Written at 7:00 PM
May 30th
May 30, 1973
Official Gazette for May 29, 1973: THE PRESIDENT assured that there will be no school crisis this year. “My orders are strict, no child should be refused attendance in the public schools, especially in the lower grades,” the President stressed at the “Pulong-pulong sa Kaunlaran” radio-television program. At the same time, the President ordered Secretary of Education and Culture Juan Manuel to look into the reported jacking up of school supplies prices Secretary Manuel admitted that “there seems to be an indication that the prices have gone up.” However, he added, the Price Control Council has pegged prices of these items. The education secretary warned that if storeowners do not abide by these established prices, “they are subject to disciplinary action.”
THE PRESIDENT directed the Commission on Elections to prepare the list of new voters and members of the citizen’s assemblies. At the same time, the Chief Executive paved the way for the implementation of the new Constitution when he inducted into office the newly-named Comelec chairman and the six members of the nine-man electoral body. The President said that since the new Constitution lowers the voting age from 21 to 18 years and since citizens from 15 years old have been allowed to participate in the citizen’s assemblies, the immediate task of the Comelec now is to prepare a new list of voters and members of the citizen’s assemblies.
DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare has intensified its seminar-workshop program on regional level to pave the way for the implementation of a day-care project that would provide pre-school education and supplemental milk feeding to some 18 million indigent children throughout the country. The DSW had just concluded a seminar-workshop on responsible parenthood and on the social development of pre-school children for day-care workers of the department’s Region IV, covering Southern Luzon. DSW Secretary Estefania Aldaba-Lim, in a speech delivered during the seminar’s closing ceremonies, stressed the significance of the day-care program in that it would assure the country of useful citizens in the coming generations.
THE PHILIPPINES has proposed a list of some 80 export products which can be exported to Indonesia in volumes quantities as the two countries further explore trade possibilities. The list was submitted to the Indonesian embassy here. The export products range from building materials to fertilizers and food preserves. Secretary of Trade Troadio T. Quiazon Jr. said the Department of Trade submitted the list following a conference with Mr. B. S. Kusumonegoro, minister counselor of the Indonesian embassy, which discussed ways of improving trade between the two countries. Indonesia and the Philippines will also review the implementation of the various economic agreements between the two countries through the Joint Philippine-Indonesian Commission.
DEMOLITION crews from the Bureau of Public Highways and the City Engineer’s Office of Manila will tear down traffic islands along three major thoroughfares in the city. Work has to be made in the evening so as not to interfere with the smooth flow of traffic. This was agreed upon during a meeting of the district engineers of South and North Manila and the city engineer and their staff at the office of Highways Commissioner Baltazar Aquino. The three main roads where demolition work will be made are Rizal avenue (from Claro M. Recto to Carriedo); España Blvd. (Quezon boundary to Lerma); and Magsaysay blvd. (from west approach of the overpass to the Carriedo Fountain).
GOVERNMENT Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS) announced that all Medicare members who have been hospitalized will be provided with a copy of their statement of payments from the health insurance funds made to the hospitals, doctors and drugstores for services rendered. The Philippine Medical Care Commission has recommended this arrangement to keep members posted on the balances of their benefits and those of their legal dependents. The statement of payments will indicate the exact payments made on the member’s behalf by the medicare program.
Official Gazette for May 30, 1973: THE PRESIDENT issued a decree amending the Judiciary Act of 1948 by relocating the permanent stations of district judges to strategically-located cities and capital towns to improve the efficient administration of justice. The new decree aims to make permanent stations of district judges more accessible to the people by amending Section 52 of Republic Act No. 296. Issued upon the recommendation of Justice Secretary Vicente Abad Santos, the decree seeks to amend the present problem of ineffective district courts which: had been established in certain municipalities which lack facilities for holding court.
THE GOVERNMENT approved the exportation of $2-million worth of buri fibers to the People’s Republic of
Tuesday night was an informed driver on board the 77 for Pat Killen, head of UPI [United Press International] in the Philippines who, after six years, is going to Chicago and Vic Maliwanag will now head the UPI.
Nice pleasant evening with Pilita Corrales and Amado singing. Imelda sung [sic] after our prima donna, the bel canto from La Scala, Milan, Italy sung from Lui, Turandot, Neapolitan and Madame Butterfly. She is Wilma Bernocchi.
Went to bed at 2:00 this morning.
