MALACAÑAN PALACE
Manila
7:30 PM
while waiting for
the sasimi dinner
for Valentine
February 14, 1971
Sunday
Played golf at 7:30 AM at Pangarap with Ambassador Urabe of Japan, Gov. Greg Licaros and Bobby Benedicto. Sec. Tanco came at 10:00 AM
We asked Ambassador Urabe to look quietly into the possibility of a loan of 300,000 tons of Japanese rice payable in rice or cash in 30 years with a grace period of 10 years and at 3% interest. This would be similar to the Korean loan.
Apparently it is a concessional loan to developing countries. The Korean loan must be in accordance with the policy of Japan to strengthen the buffer states – buffer between Japan and Red China.
Ambassador Urabe reminded us that the Phil-Japan Treaty on Trade and Navigation has not yet been ratified and this makes it difficult for him to push through any requests for Japanese aid. And he also spoke of the Japanese War Memorial. Sec. Syquia apparently brought him by helicopter to Camp Gen. Capinpin in Tanay near which a Japanese war memorial (which he hopes will be a joint war memorial for Japanese and Filipino was dead) will be built to dissipate the impression in Japan of our continuing antagonism towards them.
So I have directed Sec. Romulo to organize a task force to be headed by him to work for the ratification of the treaty.
The Board of Regents of the UP passed a resolution to the effect that in the maintenance of peace and order in the UP campus, the QCPD can go to the campus only upon call by the UP Internal Security Force.
Mayor Amoranto told me over the telephone that he has written the Board protesting this as the UP authorities have no police authority, cannot make arrests, serve warrants etc.
The Board apparently is again showing an incapacity to meet the danger of communism in the university.
I attach a report of Ambassador Gonzales on the Spanish government’s action on strikes and violent demonstrations. Usually this was in the form of a decree of a state of emergency or a state of exception which is a state of emergency short of war. This involves arbitrary arrests, searches without warrant, detention for an indefinite period and banishment.
Imelda gave me a song she composed – “Ang Buhay Ko’y lyong-iyo Sa Araw Na Ito.” and a medicine container in a key chain. The two girls gave us sweat shirts, mine light blue with the words in the chest “No. I Erpat” and Imelda’s dark blue black with “Da BES ERMAT” in front.
I gave her some gold pearls and the girls small diamond rings (Imee a round one and a sunshine type and Irene a heart shaped one).