The Philippine Magazine Vol. 1 No.7 May 15, 1969

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Part of The Philippine Magazine

Title
The Philippine Magazine Vol. 1 No.7 May 15, 1969
Issue Date
Vol. 1 No.7 May 15, 1969
Year
1969
Language
English
Rights
In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
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DISTRIBUTED WITH EACH COPY OF THE BICOL MAIL I BAGUIO MIDLAND COURIER / THE BOHOL CHRONICLE / THE LEYTE FORUM I THE MINDANAO TIMES / MINDANAO- MIRROR I THE MONITOR (TARLAC) / BICOL CHRONICLE / THE QUEZON TIMES I THE COUNTRY POST (BACOLOO) / THE VANGUARD (DUMAGUE· TE) / THE NAGA TIMES I THE MORNING TIMES (CEBU) / THE PENINSULAR NEWS (DAET) / CIVISMO (BACOlOD) / THE MOUNTAINEER (LA TRINIDAD) I THE BARANGAY (SAN PABLO CITY) / THE ILOCOS TIME5 / THE PEOPLE (DUMAGUETE) I SOUTHERN LUZON TIMES / MINDANAO PIONEER / THE TRIBUNE (CABANA· TUAN) / THE MAYON TIMES I PALIHAN (CABANATUAN) / MINDANAO MAIL / BATAAN MAIL / THE COURIER (DAGUPAN CITY) / THE LOwtAND HERALD (LA UNION) / THE NEWS RECORDER (TACLOBAN CITY) I MINDANAO POST (CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY) / MISAMIS WEEKLY (OZAMIS CITY) / THE VOICE (PAM· PANGA) / ZAMBOANGA TIMES (ZAMBOANGA CITY) I NEGROS CLARION (BACOLOD CITY) / CATANDUANES TRIBUNE I ISLAND REPORTER (VIRAC) / SOUTHERN TRIBUNE (ZAMBOANGA CITY) / MARANAW TIMES (MARAWI CITY) / THE REPORTER (ORMOC CITY) / EL S_UR WEEKLY (ZAMBOANGA CITY) / NEGROS TIMES & REVIEW (BACOLOD CITY) / VISAYAN TRIBUNE (ILOILO CITY)/ NANDAU (DIPOLOG CITY) I MINDANAO OBSERVER (ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE) / THE WHIP (GEN· ERAL SANTOS, COTABATO) / THE RECORDER (COTABATO CITY) VOLUME I NUMBER 7 MAY 15, 1969 ~~ SYMBOL OF A PEOPLE'S DYNAMISM SUMMER -WANDERLUST "S UMMER is ycumen in" goes the old English song, and this may well be the cue for people to go on vacation and see their country and others. For the well-heeled Filipino tourist it is faraway places beginning with Hongkong, on to Japan and then the United States to the east; or Singapore, Thailand, · the Middle East, and Europe to the west. The more adventurous track the exotic places like the South Seas or even mainland China or Siberia. In any case the wanderlust comes during these months, and the home-bound ones need not despair about not being able to leave the country. People from other lands consider the Philippines exotic enough, and they come by boat and by air, usually by air. It takes foreign tourists to make Filipinos appreciate the local sights, and except for an item here and there the bro. chures do depict the attractions faithfully enough. Mayon is indeed a volcano with a perfect cone; the engineering of the lfugao terraces does stagger our imagination; Baguio is truly a cool place; Tagaytay does have breathtaking views. The Philippines has lovely places, as the tourists put it; but for an occasional inconvenience here and there, their st&¥. would be perfect. But what is a tour without some surprises. This year the Philippines is making a. strong bid for more tourists from abroad. This ha'l! been anticipated since THE PHILIPl'INE MAGAZINE I MAY 15, 1969 I PAGE 2 1967 when President Marcos said at the IATA (International Air Transport Association) meeting: "The Philippines has adopted th!! policy of welcoming here the airlines of all countries provided this country can derive the maximum benefit of an exchange of fifth freedom rights with the countries that the airlines represent." On August 21, 1968 Malacaiiang authorized the foreign office to start negotiation'l! on new air service agreements between the Philippines and 12 other countries. Malacaiiang said such nego:. tiations should envisage "adopting the open skies policy on a strictly reciprocal basis." The adoption of such policy called for air negotiations with Japan, Cambodia, France, Italy, South Korea, Belgium, Taipeh, Singapore, the United Arab Republic, the United States, and Lebanon. A little controversy developed over the interpretation of the o~n skies policy, with the Philippine Air Line'l! withdrawing from the Philippine Chamber of Tourism which has maintained that "open skies" mean "an invitation to any and all other airlines with whom the Philippines has diplomatic relations, to land, load, and unload passengers to and from points." Meanwhile the Foreign Office has been negotiating agreements with foreign countries on a reciprocal arrange. ment for the entry and unloading of passengers and cargo from international airlines. In the put five months the Philippines has signed air transport agreements with eight countries outside Southeast Asia. These countries are France, the United Arab Republic, the Scandinavian countries, Lebanon, Italy, and South Korea. At present the Philippines is negotiating an agreement with Indonesia. The tourist drive i'l! on. Last month President Marcos inaugurated the opening of Inter-continental Hotel in Makati, stressing the country's bid for more people to come and see the Philippines. The "natives" may do well to join them. FM I N a pool editorial on April 23 the metropolitan