Health chief to lawmakers: Abandon plans to visit Vegas

MANILA, Philippines - Citing the risk of swine flu, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made a last-minute appeal Wednesday to some 50 lawmakers to abandon plans to visit Las Vegas to cheer Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao. "My personal advice to our congressmen is to postpone their trip until the situation becomes clearer and avoid visiting places close to Mexico," he said. Duque said late Wednesday the swine flu situation is still “evolving," adding there is still no telling where cases of the disease may pop up. “As much as possible, I would not approve of the trip to Las Vegas while the situation is still volatile. Besides, Manny will not lack for supporters when he faces Ricky Hatton this weekend," he said in a radio interview. He also said his advice is not meant to belittle Pacquiao, saying it is his duty as health secretary to inform the public of the risks. At the House of Representatives, Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño expressed dismay over colleagues flying to Las Vegas in the middle of Charter change deliberations in the chamber to watch the upcoming fight of Pacquiao. In a text message to reporters, Casiño said he found it “infuriating" that such action of his colleagues would delay Charter change hearings and then they would push for it once they are home. “It is no consolation that the absence of congressmen due to the Pacquiao fight will delay Charter change. In fact, it's more infuriating because in the end, nagpapasarap sila sa Las Vegas tapos ilulusot pa rin ang [they’ll enjoy in Las Vegas and then insist on] Charter change. So they'll have their cake and eat it too. Meanwhile, we who are left behind have nothing to do since there is no quorum," he said. Among the lawmakers who would fly to the US is House Speaker Prospero Nograles, the main proponent of Resolution 737, a measure seeking to amend the economic provisions in the Constitution. Nograles is also the main endorser of Resolution 1109 of Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte, which sought to rewrite the Charter through constitutional amendment. But as far as the Speaker was concerned, he saw nothing wrong with flying to the States because “it’s a weekend and non-session period." Meanwhile, Duque said his department has set up hotlines for the public to call in their questions, at 711-10-01 and 711-10-02. - with a report from Aie B. See, GMANews.TV