A Nation Towards a "Tobacco-Free Youth"

GOOD NEWS!

MORE and more Filipino youths are now attempting to stop smoking cigarettes, a 2007 Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) conducted in the Philippines revealed Saturday, May 31, 2008.

According to the survey, 86.1% among current smokers want to stop smoking, 87.1% tried to stop smoking during the past year and 85.9% have received help to stop smoking.

The Manila Times, by Rommel C. Lontayao. June 1, 2008.

Despite the heavy campaigns of the Tobacco industry, it is overwhelming to know that a good number of our youth today actually express the interest to quit the habit of smoking. I mean, many of the ads we see on billboards, TV, and magazines lure people, even the youth, to smoke. And that’s not a good image to our society! It’s good that there are an increasing number of people who try to quit smoking because health problems in the Philippines would most probably experience a positive change. This is one step closer to a cleaner and healthier environment.

AND THE BAD NEWS IS??

The GYTS has also found out that some 8.5 percent of those surveyed were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative. The World Health Organization has raised the alarm on the tobacco marketing net that targets half a billion young people in the Western Pacific Region, warning of the industry’s marketing ploys to hook youngsters into addiction at an early age.

The Manila Times, by Rommel C. Lontayao. June 1, 2008.

This is definitely bad news because the Tobacco industries are finding ways to lure the public once more to patronize their tobacco products. And it’s not only the adults, but also the youth whom they are trying to target. I remember I even saw cigarette packs and sticks that come in different colors and flavors to specifically attract the youth. Even my five year old brother, Aga, became curious and wanted to stick it into his mouth. That is not right.

Why am I so against smoking? Simple, really. It KILLS. Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disease. Cigarettes cause more deaths than cocaine, auto accidents, AIDS, alcohol, heroin, fire, suicide and homicide combined. It’s nothing but UNCOOL and downright crazy. Well, unless you really want to suffer the consequences.

What I’m really concerned of is that the Tobacco industry’s taking over the minds of our youth today. Even the DOH and other anti-tobacco advocates concede the fact that media and advertising play big roles in luring young people to smoking. The solution? The government and other health crusaders are now campaigning for a total ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Now this I should support. I hope the Arroyo administration would really focus on this issue.

Save the youth, quit for the better. Resist the urge =P

ABS! Additional Budget Spending

“The Arroyo Administration has decided to spend P93.6 billion more than the approved national budget of P1.236 trillion this year to fund more pro-poor programs.”

SOURCE: Remo, M.V. (2008, May). Gov’t to spend P93.6B more this year. Philippine Daily Inquirer, pp. B1, B4

At first, I thought this idea of GMA, and her cronies (if I may call them that), spending more than the approved national budget for this year was a great proposal. How will the government fund for the said additional spending? A nearly P18.6 billion would be taken from the Value Added Tax on oil since oil prices are sky rocketing! And the other portion would be funded by borrowings. Sure, the Arroyo Administration would be funding programs for the poor such as scholarships as well as loaning to PUV operators so that they may modify their engine to a cheaper one that consumes low-priced gasoline. The administration also said that they will be directly giving money to the poor. But would this really benefit the poor and our deteriorating society?

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT MS. PRESIDENT, I believe that the government should not openly give cash to the less-fortunate. WHY?

1. How sure are we that the money that will be given to them will be used for a good cause? For all we know, they would use that money to buy drugs!
2. They would not want to work thus creating more unemployed lazy Filipinos AKA MGA TAMBAY.
3. They would depend on the money given to them and not find other ways of earning money.
4. Lastly, don’t you think that it is a bit degrading on their part if they were just handed money.

The government must formulate other means of helping the poor; they should not dole out money!!

My other concern about this issue is that there is a possibility that the Philippines would be exposed to more graft and corruption. Come on, an additional spending budget? Do we seriously need that big amount of money just for extra spending? I say that the government might use this money for their personal expenses.

To conclude this post, I believe that the additional spending budget would help a bit but would also cause trouble in our community.