newspapers of Manila raised the cry that "we live in a time of severe stress" and that an early ·constitutional convention might serve to "temper the unrest and bring hope back to a disenchanted nation." The editorial proposed, among others, the election this November of delegates to the 1971 constitutional convention. It also suggested that the convention itself should be advanced to 1970. There are of course practical reasons that bid these proposals well. At a time when money is hard to come by to support normal public services, any effort to introduce economy into governmental services should be welcome. But surely there are reasons that also argue against the proposals. Certain sectors in congress and the private community have, as a matter of fact, already warned against unduly firing the imagination of the people towards falsely hoping that a revision of the charter of the land would bring about, automatic~lly, the solutions to the problems that face the nation. More things than just rewriting the people's statute are required in solving the n:ition's ills. There is no question though that we are living in a time of stress, for growing is a state of stress. The country tluring the last few decades had not been immobile. It has movt:d forward. And the pace of its growth under the present administration is particularly appreciable, what with the peculiarly meager resources -at its command. The breakthroughs in food production, road building, school building, land reform and industrial product~on will, no matter how one looks at it, make an impact upon the future of the country. But still there is need to institute reforms in the Constitution. The people's restiveness toward constitutional reforms seem to anchor upon, not the lack of drive or goal or program for the people by the government that they have elected to support, but upon the statute's inflexibility to change and progress. The reforms, to be effective and relevant, however, must cover cultural, social, political and economic reforms. Of these, economic reforms are most important to the survival of the nation. Changes must also occur in the areas of executive, legislative, and judicial powers. Too often when weaknesses are discerned in the machinery for governing the affairs of the country in these areas, like the inability of local governments to design and support their own development, ·the constitution is blamed for bringing them about. In many instances the blame is well-founded. The country's first law has so strengthened the central seats of power that it had weakened the small units within the periphery of government. To be worth the effort, therefore, the constitutional convention must provide for an economic system - a kind of society that the people want for themselves - without ambivalence or hesitancy. The people deserve it. The country needs it. But, obviously, we cannot begin to undertake such an important task with closed. eyes. President Marcos was right in forming sometime back a commission to study possible constitutional changes based on scholarly approaches. But the leaders of congress howled against the move. The challenge now lies with the various elements in the nation to find ways for establishing the people's consensus. When we first. came out, we pledged to essay the provincial viewpoint on national and public issues. The opportunity bas come. The Philippine Magazine will be happy to open its pages as a forum for public opinion on this very important undertaking affecting changes in the nation's first law. S. P. BIGAY AVlAIL CONSTITUTIONAL MEET • Your magazine is a vehicle of relevant and important information on public affairs. Now, there is a growing interest as to what ideas or reforms can possibly be adopted at the 1970 constitutional convention. Do you plan any f eature_ on this subject in your future issues ? DOLLY CAMAYO Daet, Camarines Norte MORE FEATURES Your entertainment features are definitely okay. Were it not for the article on Kiss-slurp-Kiss in your April 15 issue, this section is good reading for all. The only decent picture in that page was the one showing Vic Vargas <or is it somebody else?) and his partner. We really hadn't realized our movies have gone to those stages aJready. In spite of this, give us more features. They are well presented. MANUEL SAN DIEGO Baguio City VISAYANS TOO! Are there other municipalities in the country that 'have grown or progressed from small villages to industrial units like Las Piiias, Marikina or Iligan? Your articles on these towns are eye-openers. You are right indeed in saying that not all is black in our scene. You should feature some towns or municipalities in the Visayas too. I am certain there are areas that can favorably compare with the three towns featured in your magazine as having progressed to the credit of the townspeople themselves. PROSPERO CERVANTES Iloilo City PHILIPl'INE MAGAZINE is published twice a month by The SPIA and sold as supplement to provincial newspapers throughout the country. Address all communications, manuscripts and photos to The Editor, PM, CCP Building, Magallanes Drive, In· tramuros. Telephone 40-81 .01. PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE assumes no res!