BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Pulse: 69% Favor RH Bill

MANILA BULLETIN -- ‘Vizconde’ Convict Freed

PHILIPPINE STAR -- US Embassy Downplays Memo Leaks

MANILA STANDARD -- Malacañang Is Alarmed By WikiLeaks Disclosure

MANILA TIMES -- Vizconde Case Police Freed

MALAYA -- Survey Shows 70% Favor Repro Bill

DAILY TRIBUNE -- DoJ Eyes P2 Million Bounty For Lacson

 

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- ‘We Can Destroy Enemies At Once’

ABANTE -- Gloria Mababalatan Sa Wikileaks

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Vizconde Convict Pinalaya Na!

 

BALITA -- Mabigat Na Pasanin

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- Paracetamol Harms Babies

REMATE -- Sanggol Ninakaw Ibinenta

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Proponents of the reproductive health (RH) bill yesterday cheered the results of a new Pulse Asia survey showing that 69 percent of Filipinos favored the population management measure, while others scoffed at the survey. Gabriela party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, author of a comprehensive RH bill for women, said the latest poll merely reaffirmed the sentiments of the majority of Filipinos about the RH measure. (PDI-Banner) 

The proposed P21-billion conditional cash transfer (CCT) program of the Aquino administration in the 2011 national appropriations bill is wanted slashed by some senators who remain doubtful about the so-called absorptive capacity of the implementing agency, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). (Tribune-p1) 

Two Mindanao lawmakers asked the House committee on games and amusement to inquire into the Internet gaming contract between the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) and Philweb Corp. Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and his brother Maximo, who represents Abante Mindanao, made the proposal after the Commission on Audit (COA) reported that the contract was disadvantageous to the government. Philweb is identified with Marcos-era trade minister Roberto Ongpin. (Philstar-p2) 

President Aquino’s congressmen-allies are sitting on tax measures that could help the administration bring down the huge budget deficit, opposition Rep. Danilo Suarez of Quezon said yesterday. He made the statement in the course of a hearing of the House committee on ways and means, which Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas chairs. Aquino and Mandanas belong to the Liberal Party. (Philstar-p13) 

On Presidency

President Aquino prefers that the new Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman would come from outside the poll body because of his bad experience with the current commissioners as a presidential candidate last May. (Philstar-p14) 

On WikiLeaks

The US embassy in Manila said it is confident of its government’s capacity to preserve its good relations with the Philippines and with other countries despite the leak of thousands of diplomatic cables, many of which contained unflattering comments on global allies.  “We are in constant communication with the government of the Philippines on many issues of bilateral importance,” US embassy Press Attaché Rebecca Thompson told The STAR yesterday. (Philstar-Banner) 

On The Fugitive From Justice

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday announced that she had endorsed a proposed P2-million reward to help “hasten” the arrest of fugitive Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson who, she said, was hiding in the country. Speaking at her weekly press conference at the justice department in Manila, De Lima said the P2-million reward had been proposed by “a unit of the Philippine National Police,” that she was “endorsing” it, and that the recommendation was awaiting the green light from Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo. (PDI-p1) 

On The President’s Men

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima may be the highest-rated among President Benigno Aquino III’s Cabinet but she is a pauper compared to her peers. Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo is the richest. In her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth submitted to the Commission on Appointments, De Lima reported a fortune of P3.3 million as of June this year, the lowest among nine Cabinet members who submitted their documents to the bicameral body. (PDI-p5) 

On Disaster

Metro Manila is the “7-11 of disasters.”  The National Capital Region topped cities in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) “most at risk” of flooding and earthquake, according to the latest ASEAN risk assessment synthesis report. A copy of the report, commissioned by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) with help from the World Bank, was given yesterday to the Inquirer ahead of its release. (PDI-p1) 

On Pinoys in the Koreas

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has readied its only operational C-130 cargo plane for possible repatriation of Filipino workers from South Korea. PAF spokesman Lt. Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol said the crew of the cargo plane had been ordered to await instructions to fly and evacuate Filipino workers in South Korea amid escalating tension on the peninsula. Okol said about 100 people could be accommodated in the cargo plane that can fly two trips a day to and from South Korea. Estimates, however, have placed the number of Filipinos legitimately working in South Korea at about 48,000. (Philstar-p1) 