I have reorganized the Commission on Elections and decided to call a referendum earlier than November (perhaps in July or August—before any rice crisis).
This will require my meeting with the government leaders soon.
We spent the day in Talaga Bay and coming back at about 12:00 AM [sic] to catch her plane at 3:00 PM.
China. The one million kilos buri fibers (buntal) exports, the first since 1966 and the biggest over recorded in the industry, was approved by Secretary of Trade Troadio T. Quiazon Jr., who has been designated by the President his sole-representative to- pass upon applications to export the fibers. The exportation is expected to encourage the production of the local fibers and harness to the full the foreign exchange earning capacity of this sector.
SECRETARY of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile ordered the Coast Guard to work out measures designed to effect close coordination between transport companies and rice merchants in order to expedite delivery of rice and other prime products to the Visayas and Mindanao regions. The defense chief issued the directive following a meeting with representatives of local shipping companies and trucking firms at Camp Aguinaldo. The defense chief was assured by the transport officials that the shipments of cereal and other foodstuff will be given priority so that the flow would be free and uninterrupted. Secretary Enrile directed the Coast Guard to strictly enforce his orders and to see to it that priority is given by transport companies in the shipment of rice, corn and other foodstuffs.
THE PRESIDENT has ordered a study on ways of setting up a center for Islamic studies in the University of the Philippines and has also directed the extension of authority for the use of Arabic as medium of instruction in schools and areas where its use is permissible. The President’s directives were embodied in two Letters of Instructions he issued, one to UP President Salvador P. Lopez and the other to Secretary of Education and Culture Juan L. Manuel. The President stressed that “it is recognized that much of Philippine culture is Islamic in character and influence,” and that “Philippine history cannot be written and studied in its full dimension and depth without an examination and appraisal of our past and present relations with the Islamic world, in-corn and other foodstuff.
DEPARTMENT of Finance reminded real property owners that they have only up to June 30, 1973, to file the sworn statement on the true value of their real property pursuant to President Decree No. 76. Real property owners were asked to note that under the decree, the current and fair market value was defined to mean the “price at which seller would sell and a willing buyer would buy, neither being under abnormal pressure.” Finance Secretary Cesar S. A. Virata clarified that fruit trees and bamboo plants are exempt from real property taxes unless the land where these are grown is principally planted to such growth for commercial purposes. All provincial and city assessors were directed not to compel real property owners to appear personally for purposes of declaring under oath their sworn statement.
SECRETARY Jose Roño of the Department of Local Governments and Community Development announced that a massive financing scheme has been evolved for the small fishermen as part of the Government’s campaign to make the country self-sufficient in foodstuff. He stated this in a conference with officers of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Cooperatives, Inc. During the meeting, Secretary Roño also assured the fishermen that the Government, will extend to them all the help they need to uplift, the living standard of small fishermen all over the country.
In the May 28th issue of the Newsweek Mochtar Lubis, Editor and Publisher of Indonesia Raya writes of the Mindanao and Sulu fighting in the article. The alternative is frightening.
Generally balanced but he commits certain mistakes:
- He writes “Some time ago, Manila came to suspect strongly that Sabah was giving the Muslim rebels in Sulu both arms and training. At one time, in fact, it looked as if Manila were [sic] ready to denounce Kuala Lumpur publicly for helping the rebels. Ultimately, however, caution prevailed in Manila—to the extent that recently Philippine Foreign Minister Carlos Romulo officially cleared Kuala Lumpur of any involvement.”
We did not suspect Sabahan and for the Muslim rebels. We had evidence of it of statements of captured rebels, infiltration agents and pictures of training camps and captured arms.
Romulo never made such a statement. - He also writes, “In this connection, it is most unfortunate that Marcos has had to resort to arming Philippine Christians in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago and has thrown them into battle alongside the Philippine Army. This inevitably increases Muslim fears of a complete Christian domination. One can only hope Marcos will see the futility of the continued use of force and will try to restore peace in the region through negotiations.”
There are no Christians in the Self-Defense Unites fighting the Muslim rebels in the Sulu Archipelago. All the volunteers are Muslims.
In Mindanao the Self-Defense Units are Muslim and Christian.
The article shows ignorance of the efforts for negotiations to end the fighting. Before we fought back, we asked to negotiate. The Muslim rebels refused. We had to fight to bring them to the negotiating table.
The article is patronizing and blissfully ignorant of the development plans for the Muslims and their provinces.