>Dnsibility for loss or damage to unsolicited contributions. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the authors and da not necessarily reflect thase of the Editors af PM. Registered with the Bureau of Commerce 8 January 1969. Reproductions in part or in full allowed provided proper credits are given. Postal permit second class mail still pending. S. P. Bigay, editor & publisher / Nonilon P. Sa, business & circulation manager ... THE PHlll,,INE MAGAZINE I MAY 15, 1969 I P'AGE 3 FISH IN OUR TIME By FRED D. MANALO THE administration of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, now credited with several breakthroughs in its food production drive, may yet work another "miracle," this time in fish production. Marcos's original goal was to make the country self-sufficient in fish by 1972. But according to a statement by Vice President Fernando Lopez, the Philippines has actually started exporting fish. This secures for the administration its second greatest achievement: that of developing this nation from fish-importing to a fish-exporting country. Previous to this, we have started exporting rice for the first tiine in our import-conscious history. Of course before all this we have been exporting our professionals and technicians to other countries. But that is another stocy. The more relevant story is one of high irony. Consider: Filipinos are a rice-and-fish eating people. We have a shoreline twice as long as that of the United States. Our territorial waters are six times bigger than our land area of 144,000 square miles. We have miles of" open seas and international waters waiting to be exploited by deep-sea fishermen. A large number of Qur countrymen derive their livelihood from fishing. Yet our fish production is low. Today, we produce only 72 per cent of our requirements and import the rest, including apartheid sardines from South Africa. We have a veritable gold mine in our waters. We have barely tapped it. Tuna fishing, for example, is being exploited by only one commercial fishing firm. In other countries, scientists are already preparing synthetics and substitutes for such foodstuff as fish and meat because these resources are fast facing depletion. We do not have to consider such drastic steps. We have enough fish for our population. There are heartening developments. The annual increase of fish production is estimated at 6 per cent. But to be able to achieve self-sufficiency, this rate should be upped to 15 or 20 -per cent. The average production per hectare in freshwater fishing is from THE PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE I MAY 1$, 1969 I PAGE 4 350 to 500 kilograms. Experts say that with proper application of fish culture techniques, this could be increased to 3000 kilograms per hectare. - Indeed the prospects for increased fish production are great. We have 900,000 hectares of fresh-water areas and 700,000 hectares of swamp areas. However, only 140,000 or 20 per cent are fully developed. The remaining 80 per cent of fishing waters are waiting to be developed. By the administration's timetable, we should have a expected surplus in fish supply of 28,000 tons in 1972. It is also estimated that expansion of the fishing trade by then would generate 500 new jobs in the public sector and 123,000 new employment opportunities in the private area. There are a host of ills plaguing the fishing industry and which have contributed to its snail-pace development. These include lack of facilities and sufficient financing resources. A number of fishing areas are over-fished, largely due to the use of dynamites, poison and fine mesh nets. A new menace is water pollution by effluents and industrial wastes. Lack of facilities such as ice plants and refrigeration plants restricted both deep-sea fishing and fish culture. Poor transportation systems, inadequate marketing conditions, lack of trained manpower - these have had their adverse effects on the industry. Development in any field hinges largely on research but there has been a dearth of research in the fishing industry. There is also great need to expand the Philippine Fisheries Commission and turn it into a more competent body to safeguard and develop what is considered the second biggest industry in the country. The administration has long recognized that the Filipino does not live on rice alone. Basic to his diet is fish, and there should be more fish - as well as vegetables and meat - on his dining table. The scoreboard in this area: The Philippine Fisheries Commission has started a fisheries infrastructure program to provide the fishing industry with cheap ice and cold storage facilities in strategic fishing areas. Under this program, the PFC will establish 17 ice plants and cold storage plants throughout the country. President Marcos recently inaugurated the fisheries infrastructure projects at Mercedes, Camarines Norte, consisting of a 10ton ice plant and cold storage, a shrimp and crab hatchery, a technological