Editing 78-09-B2 (section)

=== Transcript ===
Today I'd like to tell you what the Philippines looks like to an observer
who had an opportunity to meet with leaders in every field with journeyman
members of the press and -- for several hours -- with President and Mrs. Marcos.

Marcos is very sensitive to the wave of criticism he and his administration
are receiving in the American press following his declaration of martial law.
We here in American have been given a story of repression, arrest of political
prisoners and torture. The man I quoted last broadcast and who I quote today
regarding the Philippines said --QUOTE-- "Maybe there have been human rights
violations and torture. I don't know. I can tell you, however, that a close
friend who has been in the Philippines as a representative of the Drug Enforcement
administration for five years, told me that he has never seen or even suspected
mistreatment of prisoners by the police. I questioned him closely and he told
me that he had been to numerous prisons, including those for political prisoners.
He said that some of the prisons having political prisoners are 'country clubs'
compared to United States prisons." Then he added, "I trust my friend implicitly."
--UNQUOTE--

He found both President and Mrs. Marcos still staunch friends of America
and as anti-Communist as ever. They know that their insistence that our military
bases there be leaseholds under Philippine sovereignty has been interpreted as
anti-Americanism but President Marcos said--QUOTE-- "The people of the Philippines
must be given some national pride and shown that their country is running its
own affairs". --UNQUOTE-- That shouldn't be so hard for our government to 
understand after the way it bled over Panama's desire to feel national pride by
obtaining sovereignty over the Canal. The President went on to say that the
payments he was asking for the bases would be applied toward the purchase of
an early warning radar system.

Now, brace yourself for a slight surprise. My friend expressed the opinion
that this was hardly necessary since obviously the United States already had
such a system in operation there. President Marcos laughed and said that was
the response of both President Carter and Secretary Vance. Neither of them
were aware that we had no such long range warning system in the Philippines.

Other surprise revelations--the average man in the street said living
conditions had improved more in the five years of martial law than in the previous
50 years.

There are stories about Mrs. Marcos "putting her arm" on industry for money
with which to build some of her pet projects such as the Philippines Cultural Center.
She said frankly that she did exactly that. She added that there isn't public
money for such construction so she asks industry to contribute and smilingly
agreed that maybe--QUOTE--"there was more leaning than asking"--UNQUOTE--but
what usually isn't reported is that all such contributions are tax deductible
just as they are here in America.

The U.S. news agency executive I have been quoting summed up by saying that
in the Philippines as elsewhere in Asia he found only friendship for the United
States but worry as to what our foreign policy really was. Well, that last point
we certainly have in common.

This is Ronald Reagan.

Thanks for listening.
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