Duterte wages war on ‘Magic Sugar'

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte ordered a crackdown starting Monday on traders who continue to sell “magic sugar” that has carcinogenic impact on human beings.

Until last Sunday, Duterte said the city government still had not imposed sanctions on the sale of magic sugar or “Neotogen,” which is not registered with the Bureau of Food and Drugs. But he pointed out that the importation, distribution or sale of the product is illegal, and subject to the sanctions and penalties under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

In Bacolod last week, the National Bureau of Investigation raided a firm that sells the so-called “magic sugar”. It hauled several kilograms of the prohibited concoction.

Duterte warned that magic sugar causes cancer.

He also warned the BFAD to spearhead the campaign against magic sugar and inform the police of any violators.

Burn it, do not sell it, Duterte said.

BFAD had issued a warning about magic sugar on August 7, 2000 yet. But hardly anybody was aware of it. And so it has been widely distributed because, aside from being cheaper, it is sweeter than cane sugar.

This has prompted sidewalk vendors to sweeten the goods they sell like juiced snacks and the like that are sold mostly outside school grounds. And they have attracted lots of patrons, posing a serious threat to the health of Pinoy children, especially.

Duterte likened the use of magic sugar to selling of illegal drugs as it also destroys the body, very much like what illegal drugs do.

That was the report of Bert Tasioma of Davao .

Well, the only thing we can say is for the local officials of Bacolod to re-issue the BFAD warning on magic sugar and to crack down on their sellers. And I suspect that it is still being widely used, especially by ice cream makers and the manufacturers of pastries.

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Fortunately we still have a Catholic prelate who still can remind us to return Christ back to Christmas. As it is, we have to be honest about it – Sta. Claus has become more popular than the Savior whose birthday we are supposed to celebrate.

Bishop Vicente Navarra deserves to be listened to. So with Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon who points out that we have to practice the teachings of Christ. That is the more meaningful way to commemorate His birthday or Nativity.

So powerful and insidious has capitalism become that, over the years, it has succeeded in virtually obliterating Christ form Christmas which has evidently become a smashing commercial success with Sta. Claus at the center of the celebration.

Even our Filipino children seem to have succumbed to the Sta. Claus myth. That's why, I am fortunate that somehow, my grandchildren still seem to have adhered to the true significance of Christmas commemorating the birth of Christ.

Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo is right – robbed of Christ from the center of the Christmas celebration, we shall have lost its true meaning.

Even non-government organizations and civic clubs have fallen victims to the Sta. Claus myth. Notice how many gift-giving events have leaders of these organizations dressed as Sta. Claus. This erases Christ from Christmas and from the Christian Charity gesture.

What is exciting, though, is the fact that more people are now attending the Misa de Aguinaldo, the dawn masses, which is the nine-day novena masses that ends on Dec. 24 with the Mass of the Nativity. At least, there are still dyed-in-the-wool Christians to whom Christmas celebrates the Nativity of the Savior.

Christmas retains its meaning only when we meditate on its impact on our lives. Not only did the Son of God laugh and cried the same way as all of us, the most important message of the Nativity is that God the Father loves us despite all our sins and He sent us His only Son to assure us of that compassion and generosity of the Creator.

It is only when we realize the importance of that event in our history of Salvation that we can enjoy the peace and love which God has promised us with the Birth of Jesus.

The impact of the celebration is lost when we erase from the center of our joyful commemoration of that event the most important character of all – Christ and His message of love and peace.*

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