Wishing the president well

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino 3rd was not exactly in the best of health when he left for Cambodia to attend the 21st Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit over the weekend.

By most accounts, he was suffering from flu-like symptoms which were bad enough for him to skip a meeting with visiting International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde a few days ago.

He should be commended for going the extra mile in taking the Cambodia trip, but at the same time we should raise some concerns about his general state of health. President Aquino appears to have been under the weather for the past several weeks, beginning in the tail end of October when he had to cut short a state dinner with Prime Minister Julia Gillard during his state visit to Australia.

His constant travels throughout the country, all on official business, did little to improve his condition.

When he was elected president more than two years ago, the then 50-year-old Aquino seemed as fit as any Filipino his age. While he was never known to be the athletic type, he appeared to be in general good health. Of course, it was no secret that he was a smoker who also liked to drink a lot of soft drinks throughout the day.

It is safe to presume that he has by now learned that being President of the Philippines is a full time job, one that offers little respite from constant pressure. As such, he cannot let his guard down. He must do everything possible to remain in good health.

This means getting enough rest, eating balanced meals, and staying away from anything that can be considered a health risk.

As the country’s chief executive, Mr. Aquino has also seen first hand how the job can throw a damper on his personal life. Now 52, he is still a bachelor in search of a first lady.

With the onset of the Christmas season, perhaps the president can schedule a much needed vacation for himself. Surely no one would question him if he were to say that he needs a few days off for a little rest and recreation.

What he does—and who he does it with—should be no one’s business but his. If he wants to laze in a beach resort doing absolutely nothing, he should.

We wish the president well and hope that he recovers from the health issues that have been bugging him lately.