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lsabella. On Sunday. about
5
p.m..
our party. in a four-car procession.
including the siren car, was driven
to the suburban mansion, atop a
hill. of the Phiüppines ' former Vice–
Presiden! Lopez for a dinner.
It
was
preceded and followed by an
entertainment program by a troupe
of Filipino dancers and performers
in colorful costumes. We had a
beautiful view of the entire city of
Manila as the evening Lights were
coming on.
Monday at 10 a.m., 1 arrived at
the office of the mayor for a cere–
mony in which he presented me the
key to the city- a beautiful work of
art. At noon, l spoke at a press con–
ference luncheon at the Manila Hit–
ton. lncidentally, there was
newspaper coverage of the cam–
paign daily, all more than favorable.
usually front-page. Also consid–
erable radio and TV coverage.
One evening. channel 2 aired a
20-minute documentary about Am–
bassador College. It had been pro–
duced in our own Pasadena TV
studios.
lt
was made into a full half–
hour program by a final ten-minu te
interview with me. Channel 13 later
did a half hour - a regula·r weekly
interview feature of theirs called. 1
believe. " Personality." In this pro–
gram 1 was interviewed by their top
personality telecaster. with Mr.
Rader.
Monday evening we had as a din–
ne r guest, in a small prívate dining
room at the Hyau Regency Hotel.
the mother of the president. Mrs.
Jo efa E. Marcos. She is. 1 under–
stand. an avid reader of the
Plain
Truth.
She is a delightful person to
know.
Tuesday, our four-car siren-led
caravan left our hotel at 8:30 a.m.
on an almost two-hour drive to An–
geles Ci ty. There. in a special and
colorful ceremony, at Angeles Uni–
versity. the honorary degree of Doc–
tor of Humanities was conferred on
me. This ceremony was followed by
a special entertainment program,
and that by a luncheon hosted by
university officials. That evening. af–
ter the long ride back to Manila,
6
there was another prívate-room din–
ner with Mrs. Rosario Olevaras.
president of the
Times Journal.
Wednesday. 1 was guest of honor
and speaker at the Kiwanis Club
luncheon where 1 was presented
with a bronze plaque. At
5
p.m. we
arrived at the campus of the Univer–
sity of the East , where student en–
roLLment is 68,000. Dr. S. F. Cruz,
the presiden! of the university. and
his wife had only returned sorne
three weeks before from Pasadena
after attending the opening concert
by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra,
conducted by Maestro Carlo Maria
G iulini , in the superb new
Am–
bassador Auditorium.
J
renewed ac–
quaintance also with the chairman
of the board of the university. After
an entertainment program by stu–
dents. 1 addressed the auditorium
full of faculty and students. From
the university we were whisked over
to channel 13 for the half-hour tele–
vision interview previously men–
tioned.
Thursday. I had more press inter–
views anda dinner with the Greater
Manila Junior Chamber of Com–
merce.
On Friday morning carne the
meeting with Presiden! Marcos.
Mr. Rader, Mr. Gotoh. and
l
ar–
rived at the presidential palace
sorne 15 minutes early. A formal
ceremony was due at that time, pre–
ceding my aud ience with the presi–
dent. The new ambassador from
Argentina was presenting his cre–
dentials to Presiden! Marcos. We
were invited to take part, standing
with cabinet members, witnessing
the ceremony. This ceremony took
place in an open-air, roof-covered
wing of the palace.
Then we were taken to an ante–
room adjoining the president's of–
fice. while our Ambassador College
television and still camera crew set
up their lighting a nd camera facili–
ties in the president's office. Enter–
ing. we found the president in an
exceptionally sparkling. genial
mood. All but three of his cabinet
were in the office. and we were in–
troduced to all of them. Minister of
Foreign Affairs. General Romulo,
whom 1 had known since the 1945
San Francisco Conference wherc
the charter for the United Nations
had been drawn up, had left the
office prior to our entrance. When 1
asked the president regarding him,
Mr. Marcos sent someone to bring
him back.
1 had with me a copy of the June
Plain TrUih,
with President Marcos
on the front cover and the cover
story about him and the Philippines.
Mr. Marcos already had seen a copy
and had rcad the article. He was
pleased.
We had an invigorating meeting
for about a half hour. He gave me
autographed copies of two books he
had written since my Last meeting
with him, and as we left, he gave his
personal blessing on the public
meetings. beginning that same eve–
ning.
But now we had come to the
BIG
EVENT -
the first of what 1 hope will
be many such public speaking cam–
paigns in world capitals al! over the
world. These public appearances,
because of local condiüons, were
scheduled for 7 p.m. each night.
1 was a little tense, wondering
what kind of crowd we had in that
24.000-seat coliseum. We entered
from the rear of the stage of the
coliseum. Mr. Gotoh and our six–
man camera crew had arrived early.
Soon after our a rrival - we could
not yet see the crowd - Mr. Gotoh
carne into o ur behind-stage en–
trance. " Big crowd," he grinned.
"and still pouring in."
Just then, a security escort was
coming in. fianking on each side the
mother of the president, who was
smi ling happily as we shook hands
wi th her.
We entered from the rear of the
stage.
lt
truly
was
a huge crowd. Six
chairs had been set just behind the
podium on the stage. Mrs. Marcos
was seated on one of them, and the
others were occupied by President
Cruz of the University of the East,
Vice-President Angeles of Angeles
University, Mr. Rader. Mr. Gotoh ,
and myself.
PLAIN TRUTH August 1974