June 12—
PRESIDENT MARCOS, speaking on Independence Day, declared that this nation “will not bargain this freedom for wealth, comfort or ease.”
The President reminded the nation that the freedom Filipinos enjoy today was achieved “through the sweat and blood of our fathers. . .and we cannot lose this freedom now.”
The President’s speech was delivered at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, where seven citizens, who have distinguished themselves in various fields were given the Republic Cultural Heritage Awards.
“In the fields of art and culture and in political life,” the President said, “we have made great strides.” These achievements, he said, are made more meaningful because they were attained in an atmosphere of freedom “which is truly our precious heritage.” (See pages 6023-A to 6023-D for full text of the President’s speech.)
Earlier in the morning, the President led in the nationwide recitation of the pledge to the Flag and the Republic which was one of the highlights of today’s celebration of Independence Day.
The recitation of the pledge followed the simultaneous hoisting of the Philippine flag throughout the country at 7 a.m., with the President officiating at the Luneta rites, and Vice President Fernando Lopez at ceremonies held at the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite.
Notwithstanding a heavy drizzle, a big crowd which included Senate President Gil J. Puyat, members of the Cabinet, representatives of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, war veterans, boy and girl scouts, and representatives of the Cultural Minorities attended the Luneta rites.
The President, together with the First Lady, Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos, arrived at the Rizal Park shortly before 7 a.m. He was accorded military honors, including a 21-gun salute by a composite battalion of the AFP.
He then hoisted the Philippine flag as the National Anthem was played:
The flag ceremony was followed by the recitation of the pledge, “Ipinagmamalaki Ko Ang Aking Pagiging Malaya” (I Am Proud To Be Free). The text of the pledge follows:
IPINAGMAMALAKI KO ANG AKING
PAGIGING MALAYA
(Isang Panunumpa)
Ipinagmamalaki ko ang aking pagiging malaya,
Ang kalayaan ay naging mabuti at maamo
Sa lahat ng aking pangangailangan.
Ipinagmamalaki ko ang aking minana
Isinilang sa pawis at dugo ng aking mga ninuno
At nagkaloob ng kaliwanagan at kaluwalhatian sa aking lahi.
Ipinagmamalaki ko any bandilang nangangalaya
sa aking mga pangarap
At tinatalibaang may dangal ang lahat na taglay ko.
Ako’y nananalig na:
Sa bawa’t karapatang naisin ko,
may katungkulang dapat kony gampanan;
Sa, bawa’t pag-asang pasibulin ko,
may gawaing dapat tuparin.
Upany ang bansang ito’y
Manatiling nakapagmamalaki at matatag,
Sa pundasyon ng kalayaan, katarungan, pagkakapatiran at pagunlud,
At any mga kalahi ko’y
Lumaging nakapangyayari sa lupang ito, at
Nagkakaisa kailan man,
Sumusumpa akong maninindigan sa Republika
Na taglay ang katatagan at kabutihang-loob,
Na sa ilalim ng liwanag ng Bathala,
Mapaglingkuran ko ang layuning panlahat
At lunggatiin ng laliat,
Kahit man maipagpakasakit ang kaalwanan,
Kapalaran o ang buhay man.
I AM PROUD TO BE FREE
(A Pledge)
I am proud to be free,
Freedom has been good and kind
To my every need.
I am proud of my heritage
Born of the sweat and blood of my fathers
And giving light and glory to my race.
I am proud of the flag that nurtures my aspirations
And, guards with honor everything that I possess.
I believe that:
For every right I cherish, I have a duty to meet,
For every hope I nourish, I have a task to keep.
So that this nation may endure, proud and strong, on
The rock of freedom, justice, brotherhood and progress
And my people abide, sovereign in this land, and
Forever united,
I pledge to stand by the Republic with courage
And goodwill,
That under God’s light, I may serve the common goal
And the common effort, even at the cost of ease,
Fortune or life itself.
Shortly thereafter, the President and the First Lady made floral offering at the toot of the Rizal monument.
In consonance with the policy of fiscal restraint, the traditional civic-military parade was omitted.
After the Luneta rites, the President and the First Lady, motored back to Malacañang for the Thanksgiving Mass. Auxiliary Bishop of Manila Amado Paulino officiated at the Mass. He was assisted by Fr. Juan Bautista, PGB chaplain.
After the Mass, the President and the First Lady received Independence Day well-wishers, among whom were members of the diplomatic corps led by the Papal Nuncio, ranking officials of the executive, legislative and judiciary branches of the government, civic, religious and veterans organizations.
