Dummy texts bug DOH's new anti-smoking website

Despite the President’s well-known habit, health authorities launched Wednesday an intensified anti-smoking program in Metro Manila, using short messaging system (SMS) and the Internet. But the website of the Health Department's Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) appeared half-baked as several of its sections contained dummy text as of Wednesday morning.

"The Smoke-free Reporting Package will run in compliment with existing government hotlines such as Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board’s 0921-4487777; Metro Manila Development Authority’s 136 and the Philippine National Police Central Hotline 117," the DOH said in an article on its website Wednesday. It said its Metro Manila CHD's first-ever Smoke-free Reporting Package aims to let the public report tobacco violations in Metro Manila. The Smoke-free Reporting Package consists of NOSI SMS, NOSI Report Line and NOSI Website. It was launched despite President Benigno Simeon Aquino III's reluctance to give up his smoking habit. While Aquino has not been seen smoking in public since becoming president, he had said he is not keen on quitting his habit as it may affect his decision-making. Using the NOSI SMS package, the public can send in reports by texting NOSI to 2256 which is open to Smart, Globe and Sun cellular networks. In the NOSI Report Line package, the public could report their complaints through hotline 661-3747 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. On the other hand, the NOSI Website package allows the public to report directly by visiting http://www.nosi.com.ph. The CHD, which is in charge of the DOH's tobacco control program, said 35 percent of Metro Manila's 10-million population is currently smoking. It said Metro Manila has a very young population with 36 percent in the category aged 18 years or less. "The current prevalence rate among 12-17 yrs. (Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 2007) is 25 percent. Thus, it is very important to provide an environment that is conducive for a 100% smoke-free policy knowing that there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke," it said. CHD said its project works closely with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP), a volunteer organization whose members donate their time, passion, resources and personal funds to push for tobacco control advocacy. "It has successfully collaborated with the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) and has been instrumental in pushing for landmark legislations as its initial step to some form of tobacco control in the country," it noted in the NOSI website. Also, it said the project also works closely with the University of the Philippines Law Center (UPLC) on legal, legislative and enforcement issues. The purpose of the project is to achieve a “Smoke-free Manila" in the longer term or at least two years, by establishing within two years seven model urban centers that are 100% smoke-free, through media and communication strategies, capacity building for effective implementation and strict enforcement of local ordinances, policy advocacy and strategic partnerships. The smoke-free program is also accessible to Internet users on social networking site Facebook and Twitter. Half-baked website While the NOSI website featured news items and downloadable documents related to smoking, many of its sections remained incomplete. Dummy texts were seen in the site's sections, including the "About us" page and "Frequently Asked Questions" section. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV