MALACAÑAN PALACE
Manila
11:15 PM
January 25, 1971
Monday
This is the turning point. The congressional opening and State of the Nation address ceremonies were peaceful
And the whole nation heaved a sigh of relief. For many had left for the provinces and for abroad to avoid the imagined dangers of a revolution.
Chino Roces, Manglapus and the radicals who have been predicting the start of a revolution today must be disappointed.
As usual Mayor Villegas was claiming he was the cause of it all. But he came down from his tower of City Hall only when he realized that there was going to be no trouble. I am sure others will follow suit tomorrow.
Actually what prevented violence was the predominance of the pro-administration demonstrators. But not just pro-Marcos but pro-Democratic Revolution that I launched in my speech.
The radicals lost heart when they saw the determination of the veterans, the market vendors, the provincial delegations and the spectators. Some of the students and radicals who tried to infiltrate the pro-administration delegations were shooed away.
My State of the Nation Address has been received enthusiastically even by the opposition. Even Cong. Montano congratulated me with the statement that he agreed with me and liked the speech. Sen. Ninoy Aquino when asked to comment on it said he agreed with the program and the rhetoric but doubted implementation. This was the theme of the Liberals.
I attach the speech with the ad libs.
We must push through the Democratic Revolution to its logical conclusion.
And treat everyone with a fair and even hand – friend and foe alike. In this we must be merciless but just.
Now I attend to the constitutional convention to convince the delegates about my proposals. For it will be they who must permanently restructure our social order.