“Boxing is a sport. We allow each other to hit each other, but I’m not treating my opponent like my enemy. We’re doing a job to entertain people.” –Senator Manny Pacquiao

Following his split decision win against Juan Manuel Marquez in 2008, Manny Pacquiao’s eyes were reportedly bothering him. Immediately after the fight, the Filipino boxer from brought from the dressing room to his hotel room. I was one of around 10 people present in his suite at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
I witnessed Pacquiao vomit. He was in pain.
He was then rushed to the hospital that night (something that was never reported in the media). By 6:00 a.m. the following morning, I, alongside three other sports writers, visited a crimson-faced Pacquiao. Due to his condition, he was barred from flying back to the Philippines, where he was scheduled to receive a hero’s welcome.
I suspect he was not in good condition after his split decision win over Keith Thurman last weekend; perhaps his eyes bothered him again, which prevented him from flying home to attend President Rodrigo Dutere’s State of the Nation address last Monday.

***
It is unclear if Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr.’s wishes to have the proposed Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge project specifically mentioned in the president State of the Nation address was fulfilled but, if he did highlight the project, then it will likely materialize. However, if not, locals will be pinning hopes on more press releases and politician promises.
Local governors and mayors are instrumental to the project and hope the construction will begin sooner rather than later.

***
Cleaning the streets should not only be done in order to prevent mosquitos from developing breeding grounds, it should be done on a regular basis for the purpose of overall cleanliness. If cleanliness is next to order, then an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
Drastic action is only taken after the crisis and not before.
Even in elementary and high school, we are trained to preserve and protect natural resources and all the living things, clean our surroundings, and value our health and well-being. This education, training, and discipline helps prepare us to co-exist with the environment and promote the preservation of life.

***
Alex P. Vidal, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo./WDJ