laboratory and a district fishery station. Another plant of the 10-ton capacity which recently went into operation is located at Barugo, Leyte. This will take care of the ice needs of fishermen operating in the Visayas Sea, San Pedro Bay, Biliran Island, Carigara Bay, Samar Sea, Leyte Gulf, Camotes Sea and other fishing grounds in Eastern Visayas. Other ice plants are now o~r­ ating in strategic fishing centers in the country, among which are the 5-ton Ice Plant and Storage at Masinloc, Zambales and the 6ton Flake & Cold Storage at Sagay, N egros Occidental. By June this year, the 40-ton Ice & Cold Storage Plant at Taytay, Luminangcong, Palawan, will be in full operation. The Board of Investments has also made fishponds _ and deep. sea fishing priority areas for government assistance. A fishing port is being constructed in Navotas which will be supplemented by the Greater Man,ila Terminal Food Market to serve as a major outlet for fresh food commodities, including fish. President Marcos has similarly proposed the establishment of an action regional fishery research center in cooperation with other Asian countries and the U.S. government. The center will conduct basic and applied research on freshwater and brackish water fishery. The Fisheries Commission will ablo continue to stock major lakes, swamps and other inland bodies of water with fry and fingerlings. :rncreased credit assistance has also been extended to the private sector. The government has called for closer partnership between the government and private industry in the promotion of the fishing industry. Last year, the g-overnment conducted workshops on fisheries and oceanography to accelerate fishing research and to identify areas in which science-based technology might be applied to stimulate the growth of the fishing industry. Seven training programs were also conducted on fishing methods and techniques. The government campaign against dynamite fishing and water pollution has been stepped up. The administration is evolving a more comprehensive and realistic conservation program for the protection of fish and other marine resources. We should apply our experience in rice production on the fishing industr;r. With the application of scientific techniques, improved tools and the utilization of, trained manpower, we were able to increase significantly our rice production. There are no limits to what we can do, as the gains of the past three yP.ars have pointed out. In the end, the miracles of this generation will not be the miracle rice or the expected miracle fish but the men of will and purpose who are capable of charting their own destiny. These include not on]y hone.st and sincere public emp!oyees, but also upright members of law enforcement agencies and a people concerned with the protection of the public good. The d~velopment of the fishing industry will come about through the collaboration of all these people. Then we shall have enough fish in our time. ™ VILLAREAL OUSTED AS LP HEAD Former Speaker Cornelio Villareal, once fondly referred to as "Mr. Liberal,'' emerged as the most dejected man in the recent Liberal Party meet (May 10) at the Manila Hotel where he was ousted as LP president. In his stead, the 630-man LP directorate installed Senator Gerardo Roxas whose father, together with the deposed leader and a few others, founded the Liberal Party. Villareal, embittered by the directorate decision, is reportedly not abandoning his position and plans to seek court remedies to press his claim. Photos above show huddling party leaders as they plotted moves to depose the long time LP head from the leadership of the party he not only helped found but for which he labored hard to make a major political party of the country that it is today. If he is not lucky, he may yet find himself a total outsider from the Liberal Party. THE l'Hllll'PINE MAGAZINE I MAY 15, 1969 I l'AGE 5 THE Luneta is more than a historic park. It ia a revelation of the Filipino. The Luneta. mirrors his desire to improve his environment, his passion for beauty and his capacity for discipline. The Luneta was once a mish-mash of unimaginative landscaping and gro.. tesque structures. The untrimmed shrubs bloomed for lovers; ugly iron bars protruded from the sides of the grandstand for years; a garish obelisque towered over the _ Rizal monument at one time. What sustained the Park was the people's innate fondness for it, and its own unique history, the spirit of the old Bagumbayan. The Luneta started enjoying the care it deserved in 1966 when Mn. Imelda R. Marcos, in the initial thrust of her national beautification and cultural program, turned her attention to the restoration and improvement of national parks, historical shrines and cultural relics. The Luneta of our affection was one of the early beneficiaries of her care. The Rizal Park Development was organized. Columnist Teodoro F. Valencia performed a key role in the Park's development. In addition to ra19mg funds for Luneta, Valencia overseered iipprovements on the Park, engaging himself in such details as selecting appropriate music for the Park's stereo system. His role has been universally acclaimed by the people. Now, the Rizal Park (this includes Luneta) is easily one of the most beautiful and biggest parks in the world. It has flaws but in its basic concept, as a people's park, it more than serves its purpose. There is nothing that can diminish the Park's usefulness. Not criticism but assistance in fact that has helped make the Park the spiritual center of the country. 