Saturday
I have often said achievement is but the meeting or congruence of preparation and opportunity.
But Father Donelan told Imelda that in addition to this I have had luck. He cites the increase in the prices of export products like copper, gold, sugar, copra, logs etc. And the fact that the floods occurred in 1972 not after martial law.
I admit that I have had phenomenal luck in time of war as well as peace.
And there must be a Guiding Hand above who has forgiven me my sins, of which I have had more than my mortal share, and led me to my destiny.
Because all the well-nigh impossible accomplishments have seemed to be natural and fore ordained. And into the role of supposed hero in battle, top scholar, President I seemed to have gracefully moved into without the awkwardness of pushiness and over anxiety.
The three Supreme Court justices, Justice [Claudio] Teehankee [Sr.], [Enrique] Fernando and [Calixto] Zaldivar who voted in the Javellana vs. Executive Secretary case to declare the new constitution as not validly ratified in the January plebiscite and thus questioning the legitimacy of the present government and my power as President to issue decrees with the effect of law, are holding on to their positions as justices in a government they consider illegal and unconstitutional.
I asked Sec. of Justice Vicente Abad Santos to inquire from them if they found their continuance in their offices compatible with their opinions. But there seems to be no answer.
Am presently studying the materials for the new book, The Constitution and Martial Law.
Thus the thoughts on the three justices above-mentioned.
The Chevron-Texaco drilling rig, Sloman III, which discovered oil in the North Sea has found traces of gas and oil in the South Palawan area, 24 miles from Balabac, drilling at 2,945 feet.
I have a feeling that we will discover oil this year.
11:30 PM September 25[1]-26,[2] 1973
Tuesday, Wednesday
The AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines], specially the PC [Philippine Constabulary], has started to implement my orders to crack down on both military and government personnel as well as civilian criminal elements. Dragnets have been set up all over the country.
NISA [National Intelligence and Security Authority] has just called my attention to a plot to spirit out of the country Vice Pres. Fernando Lopez by Carding de la Fuente. Zulueta has implicated former VP Lopez in the assassination attempt.
NISA also reports a plot to implicate high ranking military officials in scandals of corruption and abuse. A coup de’tat [sic] is again in the making. And apparently former generals Vargas, Villareal and Fajardo are included.
Of course the efforts to scandalize all officers and the plot of assassination against me includes all high ranking officials.
1:00 AM Sept. 29th September 27[3]-28,[4] 1973
Thursday and Friday
Awarded Col. Arthur W. Wermuth the Distinguished Conduct Star (corresponding to his Distinguished Service Cross (U.S.)), the Wounded Personnel Medal (equivalent to the Purple Heart, U.S.) and the Philippine Defense and Liberation medals.
Today I received the surrender of Datu Abdullah Sangki of Ampatuan, Cotabato.
I have been able to convince him to use his sons to locate the firearms that Misuari and Datu Ali, the leaders of the “Revolutionary Movement” (rebels and secessionists) are preparing to rearm the Muslims by October.
This was first indicated by Gov. Tarhata Alonto Lucman of Lanao del Sur two months ago. They were again approached by the rebel leaders to join an “October general and massive attack.”
The penetration operation will be known only to Ex Cong. [Carmelo] Barbero, Gen. [Fidel] Ramos, Col. Siongco the Executive of Gen. [Fortunato] Abat and Gen Abat.
I have authorized dual citizenship for Filipinos who have acquired American citizenship.
We will now set aside the P100 million needed for the seed capital of the military pensioners.
And also set up a securities and investment for the officers and men of the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines].
Organize the Dept. of Industry and the Philippine International Trade Commission.
And systematize the setting up of processing plants for our wood resources all over the country.
12:00 PM September 29, 1973[5]
Saturday
I still have a feeling that sometime before December 30th, there will be an attempt to question the extension of my term as President as openly stated by [Raul] Manglapis in the U.S.
It may even take the form of a case in the Supreme Court. Or a Baliao type of defection in the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines].
Or a Muslim fighting resurgence.
It could take any number of manifestations.
But we can popularize the New Constitution, implement its provisions tightly, organize the barangays and the Samahang Nayon.
