-officio are the under secretary of agrarian reform who will act as chairman, the ACA administrator as vice chairman, and the vice president of the Philippine National Rank in charge of agricultural loans.
Also during the day, the President declared that his administration is channeling new energy into the physical education because he is convinced more than ever that “the future of Philippine athletics is best assured by a program that prizes physical education in addition to academics.”
The President made the declaration in a speech read for him by Secretary of Education Juan L. Manuel, at the opening of the 18th National Private Schools Athletic Association’s meet in Bacolod City in the morning. The rest of the President’s day was devoted to desk work.
No reference to the rockets nor Marcos’ half-day in Carballo island in OG.
Saw the final game between US and Canada on the world softball championship on TV. Canada won on the 11th inning on a home from 3rd.
Am working on the listing of projects.