Phil. Army 76th Anniversary at Fort Bonifacio.
Spoke of the Kamagong concept—the call of the 20 year old trainees to the Kamagong Battalions. This means limitless number of troops.
The Malaysian Ambassador and Military Attache were there. It must have shocked them that we had so many men when several thousand troops were already committed in Mindanao.
Then interview of and briefing by me of Kay’s party (Mrs. Katherine Graham asked me
Official Gazette for March 22, 1973: THE PRESIDENT announced the adoption by the military of the kamagong concept—proven to be very successful in combat operation in Mindanao—as the nucleus of the citizens army envisoned in the new Constitution. The President, in his brief remarks at the 76th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Army at Ft. Bonifacio, Rizal also announced amendments to the Trainee Utilization Law (RA No. 4091). The amendments provide that: 1) A trainee, on completing his basic military instruction, may be drafted into the selective emergency service for a specified period of time; 2) Once drafted, he will be employed in the same manner as any regular enlisted personnel and will be entitled to the same pay and allowances a private receives; and 3) The trainee, upon completion of the prescribed tour of service, will be entitled to one month separation gratuity and given preferential employment in the government service, commensurate with his training, experience and education qualifications. Under the kamagong concept—which revolves around the employment of 20-year old trainees side by side with the regulars in actual military operations—the reservist gets an opportunity to apply the skills he acquires in basic military instruction in the actual field manuever, giving valuable field experience.
CENTRAL BANK announced that it has issued a circular liberalizing extensively its regulations on new foreign investments and repatriation of investment withdrawals, as well as lifting the limitations on remittances of profits and dividends. CB Governor Gregorio Lecaros said this action of the Monetary Board embodied in Circular 365 gives full meaning and effect to the several policy pronouncements of the President extending full support and incentives to foreign investors. It also provides the necessary assurances to American investors who may be affected by the termination of the Laurel–Langley Agreement in 1974. The circular treats separately foreign investments existing as of March 15, 1973, arising from direct inward remittances in cash or in kind, as well as those generated out of reinvestments of peso earnings from original investments, are assured of repatriation in varying degrees depending on whether the enterprise invested in is a) export-oriented, b) BOI-registered and c) others.
DEPARTMENT OF TRADE and Tourism said the Price Control Council is empowered to check the prices of basic consumer commodities excluded from the controlled list if it finds out that their prices become unreasonably high. The DTT made this clarification as it issued the complete lists of items whose maximum price ceilings remain effective and those already removed from the controlled list. The rationale for limiting the scope of price control was to enable a more effective supervision of price control activities that will lead to a greater impact on prices and commodities. Price fixing is being utilized merely as an interim measure, the DTT said, adding that prices can only be reduced or maintained at tolerable levels by expanding production and improving the distribution system. As of March 21, 1973, the commodities under PCC control are rice, wheat flour (hard and soft), meat (some basic cuts), canned fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines in tomato sauce and squib).
THE PRESIDENT expressed gratification over the role of the churches in helping bring about the regeneration and reformation which the government is seeking to institute in this country. The President pointed this out during the call of Archbishop of Canterbury and Mrs. Michael Ramsey. He said that the change the country is seeking is “a change of the heart and spirit” and the churches are best qualified to help bring about the change. Archbishop Ramsey on the other hand thanked the President for the “great interest” shown by the people in his visit, despite the fact that the Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country.
to call her Kay).
They seemed impressed. Even Eliott, Christopher, Maynard Parker and Tony Clifton—the last goes to Mindanao.
The insurgency problem took a good hour and a half—complete with maps.
Then land reform program, labor reform, educational reform, economic reforms and development, government reorganization and social services.
Met the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Private of the Anglican Church. The Old Palace, the school of Imee, Convent of the Holy Child Jesus, at Mayfield used to be his residence. Imee asked me to tell him about it.
IMF [International Monetary Fund].
President Cole of General Motors.
Editor Theh of the Bangkok Post. He is now helping to keep the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] together. And has just come from Mindanao.
Manda [Manuel] Elizalde [Jr.] on Marcopper and the Mountain Tribes whom I want to be
trained against the communists.
The last page of this diary entry is missing.