Prelate to Noynoy: Quitting smoking a test of political will

Instead of seeing it as just another burden, presidential front-runner Sen. Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III should treat quitting smoking as a test of political will and a necessary sacrifice. This was how a retired senior Catholic archbishop advised Aquino Wednesday to kick his smoking habit soonest, preferably before assuming office on June 30. "Kung gusto niyang huminto, kaya niyang hintuin yan, parang political will, kasama na rin yan (If he really wants to, he can kick the habit. It is like a test for his political will)," retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said in an interview on dwIZ radio. Cruz, a self-confessed former five-pack-a-day smoker, also contested Aquino’s claims that quitting the habit now may result in pressure that will affect his decisions once he assumes the presidency. Aquino had been edgy about persistent questions about his smoking habit, saying he is not inclined to kick the habit at this time. He said quitting the habit now may put more pressure on him and affect his decisions as president. [See: Noynoy not keen on being anti-smoking poster boy] But Cruz stressed that quitting the smoking habit now is also a necessary sacrifice for the dignity of the Office of the President. "Pasensya na siya, presidente na siya. Hindi pwedeng gawin niya ang bagay na di ikagaganda ng kanyang pagkapangulo at kanyang ginagampanan bilang presidente ng bansa (I am sorry to tell him he is now president. He cannot do things that will demean the office of the president). The dignity of the office requires that some people will have to sacrifice something," he said. Nicotine can impair decisions Further, Cruz contested Aquino’s claim that quitting smoking will affect his decisions, saying nicotine from cigarettes will have a worse effect. "The more you should stop smoking! You will not be able to think well because nicotine nakaka-cloud ng intellectual functions (because nicotine can cloud your intellectual functions)," he said. "Ang iyong kaisipan parang lumilipad...at alam ko [ang] sinasabi ko. Kaya mag-quit ka cold turkey, tapos, tapos, tapos (When you indulge in the habit, your mind flies, and I know what I am talking about. So quit cold turkey, end it, end it, end it)," he added. Cruz also suggested that Aquino draw up on a piece paper a list of his achievements and goals, then place the list beside a cigarette. "In my case, I wrote my achievements on a piece of paper and placed a cigarette opposite that list. I asked myself, will all of my achievements be gone because of one cigarette? That is shameful! In his case, he can list all his achievements, including winning the presidential race. Then he should ask himself if it is worth sacrificing all his achievements for a cigarette," he said in Filipino. Cruz said he used to smoke five packs a day, and that he would have as many as 100 cigarette lighters at a time. But he said the list test caused him to stop. Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral had been advising Aquino to drop the habit. — RSJ, GMANews.TV