Gen. and Mrs. Ne Win arrived for an official visit.
We have just given them dinner at Maharlika [Hall]. Before that I had rushed through the laying of a wreath at the Rizal monument (moved it from 3:00 PM to 11:45 on the way to the palace) and cancelled the 2:30 PM instead considered his call on me upon arrival as such formal call. So that we could go to play golf at 1:30 PM at Manila Golf. Finished at 5:15 PM, showered and were at Nayon Pilipino where the ladies had gone at 6:00; we took merienda, went around then returned to the palace for our dinner we were tendering to them.
He is knowledgeable about China and seems to know the leaders very well. He feels that Lin Biao is running the government but Chou En Lai is coming up. Madame Ne Win (Kitty) says Lin Biao is very sick and Chou En Lai cannot say anything as he has to save his skin.
Official Gazette for November 18, 1970: President Marcos accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos, welcomed at the Manila International Airport, the head of government of Burma, General Ne Win, and Madame Ne Win who arrived about 11 a.m. for a four-day state visit here. The First Couple of Burma are guests at Malacañang.
Earlier in the morning, the President worked in his study, acting on various state papers brought to his desk. Well before the expected arrival of the Ne Wins, he and the First Lady motored to the airport.
Returning to the Palace at the head of an official motorcade, the President and the First Lady stopped off along with their guests at the Luneta where Gen. Ne Win laid a floral offering at the Rizal Monument.
Arriving at Malacañang, the President had an informal talk with Gen. Ne Win at his study, and then returned to his official chores. After lunch, he played a round of golf with his guest at the Malacañang Park golf course.
Then he resumed his work, and at 4 p.m. formally received Gen. Ne Win who came for an official call.
In the evening, the President and the First Lady honored the state guests at a dinner held at the Maharlika Hall of Malacañang. While attending to state matters in the afternoon, the President asked Vice President Fernando Lopez, concurrently secretary of agriculture and natural resources, to adopt the new simplified procedure in the processing of forest applications by offices under his department.
The new procedure was devised after a two-month study by a management audit committee headed by Juan M. Sanchez of the PES-DND Computer Center, which included Oscar Anastacio of the Bureau of Forestry, Francisco Rabuy of the Bureau of Lands, Gerardo O. Zafra of the Budget Commission, and Umberto A. Rodriguez, also of the PDCC.
The recommendations embodied in the Sanchez committee report include: 1. Decentralization of functions in the Bureau of Forestry. 2. Adoption of a simplified procedure in the processing of forest application and grants. 3. Centralization of the administrative and operational management of the Bureau of Lands’ computer so that it can be utilized by all other agencies under the DANR. 4. That heads of all other government agencies using survey data in the control and disposition of public agricultural and forest lands reconcile their records on survey and maps with that of the Bureau of Forestry.
But that the leadership is divided. Even the Cultural Revolution leadership is divided. The place of Madame Mao is uncertain.
China would not attack Burma with her own troops but would support communists in the country.
Madame Ne Win says Russia is now house-broken and does not dirty the furniture anymore. And if China is admitted to the UN [United Nations] she would follow suit.
We leave for Baguio tomorrow but there is a typhoon approaching. So we may go by train.