'This assistance must be emphasized. A unique phenomenon of the Rizal Park is the so-called rise of the Luneta Filipino. He is the embodiment of discipline and order, of civic spirit and community consciousness. One wishes the Luneta Filipino were found in every community and sector of society. The Luneta Filipino in a big scene is the New Filipino, one with a profound concern for his community and his fellowmen, practising the ethics of discipline and cooperative work. Fort Santiago is also a case of a decaying treasure restored. It is a miniature park although its mood is more somber and solemn. From a nightmarish prison compound, the Fort has been transformed into a noble shrine also through the efforts of Mrs. Marcos and Mr. Valencia. Like the Luneta, Fort Santiago echoes memory and nostalgia, history and remembrance. Yesterday lives in vivid hues because there are people who care. Rv1 THI PHILIPPINI MAGAZINE I MAY 15, 196' I 'AOI 6 ~~ Symbol of a People's Dynamism The new Luneta is one of the biggest and most beautitul par.ks i D the world. Caretully planned and well-kept, its .sceneries are a delight to both local and foreign visitors. lts children's playgrounds are crowded with frolicking kids any day ol the week. At night time one is always tempted to promenade along its cemented walks lined with bl~ inq lights. tips for the homemaker @ ON HOME DECOR Cover your porch to solve the problem of too much sun and sudden rain. Make it informal, bringing out a natural look. Dispense with ornate, heavy pieces of furniture. Bring in wickers and wrought irons. Choose colors that blend with the living room. For background, use woody barks, natural stones and rocks. • • • Living green plants inaide freshen up the living room and other areas. • • • • Utilize blank walis to grow plant creepers, o.r to hang airplants along its cool side. • • • Potted plants of different heights and foliage form attractive groupings. Hanging fems from eaves and rafters are lovely little things to transform a drab skyline into one of beauty. Keeping a couple of caged birds among the potted palms will add glam()ur to the place. • • • Bring the plants inside among the furniture and against the walls. Stack them in shelves, put them on tables or create focal points with other pieces like driftwoods and sculptured rocks. • • • Wood-panelled walls not only make the room seem cozier, they require practically no special care or periodic redecoration. ·Consider this next time you order replacements of your walls. • • • In planning a kitchen arrangement, concentrate on a triangle consisting of a range, refrigerator and sink. Most walking in the kitchen takes place between these three pieces of equipment. THE PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE I MAY 15, 1N9 I PAOI 7 Tending old roads or making new ones and backyard gardening are among the projects being undertaken by the Community through the initiative of the young under the guidance of Mrs. Dolores H. Sison, ezecutive vice president of the UNC. I N A LITTLE barrio in the Bicol region the tots are toothless and the oldf olks are always almost in a sleepy mood. The world (which actually is their immediate surroundings) is good enough as it is: hot and quiet. Nobody cares to notice anything else beyond 'the confines of their huts which, incidentally, seemed to have been built along-the same design and concept, without sanitation facilities, with a combination living and dining room, and a gasless kitchen. The arrival therefore of a boatload of clean-looking young girls and boys one Sunday morning several months back was hardly noticed. What could a boatload of uniformed girls and boys mean to them anyway-1 But somehow things started to jell and everyone in the barrio got involved in different activities. In no time, the whole little community wa8 up and about, humming with a newfound life. The visitors had brought fresh tidings with them. It was like that in the beginning for some hundred or so senior students of the University of Nueva Caceres in the historic and religious city of Naga. The students, trained widely in various aspects of community life, were being sent to thirty one barrios in Camarines Sur province on an internship on community development. They were to help shape a new life for the barrio people by utilizing the training and orientation that they THE Pffllll'l'INE MAGAZINE I MAY 15, IHP t PAGE I THE YOUNG COMMUNITY EXPERTS have gained from years of classroom education. Health and sani- tation, good citizenship, basic household skills, child care, gardening, home beautification, government, religion, reading. These are among the varied and useful activities