In offering a toast with the members of the diplomatic corps, the President expressed faith that ultimately men would discover that they are brothers and that they shall live in peace.
After the reception, the President attended the award ceremonies of the Civic Assembly of Women of the Philippines in which he was guest of honor and speaker.
The President devoted part of the afternoon to desk work in his study.
In the evening, the President, together with the First Lady, motored to the Cultural Center of the Philippines on Roxas Boulevard where he was principal guest of honor at the presentation of the Republic Cultural Heritage Awards to seven citizens, all prominent in the fields of science, arts and letters.
Meanwhile, the President continued receiving messages from heads of state all over the world felicitating the Filipino people on the 72nd anniversary of Philippine Independence.
Among those who have wired their messages wishing the Philippines continued prosperity and progress were Sabah Alsalem Alsabah Amir of Kuwait, Chairman Ne Win of the Revolutionary Council of the Union of Burma, Emperor Hirohito of Japan, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Shahanshah of Iran, President Cevdet Sunay of the Republic of Turkey;
Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, President Georges Pompidou of France, King Mahendra of Nepal, President Chiang Kai-Shek of the Republic of China, President Hans Peter Tschudi of Switzerland, President Gamal Abdel Nasser of the United Arab Republic, President Gustavo Diaz of Mexico;
President Zalman Shazar of Israel, Queen Elizabeth of England, Crown Prince Regent Harald of Norway, King Savang Vatthana of Laos, Major General Yakubu Gowon, head of the military government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; President Urho Kekkonen of the Republic of Finland, King Constantine of Greece, King Bhumibol of Thailand;
Archbishop Makarios, president of the Republic of Cyprus; President Fidel Sanchez Hernandez of El Salvador, President Joaquin Balaguer of the Dominican Republic, President J. M. Velasco Ibarra of Ecuador, President Americo Thomas of Portugal, President Rafael Caldera of Venezuela, King Gustaf Adolf of Sweden and King Mohammad Zaher of Afghanistan.
Felicitations were also received from Capt. Emilio E. Massera the commander of the Argentine frigate La Libertad, which made a goodwill visit in the country recently; and from Consul General Fortunato Gerardo in Denmark.
June 13—
PRESIDENT MARCOS directed the Philippine National Bank to facilitate the opening of all required letters of credit for the importation of materials needed to complete as early as possible the Asian Development Bank-United Nations Center building complex.
The President also approved a suggestion of Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr. that the Presidential Coordinating Committee for the ADB propose to all contractors of the building complex that they submit to an arbitrator who is mutually acceptable in order to resolve expeditiously all issues that may arise during the construction.
The President made these moves to prevent the delay in the construction of the ADB-UNC Building Complex, which is now 18 months late.
The President worked mostly at his desk throughout the day, with only two callers, both delegations of citizens, to break his concentration on state papers.
Those who called were:
1. About 600 citizens from the medical profession and other professions, to petition for the appointment of Dr. Pacifico Marcos, the President’s brother, as chairman of the Medicare Commission. Among those who led the group were Dr. Reginaldo Pascual, PGH director; and Tomas G. Mapa.
2. A delegation of labor leaders, accompanied by Undersecretary of Labor Raoul Inocentes, who requested presidential certification of a bill authorizing a public housing program for workers and other low-income groups, which the Workers Bank would administer.
Those in the group were Romeo Roy and Vicente Arniego (NLUC), Laureano Sayas, Pedro Usaro and Roberto Paras of FOITAF, Domingo Sta. Ana (PLUM), Ricardo Manalad, Gerry Quadra (PMP), Fort Biangco, Bert Espinelli, Edgar Lubiano, Doming Obillo and Nick Gustilo of the PALEA.
In a speech in Pilipino, read for him by Undersecretary of Industry Troadio T. Quiazon, Jr., at the opening of the San Antonio Commercial Center in Valenzuela, Bulacan this afternoon, the President pledged to continue upholding the priority rights of Filipinos in the development of the country’s trade and commerce.
The President, however, assured foreign investors that they are welcome to assist in such development.
The President stressed that Filipino control of the country’s economy remains a basic policy of his administration.
“Filipinos should be given all the opportunities in the development of the national economy,” he said.
Foreigners, the President said, may participate in this economic development effort under certain conditions. Their assistance is welcome, he stressed, when freely and reasonably given.