On Liquified Petroleum

Retailers of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) will increase the price of their products by P3 per kilo effective today. LPG Marketers Association (LPGMA) president Arnel Ty said the hike in prices was consistent with the increase in contract prices of LPG abroad. (Philstar-p1) 

On Govt Satisfaction

Public satisfaction with the government hit a record high during the first three months of the Aquino administration, according to the latest survey conducted by pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS). The survey found 73 percent of Filipinos satisfied with the government’s performance while only nine percent were dissatisfied, giving the new administration a “very good” net satisfaction rating of 64. This was the highest satisfaction rating ever received by the government since the SWS started rating the national administration’s general performance in 1989. (Philstar-p1) 

On The Peace Process

Muslim rebels yesterday warned that the expiration of mandate of Malaysian-led international peace monitors next week might lead to a resurgence of armed conflict in Mindanao. The current term of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) will end on December 8. (Tribune-p1) 

On Maguindanao Massacre

The biweekly court hearings for the Maguindanao massacre will start today. Prosecution lawyers led by Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon are also set to present two witnesses each trial date. The 9 a.m. hearings are scheduled every Wednesday and Thursday of the month or Dec. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 at the makeshift courtroom in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. (Philstar-p2) 

On The Philippine Air Force

The Air Force yesterday defended the acquisition of 18 units of trainer aircraft from Italy, saying this would improve the quality of education offered to its student pilots. Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol also stressed that the purchase of trainers underwent the necessary process. “(The acquisition of trainers) will greatly boost the training of pilots if not lessen the training time,” Okol said in a statement.  (Philstar-p4) 

On SLEX Toll Hike

Three Bicol congressmen asked the House yesterday to look into the “reasonableness and propriety” of the toll fee increase in the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). In a resolution, Representatives Christopher Co, Rodel Batocabe and Alfredo Garbin Jr. of the party-list group Ako Bicol (AKB) said the impending increase would hurt their Bicol constituents. “Bicol businesses depend on the rest of Luzon for their commodities and there is no way of travel other than SLEX. The toll hike imposes an obligatory cost on agricultural products, bus rates and basic goods which will consequently be passed on to consumers,” they said. (Philstar-p6) 

On Education 

A World Bank (WB) study on the Philippines showed that the entire public education system had not progressed at all, and has in fact “regressed” from what should have been an ideal situation, Malacañang disclosed yesterday.  “A WB study showed that our education system is regressive. (Philstar-p14) 

On X-Mas 2010

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said he is 100 percent sure there is no need to import pork and chicken until after the Christmas holidays since there is sufficient supply of the two commodities. “For this year, we are 100 percent sufficient, no importation,” he told local newsmen here. Alcala came here last Monday to lead the inauguration of the $2.2-million seafood processing complex donated by the South Korean government through the Korean International Cooperation Agency. (Philstar-p15) 

On Anti-Aids Campaign

The country will have the fifth blueprint of its anti-HIV/AIDS campaign in the wake of the changing landscape of the epidemic, an official of the multi-sector Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) said yesterday. PNAC Secretariat executive director Ferchito Avelino said they would be launching soon the 5th AIDS Medium Term Plan (2011-2016) with the intent of fortifying efforts to curb the rising HIV/AIDS cases in the country. (Philstar-p15) 

On Election Protest

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday ruled that there will be no manual recount for election protests from the May 10, 2010 national and local elections. Comelec Resolution 9104 signed by Comelec Chairman Jose Melo and all of the six commissions promulgated the rules of procedure for the recount of ballots which are the subject of election protest cases filed with the Comelec. The poll body strongly opposed the manual recount of ballots so its legacy of holding the country’s first automated elections will not be destroyed. (Mla Times-p2) 

On Ka Roger

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yesterday challenged the communist New People’s Army leadership to disprove the military’s belief that NPA spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal is already dead. AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. stressed that while the military has not validated the death of Rosal, his continuous silence after reports of his death due to sickness two years ago is leading the military to conclude that the NPA top leader is really gone. (Tribune-p3)