Speaker Laurel is cocky that he will be able to settle the rebellion that has started in the NP [Nacionalista Party] ranks of the House. Even [Jose] Joe Aldeguer was not too agitated. He was more interested in my supporting his candidate for governor, Board Member Hever Catalan and my giving the incumbent governor of Iloilo a job.
But I talked to the neophytes led by [Jose] June Leido [Jr.], [Antonio] Tony Diaz, Gaudencio Beduya, Paco Reyes, [Jose] Joe Aspiras, [Felipe] Almazan, [Rodolfo] Albano and the rest. And they seemed bent on a reorganization of the House to improve the image of the House.
They also asked a public accounting of House funds and a definition of the policy with respect to Cepo.
Joe Aldeguer gives a dinner tonight then lunch tomorrow to patch up things. The principal purpose is to prepare the House budget.
We are setting up a Situations Room at the 5th floor of the Administration Building (POCC Operations Room). It will monitor the status of the various programs.
I attach a DMS [Development Management Staff] brief on this.
Tomorrow we expect a demonstration on high prices. I attach the intelligence evaluation report.
PRESIDENT MARCOS received only one group of callers in the morning but he summoned some officials for meetings. Mostly, he concentrated on his desk work, among others forwarding two more nominations to public posts to the Commission on Appointments.
Nominated were Norberto C. Maramba, as municipal judge of Cabatuan, Isabela; and Constancio H. Alimagno, Sr., as auxiliary municipal judge of Calamba, Laguna.
Later, the President conferred with Reps. Mohammad AH Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte and Macacuna Dimaporo of Lanao del Sur and other local officials of Lanao on local matters.
Others in the group included Provincial Board Members Vicente L. Jariol and Datu Mitoon Bitoon Ampang of Lanao del Norte, and Mayor Masiw Manalocan of Piagapo, Lanao del Sur.
The President devoted the rest of his working hours in the afternoon to official papers.
In the evening, the President was guest of honor at the induction of officers of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP), held at the Sulo Restaurant in Makati, Rizal.
In his speech, the President stressed that the important goal of the tourism promotion program of the country should be the correction of the distorted image of the Philippines abroad through the encouragement of tourist visits here, who shall then “discover us for what we really are.”
The President said that the country’s stakes in tourism include the shaping of the Filipino image abroad as well as the increase of foreign exchange earnings which are urgently needed for the country’s development.
The country, he said, need the help and understanding of those who are in a position to help shape the image of the country abroad, an image presently shaped generally, “unfairly or fairly, by what is written about us.”
I have asked the Dept. of Health to prepare a medical plan before the Medicare program is implemented with the aid of the private sector. I attach the Secretary’s report.
Smuggling in Northern Luzon is starting. I attach the intelligence report on this.
I attach the report of Sec. Cesar Virata on the findings of the Presidential Oil Commission.
I attach a copy of the Priority New Program and the On-Going Programs. This is a check list on what I have to do.
I also attach the anniversary supplement of GR—Government Report.
Attached is the statement of Sec. [Carlos] Romulo on the [Benigno] Aquino [Jr.] charges on Sabah.
And attached is the Solicitor General’s answer before the Supreme Court on the veto case.
Sec. Romulo reports the take-over by the Army Generals in Argentina from Pres. Roberto Livingstone.