1973

1973 highlights

• 8 Jan 1973: On the 108th day of martial law, Marcos announces on radio-TV the postponement of the 15 Jan national plebiscite on the new constitution and suspends media debate over the charter, claiming that the country was slipping back into old habits. He says that anti-government university students, taking advantage of his decision to allow free debate on the issue, have been expanding their ranks and spreading false rumors. He warns that rumor-mongering is now punishable “in the same category as subversive propaganda.” He explains that a date for the plebiscite would be set after a “national consultation” scheduled on 17 Jan through “citizens’ assemblies” that are hurriedly being organized throughout the country.

(Sources: ‘‘Milwaukee Journal’’, 8 Jan 1973; ‘‘The Sydney Morning Herald’’, 9 Jan 1973)

• January 1973: The draft of the 1971 Constitutional Convention is ratified through barangay assemblies in a so-called national referendum.

• The January 1973 Misa ng Kalayaan (protest mass) at the Binondo church, located in one of Manila’s oldest districts.

• Efforts to continue mass protests

• The continuing resistance among political prisoners

• 27 March 1973: Kissinger (as Nixon’s national security adviser) signs National Security Decision Memorandum 209, which stated that “the United States Government will continue to deal with the Marcos Administration as the effective Government of the Philippines.” (Bonner 1987, 138)

• 19 April 1973: Marcos urges that all military and economic agreements between The Philippines and the US be renegotiated “at one sitting.” Agreements due for renegotiation are the US-RP Military Bases Agreement, the US-RP Mutual Defense Treaty, and the Laurel-Langley Agreement that is set to expire in July 1974. (‘‘The Milwaukee Sentinel’’, 20 Apr 1973)

• 28-29 July 1973: The Marcos regime conducts a two-day national referendum to ask voters’ approval for extending Marcos’ martial law government after his regular term in office ends in December 1973. (Source: ‘‘Sydney Morning Herald/AAP-Reuter’’, 30 Jul 1973; ‘‘Star-News’’, 27 July 1973))

Main story: Marcos national referendum (July 1973)

• December 1973: the US Sugar Act expires, ending the official American quota for sugar for the Philippines. For 15 years previous, the country has been the major US supplier of sugar to the US.

January

• On 8 Jan 1973 (108th day of martial law), Marcos announces on radio-TV the postponement of the 15 Jan national plebiscite on the new constitution and suspends media debate over the charter, claiming that the country was slipping back into old habits. He says that anti-government university students, taking advantage of his decision to allow free debate on the issue, have been expanding their ranks and spreading false rumors. He warns that rumor-mongering is now punishable “in the same category as subversive propaganda.” He explains that a date for the plebiscite would be set after a “national consultation” scheduled on 17 Jan through “citizens’ assemblies” that are hurriedly being organized throughout the country.
• Also on 8 Jan, Marcos confirms the death sentence by firing squad on Lim Seng, a Chinese national convicted of the manufacture and trafficking of illegal drugs.

(Sources: ‘‘Milwaukee Journal’’, 8 Jan 1973; ‘‘The Sydney Morning Herald’’, 9 Jan 1973)

• The draft of the 1971 Constitutional Convention is ratified through barangay assemblies in a so-called national referendum.

• Forces opposed to martial law hold the Misa ng Kalayaan (protest mass) at the Binondo church, located in one of Manila’s oldest districts.

March

• On 27 March 1973, Kissinger (as Nixon’s national security adviser) signs National Security Decision Memorandum 209, which stated that “the United States Government will continue to deal with the Marcos Administration as the effective Government of the Philippines.” (Bonner 1987, 138)

April

• On 19 April 1973, Marcos urges that all military and economic agreements between The Philippines and the US be renegotiated “at one sitting.” Agreements due for renegotiation are the US-RP Military Bases Agreement, the US-RP Mutual Defense Treaty, and the Laurel-Langley Agreement that is set to expire in July 1974. (‘‘The Milwaukee Sentinel’’, 20 Apr 1973)

July

• On 28-29 July 1973, the Marcos regime conducts a two-day national referendum to ask voters’ approval for extending Marcos’ martial law government after his regular term in office ends in December 1973. (Source: ‘‘Sydney Morning Herald/AAP-Reuter’’, 30 Jul 1973; ‘‘Star-News’’, 27 July 1973))

Main story: Marcos national referendum (July 1973)

December

• December 1973: the US Sugar Act expires, ending the official American quota for sugar for the Philippines. For 15 years previous, the country has been the major US supplier of sugar to the US.

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