Noy not keen on accepting ice bucket challenge

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino is not keen on accepting the ice bucket challenge as part of efforts to raise funds for awareness and research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative nerve ailment also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

“Let’s not talk about that for now because I will volunteer (Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary Renato) Rey Marfil. I will challenge him first, especially now that I have colds,” Aquino said in an interview aired over Bombo Radyo yesterday morning.

A roster of government officials has taken the challenge, including Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares.

The ALS Association has raised $88.5 million to date.

Donations in the last week alone have topped $65 million, a staggering figure when compared with the $2.6 million raised in the whole of 2013.

‘Shun stem cell research’

The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, urged participants in the ice bucket challenge to make a clear and unequivocal declaration that their donation is made on condition that none of it is for research that involves the use of embryonic stem cells, in vivo or in vitro.

In a statement, Villegas said “Catholics who participate in the challenge and who make donations to this research must also demand of fund-raisers and organizers an assurance that none of the donations made will be applied to researches that are ethically reproved.

“As long as research on ALS as well as other debilitating conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s keep within the confines of the ethical demands of human dignity, they will be encouraged by the Church, and our Catholic faithful will be urged to support them with generosity and with charity for all who suffer,” Villegas said.

Villegas said there have been disturbing reports that ALS research involves the use of stem cells, and this is not surprising.

He said ALS is a degenerative disorder and stem cells apparently hold out the promise of reversing the death and degeneration of brain cells in particular.

Stem cells, however, are most readily harvested from embryos, and it is in this regard that this type of research is ethically problematic, he added.

Villegas clarified that the CBCP is not prepared to say that the ALS Association that promoted the ice bucket challenge and all those involved in ALS research are engaged in the unethical practice of using embryonic cells.

He said the importance of ALS research could not be overstated. Research must proceed because so many suffer, he added.

Villegas pointed out that on Feb. 22, 1987, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued an “Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation.”

“It is therefore even more condemnable when embryos are destroyed so that their pluripotent stem cells may be harvested for research for even therapeutic purposes,” Villegas said.

DOH warning

Department of Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag warned that people taking up the popular ice bucket challenge are in danger of acquiring salmonella infection.

“Accidentally swallowing water from ice bucket challenge could potentially cause salmonella infection,” Tayag said as he reminded the public to ensure that ice to be used in the activity comes from a clean source.

The ice bucket challenge involves dumping a bucket of ice water on someone’s head and uploading the video on social media to promote awareness of ALS and encourage donations to research.

The challenge has gone viral on social media and a number of government officials and celebrities have taken the challenge.

But Tayag said the public should take the necessary precautions before doing the challenge to avoid salmonella infection.

 Although not all those who ingest salmonella get sick, health experts said salmonella infection generally causes nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever and headache.

Symptoms of most salmonella infections usually appear within three days of contamination and typically go away without medical treatment.

Chief justice dared

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was asked yesterday to take the ice bucket challenge.

Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., chairman of the House committee on justice, made the request as he accepted the challenge made by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and had himself doused with ice water.

Tupas also pledged $100 to two unidentified groups engaged in ALS research.

Sereno, however, turned down the challenge of Tupas. – With Jess Diaz, Mayen Jaymalin, Christina Mendez, Eva Visperas