Cabinet meeting even on All Saints’ Day because of the urging of the reorganization program:
Official Gazette for November 1, 1972: PRESIDENT MARCOS presided over a meeting of his Cabinet and took up the implementation of the government reorganization program and the progress made on various production and infrastructure projects. During the meeting which lasted for 3 ½ hours, the President:
Ordered the arrest of municipal officials who had reportedly refused to surrender high-powered firearms;
Directed the launching of a comprehensive survey of the overall employment strategy for the country;
Issued letters of implementation organizing the National Economic Development Authority, and reorganizing the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Department of Public Works and Communications and the Department of Health;
Laid down the basic policy of cancelling all land titles and land patents for public lands which had not been developed within the five-year reglamentary period;
Ordered a review and restudy of titles issued in the past on the basis of resurveys with a view to cancelling titles to areas found to have been increased in size as a result of such resurveys;
Called for the participation of the Chamber of Agriculture and Natural Resources, other civic groups and ROTC cadets during their summer training, in the training of organizers of cooperatives;
Instructed the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Department of Agrarian Reform, the Department of Local Governments and Community Development, and the Department of Public Works and Communications to collaborate in the speedy implementation of the land reform program;
Ordered the initial release of P1 million each to the Department of Public Information and the Department of Local Governments and Community Development for organizational expenses;
Authorized the release of P1.3 million for the construction of a commuter train spur in Carmona and San Pedro Tunasan for the settlers, and the employment of two engineering companies from the AFP for the project; and
Ordered the release of another P10 million for the palay procurement project of the National Grains Authority.
Discussing the vital role of the new Department of Public Information, the President said that media had been curtailed because the intelligence and the military insisted that those who participated in the conspiracy be punished. The President said the media should go public instead of being exclusive. For this reason, the President said, the government will ultimately move into anti-trust and blue-sky legislation. He observed that the curtailment of the press had increased the work of the Department of Public Information.
In connection with the plan to set up a commuter train service for the settlers in Carmona, Cavite and San Pedro Tunasan, Laguna, the President was informed that it would take five months and P1.3 million to construct the railway spur which will have a total length of five kilometers. The President directed PNR officials to start construction work immediately.
The Government Service Insurance System declared a second dividend of P25 million to be distributed in the form of dividend checks to GSIS members before Christmas. In a report submitted to the President, the GSIS stated that the new dividend declaration, the second this year, raises to P50 million the amount released by the System to its members as their share of profits from GSIS operations in fiscal year 1972. Last June, the GSIS distributed P25 million to help members defray the schooling expenses of their children.
The Department of Social Welfare reported that it has served during the fiscal year 1971—72, a total of 1,138,997 needy persons through development programs for destitute families, children and youth, the physically handicapped, drug addicts, ex-convicts and negative Hansenites. This number includes 381,563 victims of the Muslim-Christian conflict in Mindanao, and 49,728 displaced squatters. Also extended rehabilitation and relief assistance were 4,669,105 disaster victims.
- NEDA [National Economic Development Authority]
- Dept. of Agrarian Reform
- Dept. of Information
- Dept. of Local Government and Community Development
- Reorganization of:
1. Dept. of Public Works
2. Dept. of Health
3. Dept. of Agriculture
Then the budgetary requirements with Sec. Cesar Virata and Com. [Faustino] Sychangco participating.
Infrastructure projects. Sec. [David] Consunji and Com. [Baltazar] Aquino still quarreling. We had to resolve certain points.
Specific projects:
- Commuter trains from Manila to Carmona and Malolos I ordered the release of P1.3 M
- Irrigation
- Rice procurement
Imelda is completely well but cannot as yet play badminton.
Since we could not go personally we ordered the placing of wreaths to father in La Union and the Romualdez mausoleum in Tolosa, Leyte by the governors offices. I talked to Gov. [Juvenal] Guerrero and Cong. Jose Aspiras. The latter also informed me that the small bamboo and nipa beach house in Agoo is now finished. We hope to go there by boat as the NE monsoon is now blowing and it should be calm on the western side of Luzon. It would take us 14 hours to get there by 777.
Imee is in New York for the Thanksgiving holidays. She had Thanksgiving dinner with the Flannigans (He is a White House Economic adviser). And she visits Princeton, Wellesley and ______ choosing which university she goes to next year.
Irene is in Rome shopping while Bongbong is with Philip and Miguelito in London.
Imelda and I are so immersed in our work of Reformation and the New Society—the country has become our sole interest—for now at least.