Tight watch awaits lawmakers from Vegas

MANILA, Philippines – Members of the House of Representatives who went to Las Vegas, Nevada to watch the Pacquiao-Hatton fight need to be placed under observation for 10 days for symptoms of swine flu, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said yesterday.

And should they come home with a fever, they will have to undergo quarantine.

“All incoming passengers, including congressmen, will have to pass through the thermal scanner. No exceptions,” Duque told reporters during the weekly Balitaan sa Hotel Rembrandt in Quezon City.

Duque said the thermal scanning of all incoming passengers is part of the heightened alert being imposed by the government to prevent virus-carrying people from entering the country.

Aside from the lawmakers, the DOH is also monitoring the return of some 300 pilgrims who went to Mexico last month.

DOH chief epidemiologist Dr. Eric Tayag added that those who test negative in the airport thermal scan would have to observe themselves at home for 10 days, the incubation period for the Mexican swine influenza or H1N1 Influenza, as the DOH now prefers to call the illness that had swept across nine countries worldwide.

Quarantine procedures are done by isolating patients with flu for 10 days to determine if their condition will progress into H1N1 Influenza.

Subjected to this procedure are those who come from or have history of traveling to countries that reported cases of H1N1 Influenza like the United States and Mexico. 

 Scared of the virus

Afraid of the deadly swine flu virus, three congressmen have cancelled their trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, where they were to watch the Pacquiao-Hatton boxing match.

Representatives Juan Edgardo Angara of Aurora, Mujiv Hataman of the party-list group Anak Mindanao and Joel Villanueva of Citizens Battle Against Corruption have chosen to stay home.

“I’m not afraid of the Abu Sayyaf but I got scared of the swine flu virus,” Hataman, who comes from Basilan, said yesterday.

“We are also cognizant of the fact that we are needed in the session next week. Besides, I saved some money by not going,” he said.

Hataman confirmed the statement of Speaker Prospero Nograles that those who flew to Las Vegas spent their own money.

“We just bought economy-class tickets because business class will cost you nearly $4,000,” he said.

He said Nograles plans to return in time for the session on Tuesday.

“If he leaves Las Vegas or Los Angeles on Sunday (US time), he should be here on Tuesday,” he added.

Defending his trip, the Speaker said he has made it a point to watch Pacquiao’s fights.

“He is the pride of Mindanao, and I consider myself as part of his team,” Nograles, who hails from Davao City, said.

He said he has never used taxpayers’ money in watching the Pacquiao fights in Las Vegas.

Another House member who early on decided to stay in the country is Florencio “Bem” Noel of An Waray, who is attending the Palarong Pambansa in Tacloban City, where he comes from.

The Palaro closing ceremonies will be held tomorrow.

There have been several swine flu cases reported in the United States, including one death in Reno, Nevada two days ago. Reno is near Las Vegas.

 ‘Waste of money’

Meantime, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales yesterday expressed his displeasure with Nograles and 50 members of the House of Representatives who spent a sizeable sum of money to travel to Las Vegas to watch the Pacquiao-Hatton bout.

Rosales believes that during this time of global economic crisis, it was a “waste of money” to spend on a boxing match, even if it is one of the most anticipated sport events of the year.

“It is not wrong to watch boxing, but maybe at a time when we have a crisis like this, they should not overspend. The results will not change anyway (even if they watch it in Las Vegas or in the Philippines). If there is a knockdown then there is a knockdown. Maybe during this time of crisis, we should think what would be the best for all of us,” said Rosales.

“In other words, in order to do this we have to start with ourselves. They should set an example,” he said, adding that “saving up is not enough, they should learn how to share.” - With Jess Diaz, Sheila Crisostomo, Perseus Echeminada and Evelyn Macairan