I got into a one-sided debate with a friend who felt that the demands of the medical community to give them a reprieve via an ECQ was absurd.

“Use Leche Plan in a sentence: Leche hanggang ngayon wala ka pa ring Plan.”

This was the cry of medical frontliners nationwide as they seek for a two-week lockdown to help them recuperate from the mental stress, tiredness, fear and anxiety that the health system may collapse if government fails to refine its pandemic control strategies.

Most of our readers have probably read that The Visayan DAILY STAR is in financial trouble and may (or may not?) close down. That is not news as there have been many establishments, some even fiscally stable than the STAR, that closed shop because revenues are not forthcoming.

The national IATF has already decided that they will ignore the call made by doctors to place Bacolod under ECQ as “it is not practical anymore.”

I’d rather dwell on our local problems here than analyze what the SONA was all about. My sentiments are predictable but to sum it up – I probably watched a different SONA than what our politicians here saw as most of them glorified the government’s programs and promises.
They were mum on the issue of the death penalty, on the President’s admission that he was inutile in defending our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, and concrete plans regarding the pandemic crisis.

How many will be glued to their television sets today to watch the State of the Nation Address by President Rodrigo Duterte is anybody’s guess.

Call it paranoia, but the climbing cases of COVID-19 positive in our province and city has alarmed me that I’ve started analyzing reports released by bio-molecular labs here and in the region. Of course I am no medical expert thus I started calling out to those who can provide inputs.

A 1980 mega blockbuster film entitled “The Raging Bull” that starred Robert De Niro, tells about the life story of Jake La Motta, a middleweight boxer whose self-destructive and obsessive rage destroyed his relationship with his wife and family.

Less than a week before the State of the Nation Address (SONA), I am wondering what drawing board the national government will come up with in touting their so-called accomplishments in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.