Amb. [William] Sullivan and the State Dept.’s impression that the Aide Memoire left by Sec. Alex [Alejandro] Melchor [Jr.] with Sec. of Defense [James] Schlesinger was an invocation of the Mutual Defense Pact by the Philippines.
I told him point blank that this was not so as we did not want the U.S. to have any troops fighting in a war we can handle; that this is a policy that dictates the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] should be prepared to be capable to act where the U.S. cannot even if the U.S. interests are involved.
Official Gazette for September 2, 1975: THE PRESIDENT increased by 10 centavos the P1 stabilization fee for the social amelioration program of the sugar industry to facilitate the implementation of the program and of the labor laws and policies of the industry. In Presidential Decree No. 788, the President directed that the additional 10 centavos, which will exclusively be used for the implementation of PD 621, other labor laws and socio-economic projects in the industry, shall be deposited with the Philippine National Bank in the name of the secretary of labor. PD 788, which will fund the Department of Labor’s moves to implement the program, takes effect this crop year.
MARITIME Industry Authority has been fully activated by the President as he administered the oath of office to Col. Generoso F. Tanseco, a veteran shipping executive, as its administrator. The President also designated Capt. Abraham Campo (PN, ret.) and Capt. Victoriano Basco (PN) deputy administrators, respectively, for planning and operations. In inducting Col. Tanseco, the President stressed the urgent need of expanding and modernizing the shipping industry which, he said, is vital to the growth of the Philippine economy.
AMBASSADOR Themistocles Chrysanthopoulos of Greece was received by the President when he came to say goodbye prior to his departure for Athens for reassignment. The non-resident Greek envoy was accompanied to Malacañang by Mr. Papageorgieu, commercial counselor at the Greek embassy in Tokyo, and Consul Lucas Adamson of Greece in Manila. The Greek envoy expressed the wish to see the success of the program of reform which impressed him during the last few years in Manila, and his hope that his country and the Philippines will continue to support and help each other in the United Nations.
THE PRESIDENT congratulated, on behalf of the people and government of the Republic, the five recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards for 1975. “Our people and government congratulate you for the well-merited awards which you won,” the President told the awardees who made a courtesy call at Malacañang. During their call on the President, the RM Award winners informed the President that they had been deeply impressed by the changes for the better which have taken place in the country.