Bam Aquino Became Bum Aquino Under The Popularity-Driven Presidential System

Do you remember the time when Bam Aquino wasn't yet in politics? You can't deny that he was once a topnotch and an award-winning entrepreneur. By credibility -- I'd actually be impressed by the number of awards he earned through hard work. I think I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him because of his vast knowledge in things. Those assets is made him a promising senator. Back then, I supported his work until he slowly lost his common sense. But what really happened to him after he entered politics? 

The whole idea that the Philippines just needs to change the people but not a system based on the hundred years argument. Such is the sad story of Bam because of the presidential system. How he earned his nickname Bum is no surprise but do people who call him that even know the sad story of a once promising candidate? The presidential system really sucks because it's popularity-based. The current rules of the Philippines only lets people win by the most number of votes regardless if these voters and candidates are credible or not. It's all about having a beauty pageant.

Bam was endorsed more on his being an Aquino, the fact he looks like the uncle he never met and that he's related to former president Noynoy Aquino rather than his individual credibility. He ended up winning more on a popularity-driven contest than a credibility-driven contest. Who knows that he must have been smart-shamed way many times by the stupid majority while he was in the Senate. Unable to take the pressure may have made him have his only choice was to change his nickname from Bam to Bum. Maybe he came up with many brilliant ideas but he was shunned too much and the only way for him to survive was to throw away his brain out of the window.

He could have started out new policies that could have helped the economy. He could have said something like, "Hey let's open up the economy! Let's bring in competition! Think about how much taxes the government can get." But instead, a Senate full of people who are mostly not qualified such as actors and athletes would have probably never respected him. Who knows that maybe he was once an advocate of removing foreign investment restrictions but being laughed at too much caused him to flip-flop like his fellow party member Mar Roxas.

Would have Bam been placed in a parliamentary -- he would really be forced to let out his competence. Just imagine if he was subjected to frequent debate inside the parliament regardless which side he belonged to. As a senator in a parliament -- he would be forced to come up with better ideas than just donating leftovers and buying damaged rice. He would have probably put all the ideas he did to succeed as a businessman into economic reforms by defending all his ideas and accepting everyone's proposal. Sadly, the presidential system has caused yet another promising candidate to become a bummer.