BROADSHEETS

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Pirates Free 19 PH Sailors

PHILIPPINE STAR  -- Noy Slashes Own Intel Fund By P183 Million 

MANILA STANDARD -- Manila To Borrow P10B To Finance Deficit, Spend P21B On Dinky’s Dole

MANILA TIMES -- Floods Displace 400,000

MALAYA -- ‘Martyrdom’ Card In RH Debate Called A Stunt

DAILY TRIBUNE -- DFA Demand 6 Nations Clarify Terror Advisories

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- 10 Indon Tererrorist Here

ABANTE -- Kwidaw  Sa Mura

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Pinoy Driver Pisak

 

BALITA -- Paglikas  Sa Bulusan

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- Pacman Faces $1-M Suit!

BULGAR -- Dalagita Hinoldap Na, Tinangay Pa

REMATE -- Rasyon Ng Gasolina Nakaamba

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

The leading advocate of the reproductive health bill at the House yesterday accused the Catholic Church of resorting to propaganda when the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said that its leaders – priests, clergy and bishops – are all willing to go to jail if the measure is enacted. House minority leader Edcel Lagman said "bishops and lay leaders see phantom jailers when there are none." (Malaya-Banner) 

After a three-week recess, Congress will resume session today with the House of Representatives expected to pass on third and final reading the Aquino administration’s P1.64-trillion 2011 national budget and launch new congressional inquiries on various pressing issues, House leaders said yesterday. The Senate, meanwhile, is optimistic that it will be able to scrutinize the budget even as it awaits the House’s transmittal of its approved version. (Philstar-p1) 

The proposed P1.645-trillion budget for 2011 and the amnesty proclamation for those involved in mutinies against the previous Arroyo administration top the priority measures of the Senate when it resumes its regular session today. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile stressed that the Senate would be giving priority to the budget without abandoning the other important measures pending in the chamber. The Senate is expected to receive the General Appropriations Bill from the House within the week.  According to the Constitution, all budget measures should emanate from the House. (Mla Times-p1) 

House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said yesterday no one would be jailed for opposing the controversial Reproductive Health Bill in good faith. Lagman, a staunch advocate of the RH Bill, said that after withdrawing their threat to excommunicate RH advocates, including President Aquino, some bishops are reportedly threatening to risk being jailed in a renewed offensive against the measure. (Philstar-p5) 

On Presidency

In line with his administration’s austerity measures, President Aquino has decided to cut the intelligence budget of the Office of the President for next year by P184 million, from P4.259 billion  to P4.075 billion.  “This is consistent with our belt-tightening efforts and our desire to cut unprogrammed, unaudited fund sources in the spirit of transparency and fiscal discipline,” said Secretary Herminio Coloma of the Presidential Communications Office for Operations. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. recommended the cost-cutting measure. (Philstar-Banner) 

Fourteen million. That, according to Michael Moore, is the number of votes the Democrats lost in the recent US midterm elections. These are mostly the young voters, 18-29, who rooted for Barack Obama when he ran for the White House two years ago. They stayed home this time because, the activist-filmmaker said, they felt betrayed. The figure matters because, according to Moore, the Republicans were able to bring just 5 million more of their supporters to the polling booths. That is the lesson for President Benigno Aquino III who, going five months into his own presidency, should take to heart as his administration continues to stumble from one mishap to another. (PDI-p1) 

On Visiting Forces Agreement

Sen. Franklin Drilon is supportive of the Palace review of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States. Drilon said it is time to review the VFA and ensure that its provisions are not disadvantageous to the country. “I voted for the VFA before... It should be reviewed to make sure that our sovereignty is not stepped upon once more,” Drilon said over radio station dzBB. But Drilon contradicted the stand of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago that the review cannot be done without the participation of Congress. (Philstar-p1) 

On Terror Watch

The Philippine government and Indonesia are working on enhancing their exchange of intelligence information, particularly on terror threats affecting the region. The two countries are planning to implement the Joint Area Intelligence Meeting (JAIM) mechanism to address the threat of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). Militants of the Jakarta-based JI were reported to be crossing the territorial waters between Indonesia and the Philippines. (Philstar-p1) 

On Travel Advisories

One down, five to go. Malacañang has gotten Britain to make clear that it had not changed its assessment of the overall terror threat in the Philippines when the latter issued a travel advisory to British citizens last week, officials said yesterday. Upon the request of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Secretary Herminio Coloma of the presidential communications group said that the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office had informed Manila that its travel advisory last week was “not new.” (PDI-p1) 

