Official Gazette for March 15, 1972: PRESIDENT MARCOS started his day with a breakfast with visiting U.S. publisher William Randolph Hearst, Jr., owner of the Hearst chain of newspapers in the United States, who called to pay his respects to the President.
With Hearst were three journalists, Robert Bernard Considine, Joseph Kingsburry Smith, and Robert E. Thompson.
Then, the President presided over a conference with Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata, Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr., Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Manuel Collantes on the finalization of the programming of the $65 million Japanese Commodity and Project loans.
Later in the day, the President received Japanese Ambassador Toshio Urabe who accompanied the two Japanese doctors conducting research on malaria and other tropical diseases in Palawan. The doctors came to apologize for the unauthorized acquisition of a deadly specie of mosquito which they brought to Palawan that had been reported to have broken loose and caused a widespread alarm.
During his meeting with the Japanese doctors—Drs. Daisuhe Katamine, director of the Institute of Tropical Medicine of Nagasaki University and Toshio Nakabayashi, team leader, the President asked the Japanese government to extend all necessary cooperation to the Philippine government in the control of malaria and schistosomiasis japonensis.
The President told the Japanese medics that he was particularly interested in seeking cooperation on two projects, namely, the research on malaria control being conducted in Manila and all over the country, and the control of schistosomiasis japonensis projects in Manila and Palo, Leyte.
Upon the request of the President, Ambassador Urabe directed the Japanese doctors to confer and cooperate with Acting Secretary of Health Clemente S. Gatmaitan. He also informed the President that he will informed his government on the outcome of their meeting.
Also present at the meeting were Secretary Manuel Collantes and Philippine Ambassador to Japan Roberto Benedicto.
Following the meeting, the President motored to the Makati Medical Center, where he looked in on the condition of Secretary of Foreign Affairs Carlos P. Romulo who is recuperating from injuries indicted on him when his car was bumped by a freight truck.
The President was accompanied by U.S. publisher William Randolph Hearst and the three other visiting journalists.
From the Makati Medical Center, the President motored back to the Palace where he immediately buckled down to desk work.
In the course of desk work, the President certified to Congress the urgency of enacting House Bill No. 4200, which seeks to authorize the undertaking of long-range educational development projects.
In certifying the Will which was introduced by Rep. Frisco San Juan, the President emphasized that the recently concluded Presidential Survey of Philippine Education had asked for “new patterns, new directions.”
He added that the ten-year education development program is, therefore, “a piece of social legislation in answer to the needs of our times and people.”
Also during the day, the President ordered an all-out drive against price manipulators and hoarders of consumer goods, particularly prime commodities, which he said had caused the unnecessary spiralling of prices.
He at the same time instructed the Secretary of Commerce and Industry to speed up the formation of consumers and marketing cooperatives, as a long-range campaign against the profiteering activities of unscrupulous businessmen.
In the order which he sent to the Secretary of Commerce and Industry, the Chairman of the Price Control Council and the Chief of the Constabulary, the President directed the three officials to report on artificial hiking of prices, and to trace its causes.
The President ordered the three agencies to pursue criminal action against both local and foreign businessmen responsible for the artificial and undue increase in prices.
He also instructed them that all agents of the three agencies concerned be fielded to conduct a continuous check on prices, in addition to the regular surveys and told them to coordinate efforts with the local price control groups, under the local governments.
It is my feeling that the Nationalist China will threaten to give naval bases to Russia as a matter of self-preservation if the U.S. rescinds the Mutual Defense Pact. This is a matter for survival of Taiwan. Otherwise it becomes a province of Red China and a threat to the Philippines as well as to the other Southeast Asian countries.
So the visit of Imelda to Moscow could be interpreted as some kind of a similar veiled threat on the part of the Philippines. But there was no such intention on my part. However, since it is there and it redounds to the national interest I have let this idea percolate. The U.S. will probably now agree to help us strengthen our defenses.
Imelda reached Moscow by Aeroflot at about 4:00 PM Moscow time which would be about 12:00 AM [sic] London time and about 9:00 PM Manila time.
Temperature is 9 below 0
I have been asked how soon the Vietcong would take over South Vietnam after the complete withdrawal of American troops. My answer is if the U.S. could cut down by 50% the aid in military equipment to the Vietcong, then they would not be able to overwhelm the South Vietnamese.
The Japanese arc also interested in the safety of Taiwan or Formosa. But Sato does not favor an independent Taiwan under the Taiwanese.
Right now the Red Chinese are not capable of mounting an amphibious assault on Taiwan or the Philippines. But in a period of anywhere from ten to twenty years. Everybody seems to be working for time.
The Japanese malarial experts came to apologize for the Palawan mosquito incident and again assured me that no mosquitoes escaped,
I asked the Japanese government to help work on malaria and schistosomiasis research and control.
Talked to Imelda by telephone at about 10:30 AM on the circuit through Japan. Clear like the phone next room.
She was cautious but optimistic. She had seen the Bolshoi Ballet (Swan Lake) last night. She is being treated very well.
She says most of the women she has met are stout as barrels.