And keep the people in the barrios busy with development and athletics.[6]
While the great powers U.S., Japan and China are talking of detenté [sic] the tensions between Russia and China (Red) are getting worse. And any fighting between the two would embroil all of us.
Still working on “The Constitution and Martial Law.” But as I go along it becomes more obvious that I must also write the outline of Modern Revolutionary War—at least for the use of the Armed Forces.
12:00 PM September 30, 1973[7]
The failure of [Salvador] Allende in Chile has been interpreted as a failure of socialism. The French political philosopher Raymond Aren puts it, “Allende may have had the legal capacity to install socialism but he did not have the ‘political capacity.’” Prof. Harold Blakemore of London University’s Institute of Latin American Studies says: “The great tragedy of what has happened to Chile is that the country had the capacity to make reforms without violence. But Pres. Allende’s own party chose to ignore this via chilena and used violence to promote change in a system that was more adaptable to change than any other in Latin America.”
Allende never had a popular majority on his side.
This should be a lesson to us. We must always have the support of the people.
So we must tighten the barangay and Samahang Nayon organizations.
[1] Official Gazette for September 25, 1973: THE PRESIDENT directed the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation to take necessary measures to protect foreign nationals from harassment and unnecessary or unauthorized investigations. The President’s order was contained in Letter of Instructions No. 133 which also directed the commissioner of immigration and deportation to conduct a general registration of foreign nationals in the country within three months. The registration is necessary because records on the number, status, location and other important information about foreign nationals here are either lacking, incomplete or not up to date, thereby making it difficult to collect statistics when the need arises. OUR SYSTEM of justice has finally achieved the twin ideals of swiftness and fairness. Justice Secretary Vicente Abad Santos stressed this in a speech on the new conduct of justice in the country during the first day of seminar on national development sponsored by the Departments of Public Information and of Foreign Affairs at the Asian Institute of Management building in Makati. The justice chief said that m the to Society, all persons now have the constitutional right to a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies. “Such an acceleration in the tempo of appellate decisions is a great leap forward that is sure to lift the hearts of many long-suffering litigants,” Secretary Abad Santos explained. INFORMATION Secretary Francisco S. Tatad said that there must be conscious link between the manager who plans for the state. Speaking before the Association of Management and Industrial Engineers of the Philippines at the Hotel Intercontinental, the information secretary stressed it would be advisable for both the state manager and the business manager to be governed by the principle of oneness of purpose and interest. Secretary Tatad said the national push toward development is an enterprise in which the Government and private enterprises are the principal managers. He added that the Government will continue showing its concern for the growth of the society by sustaining its high regard for professionalism in business and industry. COUNTRY’S foreign exchange reserve has reached a record high of $751.22 million as of September 18, 1973. At the same time, the Overall income of the country for Fiscal Year 1972-1973 was P10.559 billion as against P7.63 billion the preceding fiscal year. This rosy picture of the public finance was drawn by acting Secretary of Finance Alfredo Pio de Roda Jr. during the second day of the discussion series on national development at the Asian Institute of Management building in Makati. The acting secretary said that at the end of FY 1972-1973 the Government had a cash balance for all funds in the national treasury of P2.44 billion as against P1.26 billion in FY 1971-72.