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) sent diplomatic notes to six foreign embassies on Thursday and Friday to seek clarification on their basis for issuing damaging travel advisories and asked them to furnish Philippine authorities “in a timely manner” any intelligence information on threats of terrorism so that precautionary measures can be immediately undertaken. (Tribune-Banner) 

On The Armed Forces

The Navy wants to procure multi-role vessels (MRVs) similar to one that sailed through turbulent waters to deliver relief goods to residents of Pangasinan and Isabela isolated by rains during typhoon “Juan.” Col. Ariel Caculitan, acting Navy public affairs chief, said these vessels will enhance the Navy’s security efforts and boost its capability in performing disaster and calamity-related missions. An MRV can also serve as a floating government humanitarian center during times of calamity, he added. (Philstar-p2) 

Retiring Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief, believes that the roots of rebellion like poverty could be addressed by intensifying the cooperation among the military, local governments and civil society. Dolorfino, who will retire from the military service on Wednesday, said the “gunless battle for the hearts and minds” of people and not armed operations is the key to addressing insurgency and terrorism in the country. (Philstar-p4) 

Another favored one?  A senior Navy officer has been designated commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao, a post that was supposed to go to an admiral who had aired complaints about being demoted and over alleged favoritism in appointments. Commodore Orwen Cortez Jr., a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1979, assumed the post on November 4, said Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, commander of the AFP’s Western Mindanao Command which has operational control over the Naval Forces Western Mindanao. (Malaya-p1) 

On Calamities

Flooding in Northern Luzon brought about by days of continuous heavy downpour has already caused more than P300 million in damage to agriculture and fisheries, displaced over 100,000 families or at least 400,000 people, and left 13 people dead so far and still counting, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). But the good news is, according to the Philippine National Police’ Directorate for Integrated Operations in Northern Luzon, the Cagayan River has started to subside and the rain has stopped as of 11 a.m. Sunday. (Mla Times-Banner) 

On Education 

Education Secretary Armin Luistro yesterday assured textbook crusader Antonio Calipjo-Go that error-filled textbooks will be a thing of the past as the department is set to implement a stringent textbook evaluation policy. Luistro met Go at his office at the Marian School in Quezon City where he is the academic supervisor. "I had a very cordial meeting with Mr. Go. He showed me his notes on errors in the English textbook series used currently in DepEd elementary schools. We discussed ways of correcting those via supplemental notes as these textbooks were only printed in 2008."  (Malaya-p1) 

On Abducted Pinoy Seafarers

Somali pirates on Saturday said they had received a record $9 million ransom in a helicopter air drop for the release of a South Korean supertanker with a crew of five South Koreans and 19 Filipinos. The South Korean foreign ministry on Sunday confirmed Saturday’s release of the 300,000-ton Samho Dream and said it was sailing toward a safe third country under the escort of a South Korean destroyer. (PDI-Banner) 

On Delayed Flight 

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific Air Sunday announced delays in its trips yesterday and their corresponding return flights after birds caused mechanical failure in one of its aircraft. In an advisory it posted on Facebook Sunday morning, Cebu Pacific said “a bird strike on one of our aircraft” occurred and this would cause delays in the evening flights to Cebu, Bacolod and Shanghai from Manila. Cebu Pacific apologized for any inconvenience the incident may have caused. (PDI-p1) 

On Congressional Infra Projects

Four contractors cornered the bulk of river dredging projects worth P1.3 billion, which were undertaken shortly before the synchronized national and local elections last May 10. The projects were funded through so-called “congressional initiatives,” the euphemism for budgetary insertions made by congressmen. The P1.3 billion is part of the P16.5 billion in budgetary insertions, which then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo released before and after the elections mostly to her allies in the House of Representatives. (Philstar-p1) 

On Tax Exemption 

Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas wants officials, tanods and other employees of the 40,000 barangays nationwide exempted from income and capital gains taxes. In filing the Barangay Incentives Bill, Gullas also seeks to exclude barangay officials, tanods and other employees from paying capital gains and transfer taxes when they sell real property, as long as the proceeds are used directly and exclusively to acquire a house and lot, not exceeding 500 square meters for their family homes.

On Showbiz

“This is hard work,” Shalani Soledad said as she watched Willie Revillame, for the nth time, go over the music-and-spiel sequence that he had put together, on the spot, as intro for possibly her biggest coming-out party to date. Starting Monday night, the country’s favorite ex-First Girlfriend will co-host the newest game show on local television, TV5’s “Willing Willie.” (PDI-p1)