Million Volunteer Run/ What’s with VAP?
Local celebrities are collaborating with the Philippine Red Cross for the promotion of its 5th Million Volunteer Fun Run (MVR) scheduled to be held nationwide on Dec. 8. We, non-celebrities, should be collaborating with the humanitarian organization too.
The celebrities include Robbie Domingo, Jerald Napoles, Kim Molina, Ogie Alcasid, Martin Nievera, Jeffrey Santos, news anchors Arnold Clavio, Connie Sison, “Umagang Kay Ganda” and “Eat Bulaga” hosts. And, how proud we are to be told that Mayors Isko Moreno of Manila, Richard Gomez of Ormoc City and Vico Sotto of Pasig City, are urging their constituents and friends to go join the MVRs.
“I would like to express my sincerest gratitude and give a salute to these people, for encouraging the public to participate in the largest humanitarian run in the country,” PRC chairman and CEO Richard Gordon said.
The participating runners will enable PRC to provide for the families affected by calamities and project. The funds raised will go to building the capacity of PRC’s 104 chapters by acquiring life-saving equipment, such as, ambulances, boats, fire trucks, and rescue vehicles, as well as conducting first aid and disaster resilience trainings in communities.
For only P700, one can contribute to the cause by joining the run, which has two distances – 3k and 5k. The P700 fee covers a singlet, race bib, and an opportunity to be part of Red Cross 143 – a flagship program for community volunteers that enables them to be part of the front liners during response and disaster operations.
PRC encourages companies and organizations to partner in the event in their localities. For details, contact +639175106343 or [email protected].
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The Philippine Bible Society (PBS) held a joint celebration of its 120th founding anniversary and the commemoration of the Cebuano Bible Centennial last week at the Mariner’s Court in Pier 1, Cebu City.
This year’s anniversary theme, “#Generation2Generation: 120 Years of Bible Proclamation,” sums up the Society’s gratitude for God’s faithfulness to the Bible ministry. Official Bible Society work began in the Philippines exactly 120 years ago in 1899, when Rev. Jay C. Goodrich established the first Bible depot in the country. The past decades were filled with both triumphs and trials. Yet the determination of every member of the PBS family to make the Bible known across the country remains steadfast.
The Cebuano Bible Centennial is an apt milestone to pair with the organization’s founding anniversary celebration, for what lies at the core of PBS is Bible translation work. The complete Cebuano Bible, published in 1919, was the second to the last of the eight major languages of the Philippines (Tagalog, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilokano, Bikolano, Samarenyo, Pangasinan, and Pampango) to be completed.
Prominent figures in the Cebu Bible Centennial are Bishop Noel Centino (chairman of the Metro Cebu Ministerial Fellowship and Most Rev. Midyphil Billones, D.D. (auxiliary bishop of Cebu.
For the past 120 years, PBS has remained as a non-stock, non-profit, and inter-confessional organization that is committed to turning its vision of a “Transformed Filipino people through God’s Word” into a reality. The passionate men and women who make up the PBS family strive daily to make the Bible known through various initiatives like translation projects, biblical training seminars, flagship program-specific activities, and more.
Dr. Nora G. Lucero is the PBS general secretary.
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You think vaping is the smart thing to do, to be seen exhaling smoke like a volcano spewing lava? Think twice.
But some of our legislators are divided on the use of vaping. A number of our lawmakers are for it – their bills basically just wanting to make sure that its use is regulated.
What is vaping, anyway?
As gleaned from the Internet, vaping is “the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, often referred to as vapor, which is produced by an e-cigarette or similar device. The term is used because e-cigarettes do not produce tobacco smoke, but rather an aerosol, often mistaken for water vapor, that actually consists of fine articles. Many of these particles contain varying amounts of toxic chemicals, which have been linked to cancer, as well as respiratory and heart disease.”
The data we got describes vaping as having grown in popularity with the rise of e-cigarettes, which were introduced to the mass market in the U.S. in 2007. Vaping devices include not just e-cigarettes, but also vape pens and advanced personal vaporizers (also known as ‘MODS”). E-cigarettes, which resemble smoked cigarettes, and vape vens, which resemble large fountain pens, are typically simpler in design and less expensive than devices that have been customized by the user.”
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In the Philippine Senate, Sen. Francis Tolentino has filed a bill banning the use, sale, manufacture and importation of electronic cigarettes or vaping products. According to Senate Bill No. 1183 or the proposed Electronic Smoking Prohibition Act, all electronic nicotine or electric non-nicotine delivery systems (EDNS/ENNDS) are disallowed based on a state policy to promote the health of its citizens. The proposed penalty for violators is from P50,000 to P1 million.
Tolentino filed the bill after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a ban on the use and importation of e-cigarettes/vaping products after the first case of electronic cigarette and vaping product use associated with lung injury was reported in Central Visayas. Duterte was reported saying that he is banning e-cigarettes because it is also dangerous to one’s health.
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Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo, of Act_CIS Party-list is asking the Food and Drug Administration to order the recall of all vaping products. “Merely issuing a joint statement with the Department of Health is not enough.” Such action is weak, she says.
She said the vaping problem “can be arrested now by taking the vaping products off the shelves and clamping down on any black market selling online and at street level.”
I take my hat off to you, Ms. Tulfo, for your stance.
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Rep. Bernadette Herrera of the Bagong Henerasyon Party-list has filed HB 551 banning vaping in public places and sets “stringent” rules. The bill does not ban vaping completely, rather regulates its use. It says online sales of vaping products would be stringent, imposing penalties of from a fine of P100,000-P500,000 to imprisonment and confiscation as well as deportation (applying to foreign nationals.
The bill bans vaping in public places (like playschools, preparatory schools, elementary schools, high schools, colleges and universities, youth hostels and recreational facilities for minors.
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Rep. Marlyn “Len” Alonte, Deputy Majority Leader, according to her media agency, says President Duterte’s Executive Order No. 26, series of 2017, can expand the scope of the order to interpret organic nicotine-loaded vaping devices as falling within the definition of tobacco products.
Representative Alonte hopes the new EO would also be able to include vaping devise containing artificial nicotine or other chemicals other than nicotine because the Tobacco Regulation Act was worded such that it was very specific as to the definitions of tobacco and tobacco product.
She said, a “creative way to ban vaping could involve invoking the laws against dangerous drugs as more dangerous than cigarette smoking.”
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