[2] Official Gazette for September 26, 1973: THE PRESIDENT moved to hasten the Pasig River Development Project of the First Lady by ordering the immediate settlement of salvage claims and the disposition of salvaged derelicts. In Letter of Instructions No. 134, the Chief Executive directed the Commissioner of Customs to effect the early return of the investment of salvaging companies or groups of persons to replenish their operating capital. THE GOVERNMENT has brought about a new economic climate defined by far-reaching reforms in taxation and investments, and a redirected and rational planning of the economy. With these economic achievements, the roles of Government, business and labor in the ultimate objective of dispersing the gains of progress and development to the broad masses of the people are more than ever clearly defined. Director Lorenzo Cruz of the Bureau of National and Foreign Information these observations in a speech before the San Juan Rotary Club. Mr. Cruz, in enumerating the economic gains achieved in the last 12 months which had revitalized the country’s economy, stressed that these gains are only the initial steps towards the building of a prosperous nation “where every man, woman and child will have the opportunity to lead a full and rewarding life.” THE GOVERNMENT and the United Nations Development Programme have alloted P2.8 million and S597,900 respectively for the formulation and implementation of an integrated export promotion program for the Philippines. The National Economic and Development Authority announced that NEDA Director Gerardo P. Sicat and UNDP resident Representative William Harding have signed the project document for the promotion program. The project, which will be coordinated by the NEDA in coordination with the Board of Investments and the Department of Trade, aims to develop an integrated medium-term export promotion program through an effective government agency solely concerned with export matters. THE PRESIDENT exempted overseas personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Reparations Commission reassigned to their home offices here from the payment of all duties and taxes on their personal and household effects. Presidential Decree No. 301 also granted the exemption on overseas DFA and Reparations Commission personnel who have died, resigned or retired from the service. The decree also required that personal effects must not exceed 30 per cent of the total amount received by such officer or employee in salaries and allowances during his latest assignment abroad but not to exceed four years. The decree provided further that these exemptions shall not be availed of more than once every four years and that the officer or employee concerned must have served abroad for not less than two years. THE PRESIDENT has released P9.9 million for Highway Special Fund for the repair and construction of various roads and bridges in Luzon and Mindanao. Road repair works to be funded out of the amount ordered include: Sayre Highway in Bukidnon, P265,000; Janiuay-Lambunao-Calinog-Capiz road and Dasmariñas-Carmona road, Cavite, P300,000; Cotabato-Bukidnon road, Cotabato-Lanao road, Cotabato-Davao and Kidapawan-Allah Jct. road, P243.250; Baguio-Bontoc road, P160,000; Jaro-Manduriao road, P117,000; Apalit Macabebe-Masantol road, P266,000. THE PRESIDENT proclaimed October 7 to 13, 1973, as “Hispanic Week” to accentuate the country’s cultural heritage from Spain and reassert the Government’s efforts to effect goodwill and understanding with the Spanish-speaking world. The Presidential proclamation said the forthcoming celebration must remind the people of the lasting contribution of Spain to the country’s political and social development and growth as a nation, as well as to enhance the country’s historical and cultural ties with the Spanish-speaking world. COUNTRY’S external trade registered an overall surplus of $79 million last August as compared with only $7 million for August 1972. The Central Bank said that the marked increase surplus for August 1973 is mainly due to a merchandise trade surplus of $32 million and an invisible surplus of $47 million. Exports receipts for the period under review reached $177 million while import payments were registered at $145 million, or a merchandise trade surplus of $32 million. Non-trade transactions, on the other hand, registered a surplus of $47 million or $28 million more than the surplus in August, 1972. Invisible receipts of $149 million were 88 per cent or $70 million higher largely due to loans of the private sector and services income. Invisible disbursements also rose by $42 million to $102 million due to increased payments of loans of the private sector, services rendered by non-residents and Philippine Government expenditures abroad. As a result of these developments in the country’s foreign exchange transactions, the international reserve increased by $68 million.
