‘Lives or livelihoods’ is not a false dilemma

AS I am writing this early Monday morning, President Rodrigo Duterte is still several hours away from delivering his “highly anticipated” State of the Nation Address, which may have some bearing on today’s topic matter. Or it may not; he has a way of defying expectations, and not always in a good way.

If his speech does provide any enlightening answers to the burning question of whether or not the government should tighten, ease or maintain the current level of pandemic-related restrictions, we can examine them later in the week. For the meantime, though, we are beginning the week in which a decision one way or the other will presumably be made with the issue very much in doubt.