June 14—
PRESIDENT MARCOS laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Fort Bonifacio to mark the 25th anniversary of the Battle of Bessang Pass.
Arriving at 8 a.m. with Commodore Santiago Nuval (retired), who fetched him at Malacañang, the President was accorded military honors by the Philippine Army composite battalion, including a 21-gun salute.
After the floral offering the President proceeded to the PA Officers’ Club where he had breakfast with the officers of the USAFIP-NL and their guests.
The President motored back to Malacañang to receive Japanese and Indonesian Ambassadors Toshio Urabe and Kusno Utomo who paid a courtesy call.
Then, the President proceeded to the Maharlika Hall to attend the convention and election of officers of the USAFIP-NL, during which he was reelected national commander. A luncheon with his comrades during the Battle of Bessang Pass followed the convention.
Other officers elected at the USAFIP-NL were: Commodore Santiago Nuval, 1st vice commander; Gov. Juvenal Guerrero, 2nd vice commander; Robert Arnold, 3rd vice commander; Ambrosio Peña, national adjutant; Jose Lizardo, finance officer; Dominador Prudencio, national auditor; Paulino Rivera, national chaplain; COMELEC Commissioner Lino Patajo, judge advocate; Dominador Lapuz, national inspector, and General Segundo Velasco, Fernando Reyes, Tancredo Guray, Antonio Sanz, Generoso Salazar, Zosimo Paredes, Honrado Tensico, Juan Valeros, Carlos Lardizabal, Alejandro Dario and Eficio Acosta, directors.
At the same occasion, the President signed the appointment of Generoso Salazar as member of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Veterans Bank.
After his reunion with his comrades, the President had a brief rest and later on worked on official papers until early evening.
Shortly before 7 p.m., the President, accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos, left Malacañang for the Manila Hotel where he was guest of honor and speaker at the opening of the Project Tulungan Training Seminar and the induction of the council members of the National Social Action Council.
In his remarks, the President called Project Tulungan “a project of love,” involving private citizens who have volunteered their services under the National Social Action Council, headed by Bishop Mariano Gaviola.
The President said the awakening of private citizens, civic organizations and churches of all sects to the social and economic problems of the country is a heartening sign. The spirit must be strengthened, he said, so that apathy and indifference, which have widened the gap between the rich and the poor, may be banished from the country.
The President said that the spirit of volunteerism, as exemplified in Project Tulungan, is a trait Filipinos can be proud of because it is in our nature to be of help to the less fortunate. The idea of Bayanihan or of giving without expecting any reward is basically a Filipino trait, the President said.
June 15—
PRESIDENT MARCOS worked into his schedule, which concentrated on paper work, a number of conferences, notably with barrio officials and ranking executive officials, as well as at least a couple of legislators.
Early in the morning, the President attended to official papers, among them a request from the Price Control Council for authority to draw from other government offices assistance in the form of personnel, among others; and the request for approval of the appointment of Director Jaime C. Dacanay as manager of the PHILSUGIN, in a concurrent capacity. Both requests were approved by the President.
During the day, the President conferred with:
1. Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile and Polcom Chairman Crispino de Castro on the peace and order situation;
2. A delegation representing the National Federation of Associations of Barrio Councils, who discussed with the President various problems in their localities: and a group of barrio councilmen from Quezon City.
3. Cebu Reps. Ramon Durano and Emerito Calderon, who consulted with the President on matters affecting their constituencies.
Among other actions, the President:
1. Directed the Armed Forces to finish as soon as possible the construction of various resettlement projects in Carmona, Cavite by making the effort part of the AFP civic action program.
2. Proclaimed Tuesday, June 16, as air safety day in the Philippines.
It was in line with the celebration of International Air Safety Day by the International Civic Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council, of which the Philippines is a member.
The rest of his working day was devoted by the President to state papers brought to him for study or action.
In a speech read for him by Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata, at the ceremonies launching the Government Employes Fund Investments Corporation, held at the SSS building in Quezon City, the President called for the rise of a new middle class, where the people are involved in the mainstream of economic development.
The President said that the GEFIC is the lever needed to “involve a wide segment of our people in economic development on a more direct and personal basis.”
The thrift and savings drive launched by the government last year, the President said, was not so much aimed at educating the people in these virtues but more importantly at enlisting them in economic development as investors.
Capital or the lack of it, he said, is a key factor retarding economic growth. “We need money to harness our vast natural resources” and put up industries to process raw materials, he’ pointed out.