the students have opted to undertake. For all these undertakings, the basis for action was self-help. Motivational factors were introduced where they were considered helpful. The students' enthusiasm was contagious. And that was a big count in their favor. In a very short while the barrio folks caught on with their bold _ community in-ternship program and, consequently, had shed off their initial skepticism. Now the barrio folks have join~d merrily in the undertaking. In one barrio, for instance, the shirtless children were gathered together and taught facts about health, ci~izenship, reading, and some rudiments of music ; in the end the little ones were singing as lively as can be. In another sitio, the little girls, together with their mothers, were told that flowers -can bloom even in the warm month of April and that flowers are the most i~expensive decor a small Filipino Community can well afford. Now the sitio is full of blooming flowers. Other barrios were taught gardening and growing pechay and cabbages, eggplants and tomatoes. Still in another barrio, the old folks were collected under the shade of a big tree (for lack of other accommodation) and there started what, eventually, became a continuing adult class. Thus the students volunteer service for community development that started as an idea in th~ university has become a fullgrown undertaking for good. Even Dr. N. Albarracin of the bureau of private education was amazed at the students' enthusiasm and, much more so, at the reactions of the barrio folks that he volunteered to have the novel classroom subject applied in other schools and colleges throughout the land. Mrs. Dolores H. Sison, executive vice president of the UNC (pioneer private university in Luzon outside of Manila), is of course pleased. The community internship program was the fruit of -an idea that took too long to gain acceptance - that education is for community improvement. "Community improvement or community development is a subject that has occupied the attention of government and private organizations/' said Mrs. Sison. And quite a number of people have really been obsessed by it. In Central Luzon, where the problems of the barrio have taken sinister shapes, the government had mobilized its resources to bring about as fast as can be the uplift of this rural unit of our society. President Marcos has,· in fact, acting with flying hopes, secured congressional approval of a PlOO-million rural improvement and community development program precisely because of the pleas of the barrio people. From this fund the chief executive had released P2,000.00 checks as aid to each barrio in the country. As of the end of March, the P ACD said over 15,600 barrios in 590 towns in the country have received the barrio aid. In no other time has such attention been showered the barrio and its folks. In a relative sense, the UNC project gains significance and relevance. Even now, in Naga City and elsewhere in the province of Camarines Sur, the people are still talking about the university's internship program. Actually, it is a local version ·of the American peace corps volunteers. But here lies a difference. Here is a germ of an idea growing to fruition to fulfill the dreams of the old that the young are the fair hope of the land. FM SUMMER and sea are one. In midMarch, when the cool of February dissipates into stiffling heat, man uproots his feet from the soil and starts towards the direction of the sea. The exodus swells in April, explodes in full force in May, and man becomes a child of the sea again. Diverse are the delights of the sea: sun, surf and salt. The body lies timeless in water, the mind lost in the euphoria of no-care. The hell with the Bomb and the Pifl, the Demos and the Rat Race. Let the spray lick your body, the sun tongue your skin and your lungs take in unpolluted air. But the pleasure does not end there. There is a variation of summer pleasure: the wondrous femine form. The senses riot at the sight. Of finely chiselled legs, reverential thighs, flaring hips, delicate waists and arrogant breasts. In bikinis, bermudas or jeans, take your pick. They make delightful company if you know how. The ladies on this page are competitors to the sea. They detract from the fascinations of the beach. The truth is that they are an improvement on the summer scene. They make less painful the beat of the sun or the prickly itch of sand. They make the tortuous trip to the beach worthwhile. And to the more fortunate, they make evenings memorable nights. Summer and sea are one. But sea with woman is fun. ON THE BEACH Beach beauties Liza Lorena (leh), Hiroko Takabara (top right) and Liberty Ilagan (riqht) typify the head turners on the sea shore at summertime. · THE PHIU,,INE MAGAZINE I MAY 15, lf!W I 'AGE 9 Cartoons and Characters "T""HE history of Philippine comics .1 probably will not start with Mauro "Malang'' Santos but the high points of its development would be incomplete without citing Malang's contributions. Comics was moribund business and an unexciting art-form until the early '50s when a group of young