Press Release
May 28, 2009

Press statement of Senator Loren Legarda

On number of A (H1N1) cases climbing to six

Now, more than ever, the government must double its efforts to contain the A(H1N1) virus as the number of confirmed infections in our country has climbed to at least six. The experience of Japan on this virus is alarming as from having just four confirmed cases weeks back, the cases of virus infections in our neighboring country suddenly swelled to hundreds. The challenge to health authorities is to track down any and all individuals who may have had contacts with the six individuals already confirmed infected by the virus. Filipinos infected by the virus but who remain undetected by health workers have the potential of infecting more people, leading to, God forbids, a full blown epidemic.

Social distancing is advised to all Filipinos coming home from abroad, even as the Department of Health is urged to drop a plan to stop using thermal scanners in our airports, which can detect those who are running a fever and who may potentially be stricken with A (H1N1). On $2.5M reward for arrest of Abus

The offer of the United States government to give $2.5 million as reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of three Filipino terrorists belonging to the Abu Sayyaf group put a monetary solution to a much deeper problem in the Philippines.

Kidnappings in Mindanao may primarily be a security and law enforcement problem. Nonetheless, it should be emphasized that criminality and lawlessness in some parts of that southern region has to do more with social inequity, poverty and the lack of economic opportunity for its people.

Make no mistake about it. There can be no excuse to justify crime and terrorism. Just the same, police and military actions alone would not solve the problem as they must be complemented by a genuine effort on the part of government to make Mindanao live up to its full economic and social potentials.

On Unicef's campaign vs child porn

The government must crack down on all forms of sex crimes, including those that are committed using technological advancements like the internet and tiny video cameras that invade the privacy of people. But special attention must be given by government to prevent the commission of sex crimes against children because they represent all that are abhorrent in our society today.

The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) is leading efforts to combat sex offenses committed against children in the Philippines. It is the duty of all Filipinos to support such an endeavor because we cannot allow our children to be corrupted by the perversity of those behind the sexual trafficking of children, including their portrayal in pornographic materials. Our government must take note of Unicef's statement that our government, despite its ratification in 2002 of the Optional Protocol to them Convention on the Rights of the Child, on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, has yet to fully comply with its provisions

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