June 16—
PRESIDENT MARCOS tended mostly to his homework, with no outside visitors on his official schedule. He only saw close aides and other government officials on consultation relating to various problems and concerns elevated to his desk.
Among others, the President studied official reports and acted on a number of state matters, including the. appointment of the third member of the provincial board of Marinduque, which was recently reclassified as a third class province, thus entailing the appointment of a new board member (Mauro J. Corral), to make three; and the creation of the National Council for Small and Medium Industries, which will give special assistance to these industries in the way of upgrading management and operations and solving financial difficulties.
The President stayed close to his office desk through the morning, afternoon and early evening.
June 17—
PRESIDENT MARCOS said the enactment of the Industrial Peace Act of 1953, otherwise known as the Magna Carta of Labor, marked “the end of an oppressive” era of compulsory arbitration and the beginning of a new age of freedom in labor-management relations.”
The President made this observation in a speech before the nation’s labor leaders at a luncheon held at the Manila Hotel this noon commemorating the 17th anniversary of the Magna Carta of Labor.
“We celebrate today the freedom of Philippine Labor,” the President said. “It is this freedom, above all, that makes the Industrial Peace Act of 1953 a vital document, no less than a magna carta of organized labor.”
The President stated that in a democratic society, “we find it abhorrent to impose peace by flat.” He said that peace obtained by compulsion “is bound to be fragile” and that the kind of industrial peace that endures is that which is established by mutual agreement and mutual consent.
“It is for this reason that the Magna Carta of Labor gives labor and management the widest possible latitude of freedom in settling their own differences without government intervention,” he said.
He began the day as usual with a long session with official papers in his study, among which was the enrolled new minimum wage bill, which he signed. Later he reenacted the signing of the bill at the luncheon given by labor leaders at the Manila Hotel to mark the passage of the Magna Carta of Labor.
The minimum wage bill which increases the daily wage from ₱6 to ₱8 for industrial workers, and ₱3.50 to ₱4.75 for agricultural workers, was one of the two bills certified by the President to Congress during the current special session, the other being the General Appropriations Bill.
The new law which takes effect upon approval, fixes the minimum basic daily wage for each type of workers as follows:
1) ₱8 in all enterprises other than agricultural, including” the national government and all government-owned and/or controlled corporations.
2) ₱6 in retail or service enterprises employing regularly not more than five employees.
3) ₱4.75 in all farming enterprises.
5) ₱5 or the minimum wage being paid at the time of approval of the Act, whichever is higher, in city, provincial and municipal governments.
Exempted from these rates are farm tenants, workers doing household services, persons working in their respective houses in “needlework or in any cottage industry registered under the provisions of Republic Act No. 3470.
The law also provides for the creation of a five-man Wage Commission under the Department of Labor, and appropriates ₱500,000 for the initial expenses of the Commission.
His visitors, today included:
1) The delegates to the Asian Development Center conference, held recently in Manila. The ADC is a creation of the Asian Parliamentary Union and has China, Japan, Korea, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines as members.
Those who called on the President were ADC Chairman Niehwen Ya and Wuta Yu, Charles Z. Woo and Tuyang Chun of China; Uichi Noda and Hideo Nakajima of Japan; Kimchang Keum of Korea; Pheng Sananikone and Sisouphanh Dhounpradit of Laos; Panit Sampawakoop and Tavich Klinpratoom of Thailand; Tran-Ngoc Canh and Nguyen Hoang of Vietnam; and Rep. Rogaciano Mercado of Bulacan and ADC Secretary General Emmanuel Yap, representing Sen. Dominador Aytona mid Rep. Lorenzo Sarmiento of Davao del Norte.
2) Capt. Odom Bannawel of Panupdupan, Kiangan-Ifugao, supply officer of the President’s guerilla unit during the war. Capt. Bannawel had come to Manila to attend the USAFIP-NL convention. The President expressed appreciation for the captain’s call and reminisced with him on their experiences in the resistance.
3) Mrs. Ester Sinsuat who was accompanied by Mayor Michael Sinsuat. The visitors took up with the President local problems, particularly those relating to peace and order.
4) Carmen Basa, retired librarian of the Dinalupihan Elementary School in Bataan, who presented the President with three scrap books of clippings on the President’s public life (1962 to 1967).
5) Reps Lamberto Macias of Negros Oriental. Joaquin Ortega of La Union, Vicente Cerilles of Zamboauga del Snr; Amado D. Cope of Albay and Gov. Juvenal Guerrero of La Union, all of whom discussed problems of their constituencies.
