Drilon takes on ice bucket challenge

Senate President Franklin M. Drilon today joined the list of Filipinos who have participated in the popular Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) ice bucket challenge not only to raise funds and promote awareness for the dangerous disease, but also to bring attention to other important causes in the country.

Drilon became the latest public official to became doused with iced water when he gamely took the charity challenge at his Senate office on Monday morning.

As per the ice bucket challenge's rules, Drilon said he is going to donate to the Neurosciences Department of the Philippine General Hospital, which is responsible for the treatment of many Filipinos afflicted with neurological diseases.

The Senate leader also made sure that his version of the ice bucket challenge will signal his commitment to water-conservation: collected rain water over the weekend was used in the event, instead of fresh potable water.

Drilon emphasized that apart from the debilitating ALS, he also wanted to bring attention to other pressing causes, hence his nomination of advocacy-oriented people with whom he has worked before to continue the ice-bucket challenge: Gawad Kalinga (GK) founder Tony Meloto, ABS-CBN Kapamilya Foundation Chairman Gina Lopez, and Federation of Filipino- Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.(FFCCCII) President Dr. Alfonso Siy.

Meloto's Gawad Kalinga helps manage the 1,000 low-cost housing project in Iloilo whose funding was supported by Drilon and Lopez, as head of the Pasig River cleanup campaign, has exchanged ideas with Drilon, who is also working for the restoration of the Iloilo River.

Meanwhile Siy, as part of FFCCCII, has previously partnered with Drilon in a nationwide classroom-building project which built 1,600 classrooms at a cost only half compared to regular government contract prices.