ILIGAN City ― There are several forms of exercise, it is said. Walking is the best form, many think so. But others prefer running. Or dancing. Or even singing as this will give exercises to the throat, lungs, and brain. As the latter dictates what is to come out of the mouth. And oh. Singing exercises the mouth too.

That said. I got this idea that exercises mean going: "physical". As in "physical education." In which you've got to make some effort in your body, by moving, either forward or backward. Or sideward. Or, any other kind of movement for that matter. So, that includes swimming too. How can you swim without moving your entire body in some body of water?

Yet a few days ago, I was aware of another form of exercise. Per the declaration of city legal officer Roberto Padilla, making a Motion for Reconsideration for this decision of the Supreme Court ordering the city to cease and desist from making acts of ownership regarding the shuttered National Steel Corporation is an "exercise in futility."

Oh, there's another form really of exercise that's not physical? As in futility? How does that figure in this world full of exercises? Recently, PBBM said the possibility of a joint" "exercise" between America and this country of ours will materialize. Some people here don't like the idea. For there is a possibility that China the rising world power to contest America's dominance would do some "war games". And make this country, the battleground of the war games between those two powers.

Digong then, to note was viewed as leaning towards China. And now… So, what kind of exercise is that? An "exercise'' to get this country accustomed to being a "battleground"? Isn't that odd? As in freaky? Or insane? To be some whipping boy of some power trying very hard to dominate the world?

Anyway, going back to that matter of that NSC decision another professional in the person here of former city councilor Orlando Maglinao says that "this isn't an 'en banc' decision of the Supreme Court. Yet Padilla, who is in the legal profession didn't give that much thought. Meaning, he accepted the SC decision penned by its third division of this highest judicial body. He just said that the city will "make verifications on it" for the city hasn't received the "official documents" on the matter. Maglinao, to note, is formerly connected with the NSC, the city's jewel then that has become, well, one can supply the right words. Although, he's an engineer, not a lawyer. Yet, it doesn't mean that an engineer can'.t think like a lawyer. For there's such a thing as "MA" (morag abugado).

Even I, who studied accounting and had 3 units of law on "Obligations and Contracts", though I barely passed that one, can be an MA, hi hi. And while we're at it, I once read a book whose message was for most of us "not to put your trust solely on the "experts."

And I remember too, the former city legal officer, the late Atty. Voltaire Rovira, saying that "we're six lawyers here so we also have six different opinions." Or words to that effect.

So, what's this got to do with the word "exercise"? Many things. Or nothing. It depends. And now I remember that joke about some dentist being asked how much would it cost to have some tooth inside the mouth "decorated" with gold, for that was the trend then, to have some gold inside the mouth.

And the dentist then answered: "It depends upon the number of tooths to be golded!''

Email: norasorino2@gmail.com