Deadlier than smoking

During my odyssey to Hong Kong in the past several years, I've come to conclude that the Honkies do not have time for anything except business. Although the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon attracted over 40,000 runners last year, it really doesn't prove that the Honkies are active people. In fact a research showed that more people died from lack of physical activity than from tobacco consumption. A study in 1998 revealed that Hong Kong residents aged over 35 who died, lacked physical activity. The South China Morning Post reported that 6,400 deaths that year, was due to lack of activity while 5,700 was attributed to smoking. The University of Hong Kong and the Department of Health calculated that about 20 percent of all deaths in Hong Kong aged 35 and above could be attributed to a lack of physical activity. Physical activity was defined as any form of exercise outside work. According to the same research just 29 to 36 percent of the men who died had been active at least once a month, and 30 to 36 percent of the women. The risk of dying from cancer increased 45 percent for men and 28 percent for women, from respiratory ailments, 92 percent (men) and 75 percent (women) and from heart diseases 52 percent (men) and 28 percent (women). The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon race director William Kho said "You do not have to do a lot, if you cut down your sitting time by 30 minutes and walk; you do not need gyms or stadiums to do this, if you do a bit more walking and do a little bit more house cleaning, these would be beneficial." GARILYOOO!

KAYABA Cross - Channel Swim

Despite the oil spill in Guimaras Island, 27 swimmers still competed in the Kayaba Cross Channel swim from Jordan Wharf to the Fort San Pedro Iloilo City Wharf last Saturday. In previous years, the swim would draw over 100 runners including one legged triathlete Rudy Fernandez, who even made the event a child's play. In 1996 Rudy swam 28 kilometers from Guimaras to Bacolod City in 8 hours. John Paul Tia of Aksiyon Radyo, organizer of the event said, they still pushed through with the swim to disperse talks that the whole area of Guimaras is polluted. Mark Cabasac, 17 emerge Champion in the 1.7 nautical mile course and confirmed he didn't see any oil in the water.

Mactan Channel Swim

As I write this column, a five-year old swimmer from Manila is set to strut his ware by attempting to cross the Mactan Channel during the Kadaugan sa Mactan Festival next month in Lapu Lapu City. Justin Junio will try to break the record of Braxton Bildrey, a seven-year old boy from Arizona, USA who swam 2.25 kilometers from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco last May. The boy is being coached by my friend Olympian Jai Jaitulla and conditioned by another good friend Jimbo Saret. Although Justin has been swimming in pools, the channel swim is an entirely different story. One has to contend with the current and this might not just be suitable for a five-year old. I just hope the boy's father who hatched the idea and the trainers have made the necessary precautions. A few years back one-legged Arnold Balais successfully crossed the same channel.

Milo Endorser?

There's no truth that Eugenio Corpin the alleged gunman in the shooting of ex-Biliran guv. Danilo Parilla the other day, is involved in the Milo Little Olympics. Well, Corpin's photo in a newspaper (not the Freeman) showed him, in a Milo Little Olympics T-shirt while in hand cuffs. Anong say mo Pat Goc-ong?