The Manila Summit Conference

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 2):

October 24, 1966

The Manila Summit Conference opened on October 24, 1966 at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives, Legislative Building, Manila. 

In attendance were U. S. President Lyndon B. Johnson; President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines; Chief of State Nguyen Van Thieu and Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky of Vietnam; President Chung Hee Park of Korea; and Prime Ministers Harold Holt of Australia, Keith Holyoake of New Zealand, and Thanom Kittikachorn of Thailand. 

Each head of state received full military honors, including a 21-gun salute, the playing of the national anthem and a salute from a composite battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. 

Three days earlier, on October 21, delegations from the participating nations, including U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk, met in Manila for the preparatory discussions. 

During the opening of the summit, President Ferdinand E. Marcos shared that "As chairman of the Manila Summit Conference of 1966, it is my pleasure to assume this position by the unanimous consent and approval of the members of this conference." 

The leaders of the seven nations came up with new policy goals for the Vietnam War. The result of the summit was The Manila Communiqué: a document that laid out specific policy goals to try to achieve peace in Vietnam.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

Photo credit: Presidential Museum and Library