cartoonists led by Malang and Larry Alcala started building a legion of comic fans with their wittier and better-drawn cartoons. Starting in the vernacular magazines, the young cartoonists eventually parted ways: Alcala went to the monthly comicbooks, Malang switched to editorial journalism. Of this group, Malang was easily acknowledged "Chairman of the Board." He was more prolific, more popular. . His gift was that he had a better feel of the social pulse, he was aware of his time. While others were falling back on hoary comic situations, Malang was mining from the rich code of human experience, from the foibles of modem man in a complex society. Among the products of this sensitivity were Koame the Cop and Cbainganir Charlie. His full-page "crowd" cartoons were further samples of his outlook. Recognition of the Filipino talent in THE PHIL.,'1Nf MAGAZINE I MAY 15, 1969 I PAGE 10 cartoons came with the publication of Malang's Charlie in Paseant Magazine, the mini-Pla,.bo,. magazine. Aaia Magazine later joined the chorus and reprinted his works. El Mundo Espanol pinned another badge on the Malang lapel by running Koame. And there were other awards: First Prize, Cartooning, AAP Annual Competition, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964 (six times); First Prize, Water Color Division, AAP Annual Competition, 1961; Grand Award for Editorial Design, ADCP, for the years 1958, 1960, 1962 and l!M>4 (four times); and the "Artist of the Year" award from SPIC in 1964. The crowning award however, for Malang's artistic talent came when he was chosen as one of the country's Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) in 1963. The TOYM award is another story. It represents the other Malang, one with greater creativity. And here again is another footnote to the development of the Filipino cartoonist: from a comic strip illustrator to artist. Malang broke the ground, blazed the trail. He was to be followed by Yonzon, Ragodon, Cabrera, Asuncion. Again, he towered over his peers. A Malang exhibit was always a commercial success. Malang the artist's early works were picturesque and posteresque. They had appeal, were executed with care and with an eye for details, but they left the artistic eye unsatisfied. For a while Malang the artist could not quite shake off the label of Malang the cartoonist. He had his critics staring at his late paintings. The colors were less glossy, the lines less flamboyant. A richer, deeper texture crowned his landscapes and his scenes were more somber and honest. Where before he was content with white backgrounds, his frames now hum with a bigger and a profound vision of life. Some of his works are still flawed but Malang, at 41, is young, and is still maturing, He can achieve for his art what he bas done for his cartoons. The present Malang is almost an artist in residence in Malacaiiang, hence plays a powerful role in shaping the tastes of the tenants at the Presidential Palace. He has endowed erstwhile drab state documents with a new excitement and creativity. There are other less known facets of thP. Malang versatility: that of a murali.'!t and of a business entrepreneur. He is doing good at both. In the MRlang lexicon, brush rhymes with cash, FM MARKETING NETWORK Speaker Jose B. Laurel revealed recently a legislative plan to establish a nationwide marketing network that will be under the control of Filipinos and using extensively cooperatives in the agricultural sector. The project which is embodied in the "Economic Freedom" bill which congress plans to enact shortly is expected to generate more agricultural production through efficient and effective marketing outlets. RURAL J!:LECTRIFICATION The electrification plan for the Philippine countryside got its biggest boost recently when the House legislative mill approved on second and third reading a bill that aims to accelerate the program. As approved, the bill will increase the revolving fund of the electrification administration from its present P25 million to PlOO million for the next five years. The bulk of the fund will be used for the purchase and installation of generators, transmission lines and other equipment. Also included are motors for irrigation and other industrial purposes. MACAPAGAL WARNING Former President Diosdado Macapagal warned the Liberal Party recently of inevitable defeat in the November elections unless the struggle for power among its leaders is stopped. Macapagal directed his warning to Senator Gerardo Roxas and former Speaker Cornelio Villareal, the two chief protagonists in the fight for the party presidency. The former president also appealed to his partymen not to expel Villareal from the party directorate to preserve the unity of the opposition. INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM President Marcos revealed recently that the public works and infrastruc_ ture program will continue to receive top priority as long as he is the Chief Executive of the country. Speaking before the second annual convention of the district and city engineers league, the President said that he will shortly relcasP. several