[3] Official Gazette for September 27, 1973: THE PRESIDENT assured Filipino oldtimers in the United States who are willing to spend their here that they could acquire land under a Government policv which would grant them reacquired Philippine citizenship. The Chief Executive made the assurance in response to a proposal of an official of a US investment firm to establish a housing settlement here for Filipino oldtimers. The President said these old-timers-natural-born Filipinos who have acquired American citizenship—may avail themselves of the same rights as every Filipino in the acquisition and ownership of land once they reacquired Philippine citizenship. DEPARTMENT of Finance authorized provincial and municipal governments to collect all amusement taxes starting October 1. The transfer to local governments of authority to collect amusement taxes is contained in Presidential Decree No. 231 or Local Tax Code. Amusement tax on admission is collected from proprietors, lessees or operators of theaters, cinematographs, concert halls, circuses and other places of amusement. THE PRESIDENT has authorized the creation of a Philippine House at the world-famed Las Vegas Strip in Nevada to serve as the Center for the promotion of Philippine trade and tourism. The Nevada Philippine House will be the latest addition to the growing chain of Philippine Houses in important centers of the world. The House will be established by the Department of Trade in collaboration with the Filipino Trade Corporation, a 100 per cent Filipino firm. Earlier, the President had authorized the establishment of Philippine Houses in Singapore, Frankfurt, Tokyo, San Francisco, Sydney (Australia) and Toronto (Canada). SOCIAL Security System announced that effective January 1974 it will require all employer to submit an, annual register containing a complete list of employes, elates of their employment and effective dates of then-separation from employment. This is in accordance with Section 24-D of Presidential Decree No. 24 providing for the compulsory submission of an annual register by all employers in the private sector. The SSS said this requirement is distinct from the existing provision on the employment records and reports in Section 21-A of the Social Security Law which requires each employer to immediately report to the SSS the names, ages, civil status, occupation, salaries and dependents of all his employes. BUREAU of Lands has launched a nationwide campaign to distribute land patents to settlers with Mindanao as one of the principal target areas. Acting Lands Director Ramon N. Casanova has been assured by regional land directors that district land officers are now capable of processing and issuing patents for areas not exceeding five hectares. The drive will benefit occupant settlers on public lands which have been declared disposable for agricultural purposes. Under the program, the settlers who have developed portions of public lands not then open for disposition, may legalize their possession and be granted the necessary titles. DEPARTMENT of Health has broadened its family planning and nutrition programs to complement the Government’s development efforts. Spelling out their urgent role in the building of the New Society, Health Secretary Clemente S. Gatmaitan said the department has decided to place priority on the family planning and nutrition programs since they are closely tied up with the Government’s development program. Speaking during-a symposium of the Philippine Public Health Association in Dagupan City, Secretary Gatmaitan said the family planning program is vital because of its inter-relationship with development efforts which could be hindered by the country’s tremendous population growth. He said the health department is also giving priority to nutrition program because it is closely linked with national growth progress.
[4] Official Gazette for September 28, 1973: THE PRESIDENT ordered the military and provincial officials of Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat to extend all possible assistance for the rehabilitation of Muslim evacuees and surrendered outlaws. The Chief Executive directed the Special Presidential Assistance for Returning Evacuees (SPARE) to expedite the granting of loans to evacuees and surrenderees in the form of farm input and shelter provisions. The President issued the order alter he was informed by a group of surrendered outlaws led by Datu Abdullah Sangkil that Muslim outlaws are afraid to surrender because they have no assurance of protection and rehabilitation. THE PRESIDENT has appropriated P500,000 as operation funds of the Task Force on Human Settlements which will conduct a study on the nature, policy issues and strategies related to a comprehensive and integrative human settlement program in the Philippines. Executive Order No. 419 which created the task force, pointed out that the benefits of national progress will be attained only if the accelerating growth of human settlements is directed and ordered towards meeting the requirements of national development in line with the objective of effecting social, economic and political reforms. SECRETARY of Justice Vicente Abad Santos opined that the $4.2 million loan agreement entered into by the Philippine government and the United States Agency for International Development to help finance the Tiwi geothermal project is valid and legal. Secretary Abad Santos rendered this opinion in compliance with a standard clause in the loan agreement requiring the borrower government’s secretary of justice to first declare the loan contract valid and legal before the amount is released by the lender government. The justice chief said that the legal authority for the Philippine government to contract the loan and relend its proceeds to the National Power Corporation is provided for in Republic Act 4860, as amended by Presidential Decree Nos. 81 and 150. The loan will finance the foreign exchange costs of goods and services required for the NPC’s Tiwi geothermal project. DEPARTMENT of Local Government and Community Development has listed 17 first class-A cities out of the country’s 61 chartered cities. The latest DLGCD statistics listed the following cities under the Class A bracket (cities whose incomes exceed those of other cities and are paying higher salaries to employes): Angeles, Bacolod, Baguio, Basilan, Batangas, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caloocan, Cebu, Davao, Iligan, Iloilo, Olongapo, Pasay, Tacloban, Toledo and Zamboanga. Manila and Quezon City are exempted from the classification having incomes which far exceed those of the first class-A cities. Eight cities were placed under the category of first class cities (annual incomes exceeding P1.5 million). These are Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cotabato, Dagupan, General Santos, Legazpi, San Carlos and San Pablo. THE GOVERNMENT has set up 593 children’s centers in rural areas throughout the country to provide child care and pre-school training to thousands of barrio children. The children’s center not only nurture preschoolers for indigent rural families but also train countless mothers in bringing up children. At the helm of this project is the Bureau of Agricultural Extension, assisted by the rural health officer, the home management technician, rural health nurse and volunteer leaders.
