1:00 AM Oct 29th
Oct. 28, 1972
Saturday
Malacañan Palace
Manila
Had a fruitful meeting with the Episcopal Commission on Social Action. Imelda helped me. She charmed them.
Mons. Labayen headed them. He started out to explain when I asked that instead of sniping at each other from a distance we now join hands to attain our common objectives and maintain a line of communications.
His explanation was that since before martial law since the purpose was to shock the establishment into action some of the things they did and said had to be extreme. But that since martial law was bringing about their desired ends of reform then it was time for them to change their tactics. And this would require a continuous dialogue.
They asked the opening of more stations (radio) the publication of the magazine Impact the magazine which is the channel for Social Doctrine in Southeast Asia and help on the release of some of their members and workers.
I attach the papers and notes of the conference.
While our reforms programs are moving ahead of schedule I am worried about the expected huge deficits.
So we must save at least 10% of the budget. (Gov’t) Income has decreased because of the floods. So we must crack down on the tax evaders and smugglers, improve the tax collection efficiency, increase some taxes and borrow some money from domestic and foreign sources.
I have begun to work on the sequel of Today’s Revolution — Democracy. It will contain a comparative study of martial law in various countries, forms of democracy and their ideologies — as well as our own ideology.
It looks as if there may be a ceasefire in Vietnam before the U.S. elections but the signing or effective date of the peace treaty may be after elections.
Ambassador Byroade came to see me on the instructions of Sec. of State Rogers to arrange the transhipment of 90 F5 jet fighters to Vietnam beginning tonight up to Nov. 15th. I agreed provided that this does not violate the conditions of the Vietnam Treaty of Peace.
Amb. Byroade had anticipated my question on this and wired the State Dept. Rogers answered that the shipment was going to be finished by Nov. 15th before the “effectivity of the Treaty” and would not violate the conditions of the peace treaty. This should mean that the Treaty would not be effective until after the elections in the U.S.
Although I observed there may be a ceasefire before then –indicating that the Americans may be treading on dangerous ground but that we were willing to help. He also said that the shipments may come and go boxed in their flying boxcars.
Amb. Pham Dang Lam, special envoy of Pres. Thieu and Vietnam’s chief negotiator in Paris arrived in Manila this afternoon and will see me tomorrow at 10:00 AM.