Worked on my speeches (three of them, one at the arrival, another at the reception at Malacañan and a 3rd on departure) for the papal visit. I have to cut them down and tone them to simplicity and less pretension and ostentation.
In the afternoon at 5:00 o’clock [sic] I met the Fiscal Policy Council on the sources of funds for the calamities and suspended the SPCMA [Sugar Producers’ Cooperative Marketing Association, Inc.] purchase of the Esso Fertilizer plant in Bataan until the conditions of each of the sugar producers and members of the cooperatives have signed the commitment to assign their sugar export proceeds and fertilizer loans to the PNB [Philippine National Bank].
Then worked some more on the speeches. Have made the final versions but am not content with them.
Official Gazette for November 25, 1970: President Marcos ordered the reversion to the general fund of all inactive special and trust funds GI the government to be used for the rehabilitation of typhoon stricken areas. At the same time, the President ordered that a system of priorities be set up giving emphasis to the replanting of lost crops and the repair of public works facilities. He issued the directives during his meeting with the Fiscal and Financial Policy Committee which briefed him on the meetings of the Presidential Budget’ Development Committee in the morning and the Fiscal Policy Committee earlier in the afternoon.
At the end of the conference, the President accepted the donation of P200,000 each from the five government financing institutions—the Central Bank, the Philippine National Bank, the Development Bank of the Philippines, the Government Service Insurance System and the Social Security System—to the typhoon relief and rehabilitation fund.
The President then worked on state papers, in the course of which he directed:
1. The Irrigation Service Unit to immediately release some 400 pump units to the National Food and Agricultural Council, which are needed by projects under the Agricultural Recovery Program. 2. The government institutions to consider declaring a moratorium on loans to rice millers, in the same way that this was being considered in favor of the farmers. 3. The Bureau of Telecommunications to charge not more than ten centavos (P0.10) for transmitting complains and grievances from any citizen to the Presidential Action Committee on Land Problems (PACLAP).
In his order, the President said that easy and inexpensive access to the committee should be afforded those who may have problems and grievances so that the PACLAP can accomplish its duties speedily. The President created the PACLAP to provide greater protection and assistance to small settlers, small landholders, and members of the cultural minorities. The President also laid down the general policy for the resumption of classes in both public and private schools in the Greater Manila Area in the provinces of Quezon, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan and Zambales, which were severely affected by typhoon “Yoling.”
In the afternoon, President and Mrs. Marcos gave a reception in honor of the delegates to the Asian Bishops Meeting, at Malacañang.