We had just given a dinner and the Award of the Golden Heart at the Maharlika Hall to Gen. Charles Lindbergh for his passionate dedication to the conservation of wildlife and in the Philippines.
“If the airplane meant the death of the swallow, he would have preferred that the airplane
Official Gazette for May 14, 1971: President Marcos resumed work at his study after a three-day absence from Malacañang, during which he visited Cagayan Valley where he assessed the progress of on-going projects and conferred with local officials on their problems.
After a spell of work at his desk, he received Gen. Shim Heung-Sun, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea, who called to pay his respects. The visiting Korean top brass was accompanied by Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Se Ryun Kim. Later at formal ceremonies, the President conferred the Legion of Honor (rank of commander) on Gen. Shim, for signal services in promoting and enhancing the friendship between the Philippines and his country, and for his contributions to the security of the Asian region. At the ceremonies were top brass of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. After the rites, the President took advantage of the presence of the military leaders of the country to discuss current problems of defense, and to get a briefing on the peace and order situation.
In the afternoon, the President again worked at his desk, and received a few more private visitors. Then he motored to the Hotel Intercontinental where he addressed a gathering of 4-H Club members. In his speech, the President lauded the 4-H Club for “paving the way for the Green Revolution.” The President said that so long as there are young men and women like the 4-H Club members, who believe there is need for reform and look forward to reforms, and who believe in bringing about reforms without violence, those reforms can be obtained peacefully.
In the evening, the President conferred the Order of the Golden Heart on Gen. Charles A. Lindbergh “for his persevering concern regarding the kind of impact civilization makes on the quality of all forms of life on earth—human life, and other life as well.” The award was presented to the world renowned aviator, humanist and conservationist at a formal dinner tendered by the President and the First Lady. Imelda R. Marcos, in Malacañang.
Lindbergh was cited for, among others, his personal commitment in dramatizing the urgent need for concentrated efforts to preserve the tamaraw, the monkey-eating eagle, the green sea turtle and other dwindling species of Philippine wildlife from extinction, as well as for generating international support of Philippine conservation efforts in the form of field laboratory equipment and other facilities.
had never been invented at all,” Lindbergh said notwithstanding his intimate participation in the history of a nation.
I also said:
“He has made it a port of his life as modern technology threatens to destroy nature, to speak for the ecological balance.
“For if wildlife and nature cannot survive, neither can man survive.
“And to him conservation merely means that as man progresses, wildlife and the wilderness can survive.
“In all countries modern technology symbolizes progress and it needs a stout heart indeed to speak out against it as an evil. But this he has done when necessary.
“It is said that the test of courage is a double test, that of physical courage and spiritual courage.
“This test our awardee has passed well.”
Imelda and I also attended the 4-H Club rally at the Intercontinental. Imelda spoke of the Green Revolution as having been presaged by the 4-H Clubs.
I spoke of reform through peaceful means as against reform by revolution as espoused by the communists.
Ambassador [Henry] Byroade has asked that the matter of nuclear arms in the American bases in the Philippines be acted on at the highest possible level—meaning my level—and not at the level of the technical panels now meeting on the Military Bases Agreement.
He also said that the 155 tubes of our artillery have not been fired at the required rate of 100 rds. (training) per tube; that we have stored training ammunition at the risk of their spoiling from overage; that we have only one artillery company when we should have three for our 155’s.
We awarded the Legion of Honor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Korea this morning.
We have decided to get all the nine second hand planes (Fokker) of PAL [Philippine Air Lines] for the Airforce, one for the CAA [Civil Aeronautics Administration] and one for the PNB [Philippine National Bank]—all at the cost of P31 million including spare parts. Since there are no funds, I have asked the PAL through Mr. [Rafael] Ygoa to borrow money from PNB with them paying the interest. Our government will pay a downpayment of P5 million and assume the obligation of paying the PNB loan over a period of several years.
The Post Office also owes PAL P21 million for mail service.
Incidentally the Airforce needs the planes as its 37 DC-3’s are immobilized and non-operational except for 7 and out of this only 4 are dependable.
So the air-lift capability of the Air Force is almost nil today.
At the same time I have asked Gen. [Jesus] Singson of the Air Force to order one jet F-28 for future procurement.
We are getting one YS-H through reparations from Japan for CAA.
The AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] is preparing for the opening of the Constitutional Convention on June 1, 1971. They expect some disorders from then on.