The President asked for a re-examination of curricula in existing state vocational schools, emphasizing the priority given to the establishment, maintenance and upgrading of vocational schools.
In a memorandum to Secretary of Education Onofre D. Corpuz, the President also ordered that a survey be immediately conducted to determine where more vocational schools car, be set up as soon as possible, with national and local needs and capabilities as the primary criteria.
The reexamination of curricula in state vocational schools is aimed at effecting a more vigorous implementation of the government’s program of accelerating employment, developing out-of-school youths, and relating vocational education to national development.
The President devoted the rest of his working day to state papers.
In his speech read for him by Education Undersecretary Juan Manuel at the opening of the mid-year seminar commemorating the 109th birth anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal, held at the Girl Scouts of the Philippines building on Padre Faura street, the President reiterated his given pledge that “the right of any citizen of this Republic to criticize or disagree shall never be suppressed or stifled.” The President said that “every citizen shall enjoy every opportunity to express his views.”
He declared that the “government will accommodate every political action except the attempt to overthrow the government.”
The President stated, “I shall not hesitate to defend and lend support to any individual whose right to freedom of speech has been curtailed by a government official.”
The right to disagree is “one of the bulwarks of our society,” he asserted, adding that “that right cannot be diminished without impairing the strength of our system.”
He stressed, however, that “we shall draw the line between right and license, between the exercise of freedom and abuse of liberties.”
There is a line that “divides reform and subversion, and that line is called the national interest,” he pointed out.
June 18—
PRESIDENT MARCOS had a brisk workday with conferences and callers adding to his usual schedule, which however leaned heavily toward desk work.
One of his more important sessions was with the Food and Agriculture Council, during which he was briefed on the progress of the food production program, and new initiatives to widen the program were discussed.
The President also spent some time with the delegation representing the Muslim Association of the Philippines, which sought presidential assurances for broader and more rapid development of Mindanao and Sulu. The President stressed that there is a program of development for that region, based on priorities, and that it will indeed be implemented and accelerated.
The delegation included newly elected national officers of the association, namely, Rep. Salipada Pendatun, president; former Gov. Benjamin Abubakar, executive vice president; former Commissioner Abraham Rasul, vice president for Sulu and Palawan; Linipasan Idjirani, PRO; Mohammad Edris, director for Basilan City; Abdugani Andohol, director for Zamboanga del Sur and Pagadian City; Asbi Edding, director f or Zamboanga del Norte and Mrs. Saphia Mustapha AI-Rashid, director for Women’s Groups.
Other callers included foreign visitors, businessmen, and officials who consulted with the President on specific problems. In-between, the President steadily worked on’ state papers.
On the eve of the 109th birth anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal, the President issued the following message:
“We celebrate the birth anniversary of a man long gone from us, but whose thoughts and ideals are more than ever before relevant to our times.
“Dr. Jose Rizal tirelessly preached unity and the idea of national community. He called for individual commitment to the great causes of his day—reform for the person and for the body politic—but he rejected extremism in winning social and political goals, and consequent events proved him right as the gradual and progressive evolution of our country ripened to nationhood and the liberal democracy which informs our life.
“We can best honor his memory, we can best celebrate his coming among us, by taking him to heart; by listening to his admonitions about commitment and sacrifice, so that we may not only deserve our freedom, but enlarge it, deepen its meaning, and use it to make an enduring, prosperous and respected nation.”
The President, also signed a proclamation declaring Friday, June 19, as a special public holiday in the province of Laguna and San Pablo City.
In the course of the day, the President received more messages from heads of state felicitating the Philippines and the Filiprno people on the 72nd anniversary of Philippine Independence.
Among the new messages received were those of the government and people of Chile, sent through Ambassador Luis Melo Lecaros; President Charles Helou of Lebanon, and Salem Robya AH, chairman of the Presidential Council of the Peoples Republic of Southern Yemen.
Chairman Salem Robya Ali, in his message, said:
“It gives me great pleasure to express to your Excellency on behalf of the people and government of the Peoples Republic of Southern Yemen our sincerest felicitations on the Independence Day of the Philippines, wishing your Excellency happiness and good health and the friendly people of the Philippines every success in their life.
Source: University of the Philippines, College of Law Library
Office of the President of the Philippines. (1970). Official Week in Review. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines, 66(25), ccxxiii-ccxxxii.