hundred millions for the construction of various work projects, including feeder roads. The President said that the country could not progress either in agriculture or in industry "unless we lay down the basic requirements of such progress, which are adequate public works and infrastructure." ECONOMIC GAINS FOR RP The Philippines' output of goods and services (Gross National Product) last year reached P28.37 billion (at current prices), an increase of 10 per cent over the 1967 level. This was disclosed by the Office of the Statil'ltical Coordination and Standards (OSCAS) of the National Economic Council. The report also disclosed that national income .which represente•l the total earnings of the factors of production went up to PU.80 billion 1>r li:r per cent or P805 million more than the previous year's record. ECONOMIC PROSPECT Bankers see a rosy economic outloo1' for the Philippines. In a report to stockholders, Filipinas Bank and Trust Co. Chairman of the Board Romeo- R. Echauz and President Claudio T. Calalang said that "the potential for economic growth is tremendous and the opportunities in harnessing the nation's resources for faster and more sustained economic development have never been as great." The report adds that the gross national product is increasing at a faster rate, personal income is rising and so are individual savings. PILL IMPORTATION The importation of contraceptive drugs and devices was declared legal by Justice Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile. Enrile's opinion was made in answer tg numerous requests from various organizations interested in family planning. Reports say that if the present trend of population increase continues, the Philippines would have a population of no less than 100 ~~lr;:lti million in 35 years. POLCOM ORDER Policemen all over the country, whether on or off duty, are prohibited to enter day or , night clubs, cocktail lounges, hotels, motels, rest houses, cabarets and cockpits, according to a memorandum circular issued by the Police Commission. The only exception provided for by the ban order is when the officers concerned are on official mission duly authorized in writing by the chief of police or the mayor or when they are responding to an emergency call. Not a few police officers feel that the order is "arbitrary" and plan to contest it in court. IRRIGATION PROJECTS An agreement involving Pl I million to finance the completion of 15 major irrigation projects was signed recently by the Philippines and United States governments. The second such agreement between the two countries in the past year (the first involved some P7 million, also for . local irrigation projects), the fund will come from the US public law 480 funds realized through the sale of American agricultural commodities in the Philippines. LAND REFORM President Marcos proclaimed J"ecently a 10,000-hectare land contagious to the Clark· Air Force Base in Pampanga as a land reform area, thereby taking a significant step towards the fulfillment of the administration's land reform program. The President signed the proclamation in Malacaiiang :n the presence of farmer leaders from Tar lac. CRIME DRIVE A total war against criminality was set in motion by Congress recently when it approved on second and third reading a bill constituting a P41 million peace and order fund. The fund which will be used to underwrite peace and order projects will be taken from the increase in travel taxes and a por· tion of the gold subsidy. CIS POWERS CLIPPED President Marcos clipped the investigative powers of the PC criminal investigation service when he directed the CIS to lay off business establishments. Th~ President's order came in the wake of reports that the CIS is allegedly harassing some businessmen and business firms. The CIS was ordered by the President to confine itself to missions connected with the peace and order campaign. THE PHILIPl'INE MAGAZINE I MAY 15, 1969 I l'AGE 11 JEEP CONVERSION ENGINE WITH&B .·~ HORSEPOWER, -.mll!I•.-! FIVE HEAVY-DUTY - MAIN BEARINGS, LEAK-PROOF OIL PAN, CROMARD LINER FOR CYLINDER, AND HEAVY DUTY TRANSMISSION Now available to jeepney operators who wish to change the old engine of their vehicle with a stronger and more economical one. Now is the time to increase your profits and prolong the life of your jeepney. Switch to Isuzu diesel engine. Inexpensive to maintain. Parts available at all times. Carries up to 14 passenger-load comfortably. Or you can have your choice of Francisco Motors jeeps and jeepneys now also equipped with Isuzu Diesel Engine. See us for more information. Yes, Sirl Kapag Francisco Motors Jeepney ang ginamit, tuloy-tuloy ang profit. Q FRANcfsco io1oils'coRPoRA110N 2233 Pasong Tama Ext., Malolati. Rizal Tels,88·11i~-96:88-21-64.88·56·48:88-52-47:68·19·97· 88-19-98 Branches: Pasay City: 2166 Tait Avenue, Tels.80-41-28 & eo.13.35 e Tarlac: San Sebastian Village. Tarlac, Tarlac. Tel. 20-10 •Davao City: 400.A T. Monteverde Avenue, Tels. 7-55-05 & 7-68-21 • Legaspi City: J. Rizal St. (Near Mayon Hotel) Tel. 4-44 e Pangasinan: MacArthur Highway. San Vicente. Urdaneta