Gov’t agencies should help employees quit smoking - law group

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Law group ImagineLaw on Tuesday urged government agencies to provide smoking cessation tools as part of their health and wellness program for employees, especially in light of the ongoing novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Helping people quit smoking is not just the responsibility of the Department of Health (DOH). It is in the interest of government agencies to improve productivity and overall well-being of their employees,” said Atty. Anna Bueno, policy associate for ImagineLaw.

The law group said that this program can be done in line with the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 or Republic Act 9211 that mandates a national smoking cessation program.

“It is more urgent now, with the COVID-19 pandemic that also primarily attacks the lungs. Smokers and former smokers experience more severe COVID-19 symptoms compared to non-smokers,” Atty. Bueno also said.

She added that government agencies should provide their employees with scientific and medical knowledge and tools to help them quit smoking. “Counseling, nicotine-replacement therapy, and community support, among others, are just some of the doctor-recommended tools to help individuals quit nicotine addiction,” she remarked. “These should be made available to employees by the State employer in coordination with the DOH or their healthcare provider,” she urged.

ImagineLaw maintains that there is a need to go beyond establishing smoke-free government offices and premises. “Making sure that a smoking ban is implemented in government offices is a fundamental first step,” Atty. Bueno said. President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 26 in 2017 that established smoke-free environments that included government premises.

“Smokers who want to quit need support. Nicotine, a substance present in cigarettes, is highly-addictive,” the lawyer explained. “Six in every 10 smokers want to quit. But tobacco companies, through their aggressive marketing and introduction of more addicting alternatives, are deliberately making it difficult for smokers to quit,” Atty. Bueno said.

"Cessation support services are a way for the government to protect workers from the tactics of the tobacco industry to prevent smokers from quitting,” she urged. “Helping workers who value their health to quit smoking fosters a good health-seeking work culture,” she added.

The law group also said that the Civil Service Commission (CSC), in partnership with the DOH, can provide the mechanisms for the smoking cessation program in the civil service sector. In fact, a 2020 Joint Memorandum Circular between the CSC and DOH (JMC 2020-01) on occupational health and safety standards supports the establishment of such mechanisms in light of COVID-19.

ImagineLaw said that government agencies have the opportunity to serve as an example to the private sector. “As more workers return to work, thanks to our vaccination program, it is important that the government sets the new normal for a healthy and productive workplace,” Atty. Bueno concluded.


Call DOH Quitline at 1558 or 165 364. You may also text 0921 203 9534 (Smart/TNT/Sun) or 0977 627 7539 (Globe/TM).

ePLDT empowers disaster resiliency of enterprises in Visayas

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ePLDT, the ICT arm of PLDT Enterprise and the premier provider of end-to-end digital solutions in the Philippines, empowers the disaster resiliency and business continuity of businesses and organizations based in the Visayas region with the official inauguration of its first disaster recovery facility in Cebu.

ePLDT currently has two data centers in Cebu (VITRO Cebu 1, VITRO Cebu 2) that use the most up-to-date and globally competitive technologies to serve businesses requiring colocation, cloud hosting, disaster recovery, managed servers, security and network services. VITRO Cebu 1 has a capacity of 193 data center racks while VITRO Cebu 2—which is the biggest purpose-built commercial data center outside Luzon—offers 796 racks. VITRO Cebu 2 is also the first TIA-942 Rated 3 Facility certified data center in the VisMin region and has Nexcenter, PCIDSS, and ISO Certifications.

Housed in VITRO Cebu 2 in Mandaue City, the new disaster recovery facility will enable Cebu-based enterprises in developing their own Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and becoming compliant with global standards. The facility will serve as a data backup site or alternative office space which companies can use to recover and restore its IT systems or operations in the event of a failure or natural disaster.

Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups said “Cebu has always been a strategic area not just for the PLDT Group but also for the Philippine economy. That is why we believe that building a Disaster Recovery facility in the region will further boost its booming and diverse business atmosphere.”

Cebu is one of the top-of-mind disaster recovery locations for Metro Manila-based enterprises. The fast-growing economy of Visayas and Mindanao requires business continuity services to be in place to ensure the economy will remain strong and open regardless of the circumstance.

In his remarks, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said, “this pandemic is an opportune time for enterprises to work on their business continuity plans, as more and more businesses have embraced e-commerce. Mandaue is blessed to have PLDT Enterprise as our partner. Congratulations and thank you for making Mandaue your home. Together, let us move forward.”

The disaster recovery site is a crucial component of any company’s BCP and part of standards on operational risk management. Highly regulated industries such as banking & financial institutions are required to abide by a clear and complete BCP to keep its services running no matter the circumstance.

Mitch Locsin, PLDT FVP & Enterprise Revenue Group Head, noted that “this backup site assures operational continuity, with round the clock power and operational security and customer support, especially job functions that require critical employee presence in the work site in the event of calamities. PLDT Enterprise and ePLDT will always endeavor to provide digital solutions that will enable businesses in Visayas to become unbreakable. With the support of local government and the business sector associations, we can help industries emerge even stronger and more resilient in the new world business environment.”

