President Benigno Aquino III. AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Pass. That was President听Benigno听Aquino III鈥檚 response when asked about the ice bucket challenge that has been trending on the Internet.
鈥淗uwag听na听muna听nating听pag-usapan听dahil una听kong ivo-volunteer
(icha-challenge) si (Media Relations Undersecretary) Rey Marfil,鈥�
Aquino said in jest during an interview with听Bombo听Radyo听on Thursday.
(Let鈥檚 not talk about that because I would volunteer听Usec. Rey听Marfil.)
The President added that he was also feeling a bit under the weather.
鈥淟alo听ngayon听may听sipon听ako听medyo鈥� (Especially now I have a cold),鈥� he said.
His answer was no different from Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda鈥檚听response on Wednesday to a radio reporter.
鈥淢ay听lagnat听ako听ngayon听at may听ubo听(I have fever and cough),鈥� he said laughing during a Palace press briefing.
Lacierda, who kept coughing during the interview, said he would just donate money to the cause.
The ice bucket challenge first became popular in the United States to help promote awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Participants are filmed while having a bucket of ice water poured on them. They would then have to nominate others to do the same challenge. Those nominated should do the challenge within 24 hours or donate to the ALS Association.
According to the ALS Association, ALS is a 鈥減rogressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.鈥� The degeneration of motor neurons causes a patient to lose muscle movement control, resulting in听paralyzation听and even death.
The ice bucket challenge has also become popular in the Philippines, with prominent personalities taking on the challenge. Some had even made it into the front page of newspapers, including that of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.
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