Opened the organizational meeting of the Conference of Ministers of Science of Asia this morning.
Batted for typhoon damage control.
Spoke before the League of Puericulture Centers on the kick off for funds. We succeeded in raising an initial P300,000. I spoke of population control.
I cannot believe it myself. But I am so healthy these days. Lean and dark from playing golf under the sun daily. Hit 15 yesterday. Imelda is joyously and tenderly happy about my good health.
Called in the major copper producers (Lepanto, Atlas, Marcopper, Marinduque Philex, Black Mountain, Benguet Consolidated, Consolidated etc.) and asked them to prepare to set up a copper smelter. We organized a committee to be composed mostly of them and the representative of the Sec. of Finance, BOI [Board of Investments] chairman and the Dir. of Mines to work on the details.
OG November 16, 1970: President Marcos received Curt R. Strand, president of Hilton International, who paid his respects following his arrival in Manila in the course of an inspection tour of Hilton hotels in Asia. During his call, the President and Strand exchanged views on the prospects and problems of the tourist trade and discussed ways and means of attracting more tourists to the Philippines.
Accompanying Strand were other Hilton Hotel officials, namely: Kenneth S. Moss, vice-president for East Asia; Andre F. Charriere, Antonio Delgado and Francisco Delgado, general manager, president, and chairman, respectively, of the Manila Hilton.
Earlier in the morning, the President motored to the National Science Development Board offices to attend as guest of honor and speaker the opening ceremonies of the Association of Ministers of Science of Asia, held at the NSDB auditorium. (See pp. 10522-10525 for the text of the President’s Speech).
Back in Malacañang at well past 11:00. a.m., the President met with mining executives on the plan to establish copper smelting plant in view of the expected reduction in local exports of copper ore.
Present at the meeting were Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata, Agriculture Undersecretary Arturo Tanco, Jr., Mines Director Fernando Busuego, Jr., and BOI Chairman Vicente Paterno, representing the government side; and Jose Soriano of Atlas Mining, William Foster and B. M. Gozon of Marcopper Mining, Jesus Cabarrus of Marinduque Mines, Carlos Palanca and Alfredo Velayo of Lepanto Mining, G. T. Scholey, G. A. Scholey, P. Elisorio, J. Foreta of Black Mountain Mines, Henry Brimo and Juan Singson of Philex Mines, and Senen Fua and Dr. Luis Dizon of Consolidated Mining Co.
Toward noon, the President conferred the Order of Sikatuna (rank of datu) en former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Narciso Ramos in recognition of his long and distinguished public service.
Among those who witnessed the award ceremonies were the First Lady, Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos; Secretary Virata, Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr. who read the citation for the President, chiefs and members of the foreign diplomatic missions in Manila, and the wife and children of Secretary Ramos.
In the afternoon, the President was again guest speaker, this time at the kick-off ceremonies of the national education and fund campaign of the League of Puericulture Centers held at Malacañang’s Maharlika Hall.
Ordered the SPCMA [Sugar Producers’ Cooperative Marketing Association, Inc.] purchase of Esfac [Esso Standard Fertilizer and Agricultural Chemical Co., Inc.] to be the subject of a public hearing to be conducted by PES [Presidential Economic Staff] Dir. [Apolinario] Orosa.