Local business leaders remain optimistic and are determined to keep striving for industry and enterprise in the region to be bustling and profitable, despite the challenges the global pandemic has brought on the economy. The opening of the DR facility now allows the businesses that compose it to ultimately become disaster-proof.

“On behalf of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I congratulate ePLDT and PLDT Enterprise for this brilliant innovation to help propel the growth of Cebu’s economy by ensuring organizations have the confidence to resume their operations with a more comprehensive approach to our business continuity. May this new facility stand as a symbol of prosperity as we work together towards a safe and brighter Cebu," said Felix Taguiam, President of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Meanwhile, Steven Yu, President of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry said “Businesses should have the ability to quickly adapt to disruptions such as disasters to ensure the continuity of business operations, and we commend PLDT Enterprise and ePLDT for this trailblazing facility that will help Cebu-based companies. This initiative shows the vision, foresight and leadership of PLDT, making it always ahead of the game.”

The disaster recovery facility features a secure and resilient contingency workspace, with capacity for 100 seats. It is flood-proof at 20 meters above sea level, and is seismic zone 4 compliant. Redundant generator sets also ensure uninterrupted power supply. Moreover, the facility is designed to be carrier-neutral, allowing other telcos both foreign and local to provide network connections according to the customer’s preference.

ePLDT recently built an additional 86 racks in VITRO Cebu 2 to further support enterprises’ demand for a strong business continuity solution which provides IT infrastructure and workspace backups.



For more information, visit epldt.com 

PHOTO CAPTION: ePLDT officially inaugurates its first disaster recovery facility in Cebu with a ribbon-cutting ceremony

(L-R) PLDT Enterprise Corporate Relationship Management Business Heads Kent De la Calzada and Hazel Amoyan, and Corporate Relationship Management AVP & Head for Visayas Jimmy Chua.

Joshua Pacio stays ready, excited to defend title for the Philippines

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Hungry is an understatement for Joshua "The Passion" Pacio as the reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion has been on the shelf for more than a year now.

"I'm more than thrilled to get back inside the circle as it’s more than a year since my last bout," he said.

The last time Pacio stepped on the cage was in January 2020 in the main event of ONE: Fire & Fury when he edged Alex Silva via split decision to successfully retain his belt.

It's the longest lull for the 25-year-old who has been one of the most active fighters out of the legendary Team Lakay over the past few years.

But that's just the way it is in these extraordinary times, with the global COVID-19 pandemic putting everything to a halt.

Nonetheless, Pacio isn't letting this setback sideline him for good as he does his due diligence in keeping himself in shape and training his hardest in the confines of the Team Lakay Gym in Baguio.

"It's been tough for all of us because of this pandemic. But we're not just a cage warrior, we're also warriors in life. We have to deal with this and move forward," he said.

"We have been finding ways to train amidst the restricted movements we have now. We've already got back in the gym and we're already doing what we are passionate about -- a lot of drills, repetitions, and learning new techniques in MMA."

That kind of fortitude is what's expected of Pacio, who has reigned atop the strawweight division since April 2019.

After all, the field has just gotten stronger over the past few years.

Among the top contenders in the weight class include former ONE Strawweight World Champion Yosuke "The Ninja" Saruta, who is currently the no. 1-ranked contender.

Not far behind are no. 2 and former titleholder Yoshitaka "Nobita" Naito of Japan, no. 3 Bokang "Little Giant" Matsunyane of South Africa, no. 4 Hiroba Minowa of Japan, and no. 5 Alex Silva of Brazil.

"The strawweight division is very stacked right now with the finest strawweight athletes in the world," said Pacio. "I watch their bouts and I continue to learn them and from them. I know for sure that I need to continuously level up because I can't stay idle. But that's a challenge I'm enjoying."

Pacio, though, has his eyes set on one guy only: Saruta, who he feels has unfinished business with him.

The two fighters hold one win each over each other: with Saruta taking their first clash via a split decision win at ONE: Eternal Glory in January 2019, while Pacio reclaimed his crown with a fourth round knockout victory at ONE: Roots of Honor that April.

"A trilogy with Saruta would be great, but it really depends with ONE Championship if who will be my next challenger," he said.

As Pacio awaits for that next call, all his focus lies on improving his all-around game as he makes the most of this opportunity to better himself.

"You can see a wider-ranging, more well-rounded Joshua Pacio in my future bouts. These are the things that we are working on in the gym," he said.

Pacio also carries a little more weight on his back as he remains as the lone Filipino champion standing in ONE Championship. It's a complete 180-turnaround from three years back when the Philippines had five champions -- four of whom are under the Team Lakay banner.

But after Brandon "The Truth" Vera lost the ONE Heavyweight World Championship to Arjan Singh Bhullar at ONE: Dangal in May, the strawweight king is the only Filipino sitting on a throne.

Still, you can see the spring in Pacio's step as it's evident that he's revitalized with the arrivals of stablemates such as Stephen "The Sniper" Loman and Jhanlo Mark Sangiao.

That alone should indicate that Pacio will go tooth-and-nail just to keep the belt on his waist.

"I'm super motivated to get back and defend our title, especially that my other teammates have joined ONE Championship already. I’m very happy for them and for us, and you will see the next generation of Team Lakay athletes come in full force," he said.