BROADSHEETS 

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Bishop steps up attack

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Phl shelves seismic project in Spratlys  

MANILA BULLETIN -- Jojo, Mar in 1 team

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Mar seen moving to oust Belmonte

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- Spratly issue: Aquino, Chinese defense chief meet

ABANTE -- 4-anyos ginilitan saka ginahasa, nabuhay

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Leviste 'kakanta' sa DOJ probe ngayon 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Sen. Panfilo Lacson has filed a bill mandating children to show filial responsibility to their parents who may need assistance when they grow old. In filing Senate Bill 2819, Lacson lamented that despite Filipinos’ close family ties, some still abandon their elderly, sick and incapacitated parents to fend for themselves. “We Filipinos are well-known for our close family ties. Because of this, we have the usual inclination to care for our elderly. (Philstar)

On Spratlys

The government has put on hold plans to conduct a seismic undertaking in the Kalayaan Islands in the Spratlys, a top energy official said over the weekend. Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said they decided to put the proposed program in the back burner pending resolution of some issues. “As far as the DOE (Department of Energy) is concerned... it has been put on hold. We do not want to move without the go signal from the foreign affairs department,” he said.(Philstar)

The Code of Conduct among claimant-countries in the disputed Spratly Islands must be reviewed so that jurisdictional matters will be defined clearly, and the Philippines will raise this with the Chinese government, President Aquino said yesterday. In a chance interview at the SMX Mall of Asia where he was guest speaker at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine graduation, Aquino said the issue will be raised when he meets with Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie at Malacañang today. The Code, which includes China, was approved in 2002.(Philstar)

On PPP

The government is expected to open the bidding for construction of the P10.6-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Expressway Phase II this year under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme. A ranking government official, who requested anonymity, said over the weekend that the detailed engineering for the project is nearing completion. The official said the expressway, the first to be opened for bidding under the PPP scheme, is a priority infrastructure project of the administration.(Philstar)

On Gov. Leviste

Even if he was not satisfied with the answers of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Ernesto Diokno, President Aquino said yesterday that he will wait for the final outcome of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) investigation regarding the case of convict Jose Antonio Leviste. “I’m hoping they (DOJ) finish the investigation by Wednesday (May 25). BuCor is under them. There is a need to go through a process,” Aquino told reporters in a chance interview at the SMX Convention Center, where he was guest speaker at the UP College of Medicine graduation. The President will be leaving on Thursday for a state visit to Thailand.(Philstar)

On school opening

The Armed Forces National Capital Region Command (NCRCOM) will deploy 900 soldiers to assist the Department of Education (DepEd) in its “Brigada Eskwela” program that would clean and refurbish public schools nationwide.  NCRCOM commander Maj. Gen. Tristan Kison said yesterday that the soldiers would be assigned to clean and prepare for school opening at least 200 public elementary and high schools in Metro Manila. “The task of NCRCOM is to provide the needed manpower assistance to DepEd and we will ensure that the launching will run smoothly. The NCRCOM will do its best to contribute to the success of the Brigada Eskwela,” Kison said.(Philstar)

On crime rate

Statistics show that there has been a downward trend in crime rates over the last two years, an official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday. Director Arturo Cacdac Jr., chief of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), said there was a sharp decline in crime statistics from 2009 to 2010. “Crime volume in 2009 was at 502,665 but last year, (there were only) 319,441 cases, so there was a sharp decrease of 183,224 incidents or roughly 36 percent,” Cacdac said in a forum. (Philstar)

On low-cost housing

President Aquino leads today the launching of a low-cost housing project for uniformed personnel and their dependents in Bulacan. Aquino, Vice President Jejomar Binay and National Housing Authority (NHA) general manager Chito Cruz are expected to attend the event at Barangay Batia in Bocaue, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs chief Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said yesterday.    AFP chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Raul Bacalzo were also invited to the project launch. The project is in line with Administrative Order 9, which ordered the NHA to come up with a housing program for military and police personnel nationwide.(Philstar)