HEALTHJUSTICE PHILIPPINES, a nonstock, nonprofit organization, recently spearheaded a renewed campaign to make more places tobacco smoke-free, particularly for the sake of children. It cited studies which proved tobacco smoke was just as deadly for somebody who just happened to inhale it as it is for the cigarette user himself/herself.

The organization mentioned the 2007 World Tobacco Atlas of the American Cancer Society that identified at least 50 carcinogenic chemicals in second-hand smoke. HealthJustice called on the national government to enforce strictly regulations on smoking and tobacco advertisements in all parks, resorts, public terminals, conveyances, restaurants and other tourism-related facilities that thousands of Filipino families were expected to visit before a new school year opened.

I hope HealthJustice Philippines would intensify its campaign in Manila. I do not
know why the city government cannot strictly enforce the no-smoking rule, particularly among jeepney drivers. As far as I know, Mayor Alfredo Lim himself does not smoke, so he has every reason to require full compliance with the regulation. Children, even infants, get into public utility vehicles but Manila drivers totally ignore the no-smoking regulation. And they even prominently display the multi-agency No Smoking posters.

I have said this before—you can easily tell if you are entering or leaving Manila by the way jeepney drivers behave, instantly lighting up a cigarette or throwing away what they are smoking. In fact, a more telling symbol than the sign indicating the Makati-Manila boundary is the cigarette vendor who plies his trade just a step away from the Makati side of the boundary.

Getting worse

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), or even the Philippine National Police, should launch an investigation into the coin shortage that, to me, has reached a critical stage. While the BSP keeps assuring the public it has issued more than enough coins for every citizen, the shortage is actually getting worse.

Somebody should try to find out just where all those coins are going. They certainly are not in commercial establishments, even though major chains like SM and Robinsons are offering to pay a little more than the actual value of coins customers will bring to them.

Consumers are no longer losing just five or 10 centavos in change, but as much as 50 centavos. I was in a supermarket yesterday and the cashier did not even have 25 coins in the cash machine so she could not give the 40 centavos still due me. If five or 10 centavos add up to a significant sum, imagine how much additional income stores are getting because they are unable to give 25 centavos or more to customers.

For pet lovers

If, like me, you have a pet that needs grooming, you will be happy to know that now you can have your furry friend tended to at home. Clean Paws has just launched a mobile pet salon that offers all the facilities and amenities of a stationary grooming establishment.

The service will be particularly helpful to people whose pets are not very comfortable travelers. Even better is that the salon will not cause any inconvenience to you, as they have their own electricity and water supply, and there will be no fur to clean up afterward, since the grooming will be done in their rolling shop.

Call 6684708 or (0999) 551-PET-1; or visit Unit F #78 Estrella cor. Zodiac St., Bel-Air Village, Makati City, to find out more about the service. Visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Cleanpaws.

Send letters to The Consumer, Lifestyle Section, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 1098 Chino Roces Ave. cor. Mascardo and Yague Sts., 1204 Makati City; fax 8974793/94, or e-mail [email protected].