Official Gazette for May 20, 1971: President Marcos issued a proclamation calling Congress to a special session beginning June 14. Earlier in the day, the President certified to Congress House Bill No. 3609, transferring the site for the inaugural meeting of the Constitutional Convention from the Congress building to the Manila Hotel.
The President certified the bill upon the request of the Inaugural Committee of the Constitutional Convention, members of which called on him to invite him to attend the inaugural ceremonies. The members of the Inaugural Committee informed the President that during their pre-convention meeting on April 21, Manila Hotel was made the overwhelming choice for the site of the inauguration. They said that with 320 members, the Hall of the House of Representatives would be too small for all the delegates. The Manila Hotel, they said, is spacious enough to contain even more guests than already invited.
Those who called on the President were Delegates Cicero Calderon, inaugural committee chairman; Felino Neri, Rev. Pacifico Ortiz, Eriberto Misa, Antonio Raquiza and Heherson Alvarez. The President called Congress to a special session upon recommendation of the leaders of Congress in order to take up several vital measures pending before both Chambers of the legislative body. He summoned Congress to a special session for a period not exceeding 30 days starting June 14, in response to the request of Congress leaders to give them at least two weeks after adjournment of the regular session, within which to iron out their differences on some of the bills.
In his proclamation, the President listed down four bills for inclusion in the agenda of the special session, namely:
House Bill No. 3343—
AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES DURING THE PERIOD FROM JULY FIRST, NINETEEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-ONE TO JUNE THIRTIETH, NINETEEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-TWO AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES:
SENATE BILL No. 184—
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR ELECTORAL REFORMS. AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE CERTAIN SEC TIONS OF THE REVISED ELECTION CODE AND INSERTING NEW SECTIONS THEREIN. AND AMENDING FURTHER REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-EIGHT, AS AMENDED;
HOUSE BILL No. 1919—
NEW ELECTION CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES;
SENATE BILL No. 478-
AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED
HOUSE BILL No. 3453
THIRTY-EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE AGRICULTURAL LAND REFORM CODE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Earlier in the morning, the President received the credentials of the Italian envoy. Ambassador Luigi Martelli, at ceremonies in Malacañang. Immediately after the rites, the President sat down with Secretary of Foreign Affairs Carlos P. Romulo who reported on the SEATO ministers meeting in London, and the meeting he called in Madrid of Philippine envoys in Europe.
Shortly afterward, the President again sat down for a conference with USAID Assistant Director Roderick O’Connor. They discussed future uses of USAID assistance, in such areas of development as electrification and such problem areas as population control. Also present at the conference were Secretary Romulo, Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr. and NEC Chairman Gerardo Sicat.
In the afternoon, the President had time to work extensively at his desk, during which he issued a proclamation calling Congress to a special session. The President knocked off only for a meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State Marshal Green. With the US official was Frank Shakespeare, USIS director. They were accompanied by US Ambassador Henry Byroade.
In the evening, the President and the First Lady, Imelda R. Marcos, were hosts at a dinner honoring the visiting US envoys in Asia, who had gathered in Manila for a conference
I write this after the dinner given by us for the American ambassadors in Asia who have just finished their annual conference in Baguio. I am waiting for Imelda to go to the traditional dinner given by the congressmen at Savoy at the end of the regular session.
During the dinner, I offered a toast to President [Richard] Nixon and the good Samaritans.
“Americans are good at the exercise of self-flagellation as they call the U.S. the ‘cop of the world.’ Actually you could not be a good cop as you are too generous. Rather than a cop, you have been good Samaritans. After the second world war, you were the only nuclear power and yet you refused to use it to dominate the world. You gave your substance to save France (now your good friend) and other countries of Europe under the Marshall Aid Plan. Under the [Harry] Truman doctrine you saved Greece. You also saved Korea. These are few of the instances that history will record to substantiate my observation of the Good Samaritans.
“So let us drink a toast to the Good Samaritans and their leader, President Richard Nixon.”
We attended the Savoy affair of the House at 12:30 PM.