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July 15, 16, 1973 Sunday and Monday

1973 Marcos Diary Black Book_Page_107.jpg

5:00 AM July 16th

as I couldn’t sleep

July 15, 16, 1973

Sunday and Monday

Malacañan Palace

Manila

There is need to reorient the policies of the military as well as the civil government.

The Armed Forces has slipped back to its old policy of dividing its strike forces and being held to a stalemate by the rebels. This is true in the Sabak. From fighting in Cotabato, Basilan and Pata Island Sulu. As well as in Sorsogon.

We have not been able to liquidate the areas of resistance over a period of months.

We must give this priority, the prompt proper utilization of combat personnel and concentration of forces must be reinstated to its primary status.

And the bureaucracy in the civil government is shocking. It must cut down the red tape, the keeping of files and documentation of routine action. More use of the telephone and direct conversation will save time and resources.

The slow reaction on the rice crisis is an object lesson.