An ailing governor

Now that he’s governor of Iloilo, Arthur Defensor Sr. is compelled to make public appearances which have only served to highlight his obvious poor health condition. His speech, his walk, and his bloated face — these leave no doubt that we have a governor who is ailing, but struggles to put up an appearance that things are well. What this ailment is remains a mystery, as Governor Defensor has consistently denied there’s something wrong with his health. But the longer the Capitol keeps a tight lid on this question, the more speculations are likely to arise about his true state of health.

A governor’s health is a legitimate concern in governance. For one thing, people are entitled to know if he is still capable of withstanding the rigors of the job. Being governor of Iloilo is a 24/7 job. It is physically exhausting. The myriad of problems pose a big challenge to his mind. Can he still think clearly? This last question crops up often when people notice the seeming difficulty Defensor has trying to piece together his thoughts. During the flag ceremony every Monday, employees noticed that Defensor’s speech rambles here and there, with no clear sense of direction. Somebody even remarked that senility might have set in — Defensor often loses his train of thought.