PRESS DIGEST - Philippine newspapers - June 16

MANILA, June 16 (Reuters) - These are the leading stories in Manila newspapers on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories.

- The number of influenza A (H1N1) cases in the Philippines inched closer to 200 after the virus infected 46 more people over the weekend, health authorities said. (PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER, MALAYA)

- House Speaker Prospero Nograles urged President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo not to run for congress next year. (PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER, MALAYA)

- Government troops are close to rescuing Italian Red Cross engineer Eugenio Vagni, held by the Abu Sayyaf group for six months, military officials said. (MALAYA, BUSINESSWORLD)

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BUSINESS

- SM Investments Corp (SM.PS) has doubled the size of its domestic bond issue to 10 billion pesos ($207 million) due to strong demand. (ALL PAPERS)

- International passenger traffic in the Philippines fell 4.2 percent to 2.97 million in the first quarter from the same year ago period, due to the global downturn, the Civil Aeronautics Board said. (THE MANILA TIMES)

- The government is seeking to 20 billion pesos in investments from Brazilian biofuel makers to finance five bio-ethanol distilleries it plans to put up in the country, an agriculture official said. (MANILA STANDARD TODAY) ($1 = 48.25 Philippine pesos) (Reporting by Karen Lema)