[5] Official Gazette for September 29, 1973: THE PRESIDENT has promulgated Presidential Decree No. 302 officially delineating the jurisdiction of the new province of Tawi-Tawi to cover seven former municipalities of Sulu. The new decree established the capital of Tawi-Tawi at Bato-Bato, Balimbing. Included under the jurisdiction of the new province are the municipalities of South Ubian, Tandubas, Simunul, Sitangkai, Balimbing, Bungao, Cagayan de Sulu and Turtle Islands. Tawi-Tawi was one of three Mindanao provinces recently created by the Chief Executive to uplift the socio-economic well-being of Muslim communities in the region. SECRETARY of Information Francisco S. Tatad called on the medical sector to train young people and volunteers for rural health services. During the closing ceremonies of “Medicine Week”, the secretary told the medical practitioners to tap the pool of young people and volunteer workers who can minister to the day-to-day public health needs of the barrios if they were properly trained. Young people must be trained to assist in rural health programs of the Government, he stressed. DEPARTMENT of Trade announced that stock exchanges members may now transact customers’ orders with other stock exchanges through the latter’s members. Trade Secretary Troadio T. Quiazon, Jr. has approved the rules drafted by the Securities and Exchange Commission to implement Presidential Decree No. 282. Under the approved rules, brokers of two or more stock exchanges involved in a transaction shall file a formal written agreement with the stock exchanges concerned and the Commission. Pending appropriate study of the participating brokers’ shares in commission, the matter shall be governed by the agreement. Once the transaction is finalized, the broker shall go directly to the transfer office of the listed company for the issuance of corresponding stock certificates in the name of the person specified in the transfer instruction. The person who will be issued the stock may issue a stock power corresponding to the total shares in his name, as guaranteed by the executing brokers and validated by the clearing houses of the exchanges. The uniform settlement date shall be four days from the execution of the transaction. Uniformity will also govern price fluctuations, and ex-dividend and ex-right dates of each particularly listed security.
[6] It is unknown where this and the preceding text come from, because the first page of this entry is missing.
[7] Official Gazette for September 30, 1973: THE PHILIPPINES and Hungary established formal diplomatic relations, the third the Philippines has signed with Easter European socialist countries in 10 days. Foreign Secretary Carlos P. Romulo signed the formal accord with Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Peter at the Philippine Mission offices in New York. Similar accords were previously signed with East Germany and Poland. SECRETARY of Trade Troadio T. Quiazon, Jr., warned government personnel and lawmen detailed with the Department of Trade against dishonesty, abuse and inefficiency. Secretary Quiazon issued the warning, in Circular No. 3 (series of 1973) even as he disclosed that he had instituted measures to ferret out abusive and corrupt officials and employes of offices, bureaus and agencies under his department. He stressed that there is no room in the government service for those who abuse the powers of public office, who neglect their duties and who harass and intimidate the people they are sworn to serve. MEMBER of the Government Service Insurance System who has retired or who has been separated from public service can apply for a renewal of his medicare membership even if he has not done so within the prescribed 60-day period for such renewal. The Philippine Medical Care Commission (PMCC) decided this recently in a resolution it passed relaxing a provision of the Medicare Law (Republic Act 6111) requiring a retired or separated GSIS member to apply for a renewal of his medicare membership within 60 days from termination of his service, otherwise he would not be covered anymore by the health insurance scheme. ACTING Social Security Administrator Reynaldo Gregorio has issued a reminder to all SSS members regarding the importance of having only one SSS number. He emphasized that the crediting of all contributions made m behalf of an SSS member is processed through his or her number. Job applicants, therefore, who were already given an SSS card need not obtain another number if they are merely transferring jobs or getting reemployed. Having one SSS number facilitates the proper crediting of all contributions which are the basis for computation of the amount of benefits or service loans.