Now comes a ray of sunshine in these children’s dark days. In support of the challenges that these children go through, Bruno’s Brothers and Project: Brave Kids have teamed up to shave the day for cancer kids. Bruno’s Brothers is a leading barber shop while Project: Brave Kids is a non-stock, non-profit volunteer group helping children with cancer. Together, they have introduced a unique way of helping children with cancer.
This summer, according to Paul Perez, lead volunteer of Project: Brave Kids, one can volunteer to have his head shaven and all the proceeds will go to the fund to help children receiving chemotherapy treatments at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center. Shave your head and save a child. The project really involves more than shaving your head – you also get involved in the cause in a very personal and meaningful way. Because by losing one’s precious locks, you identify with the cancer patients by personally experiencing what they go through during their illness. The barbers at Bruno’s Barbers must have their scissor-happy hands full these days. Already, over 100 guys – and even girls – have shaved their heads for this cause.
The shaving donation program was initiated by Project: Brave Kids lead volunteers Paul and Sigrid Perez to give people an opportunity to show their support for children with cancer and at the same time raise funds for treatment of indigent patients.
Says Paul, "Children are not supposed to lose their hair – as a matter of fact, everything should still be growing at this stage. But when diagnosed with cancer, life becomes different and difficult for these children. As adults, we can only support them the best possible way. If looking like them – that is, being bald – is one way of showing support, then I think we are giving these children a reason to fight cancer."
Ten Bruno’s Brothers branches are participating in the program: Alabang Town Center, Commonwealth, Libis, Greenbelt, Greenhills, Ortigas Center, Salcedo Village, Shangri-La Plaza, The Power Plant, Tomas Morato. So, shop and shave. Aside from shaving, these branches also have Bear Banks, where one can drop his/her donation to help the cause.
Let’s shave the day for our cancer kids.
For parents, it’s back to school expenses. Already burdened with the recent spate of price increases, parents would probably heave a collective sigh of relief when they read this: Trade and Industry Secretary Peter B. Favila has assured the public that prices of school supplies on the market will remain stable.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recently met with school supplies manufacturers and retailers, the Department of Education, and an association of private schools to discuss the latest price and supply situation of notebooks, pencils, crayons, writing pads, and other school materials amid the expected increase in demand for these commodities.
"Our manufacturers have assured us of enough supply, and they have already placed their products in the market as early as February so their production and distribution costs were hardly affected by the current oil price hikes," says Favila.
Undersecretary for Consumer Welfare Zenaida Cuison Maglaya notes, "Nonetheless, the DTI will continue to monitor the prices of school supplies in bookstores, department stores, and supermarkets to ensure that retailers are keeping their prices within reasonable levels."
Maglaya enjoins consumers to start buying their needed school supplies to avoid the huge crowds in malls as the school opening draws near. In addition, to save on expenses, she suggests that parents go to the store with a ready shopping list to avoid impulse buying.
More, Director Victorio Mario Dimagiba of the DTI-Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection, urges parents and students to refrain from buying notebooks with obscene front covers to put a stop to the proliferation of these products.
"We have already requested the manufacturers to look into the production of lewd notebooks. We have also called the attention of the teachers and school administrators to assist in banning the use of these items by their students," says Dimagiba.
DTI encourages consumers to report any knowledge of excessive pricing on school supplies and the sale of lewd notebooks by calling the DTI consumer assistance hotline at 751-3330 or sending DTI<space>message to 2920.
Dear Consumerline,
I’d just like to share a recent experience I had when I visited a small audio and video store in Makati. I wish those in charge of the stores would be more conscious of their display and not just think of making a sale (gasp!). That is, unless they display these particular items together to ensure they attract the interest of both parents and children. Here’s the dilemma: The DVDs for young children (Casper, Barbie, and other cartoons) are on a shelf right alongside and on the same level as the adult DVDs (Sex in Philippine Cinema, Erotica, and others). Their place on the shelf is about three feet above the floor. There was a little girl who enthusiastically pleaded for her dad (who was around two meters away from the area) to get her the Casper DVD and she kept holding up other DVDs to show him as well. She ignored the adult DVD cases, but I don’t think we need any more explanations about the dilemma the display poses. In our country, we are free to show or sell most anything. DVD stores should be more responsible and separate the adult from the children’s section. They can just move the adult DVDs to the top shelf and keep the kiddie ones on the lowest. We don’t need a law for this. We would all do well to consider the seemingly most simple of our actions before blaming the confusion of many of our children on everything outside of ourselves.
I did bring the matter up to the cashier, trying to sound like I was nicely making a simple suggestion. She took a look at it from where she sat and said she would inform whoever was in charge. I hope they care to do something about this.
Johanna V. Olivares