The Sad Truth That Presidential Systems Treats Its Candidates Like Beauty Pageant Contestants

 

Well, congratulations to Andrea Meza from Mexico and it's probably time to celebrate with tacos and enchiladas. Personally, I didn't care too much about the Miss Universe pageant except when Catriona Gray won since I wasn't that fond of Pia Alonzo-Wutzbach. Right now, the Photoshop above of Leni Loud Robredo as "Miss Useless" may really talk about one thing - the presidential system treats its candidates like beauty pageant contestants! I'm not saying that we saw our presidential candidates in swimsuits - I'm talking about how people tend to vote for their candidates like they were in a beauty pageant!

We just need to take a look at the history of some presidents before President Rodrigo R. Duterte. Think of how Joseph "Erap" Estrada and Noynoy Aquino won. I'm not going to dismiss any good that both Erap and Noynoy did. I mean, Noynoy did continue some good economic policies by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Erap also continued to dismantle state protectionism to a certain extent. The winning of Erap and Noynoy is rooted in ONE MAJOR ISSUE - POPULARITY! In fact, if ever the accusation that the late Fernando Poe Jr. won and not Gloria - it's also another issue of popularity. Erap won because he was a popular movie star for some time. Noynoy most likely won because of his deceased parents. I wonder if Noynoy would've won if Cory Aquino didn't die before the elections? I think Noynoy would've probably stayed in the senate last 2010 and would've probably been a candidate last 2016 if Cory lived another year from her illness.

How are they treated like beauty pageant contestants? The candidates for their respective position do enter into debates and that's a good thing. However, how often are the debates? Only during an assigned time and date during the CAMPAIGN PERIOD and NOT THE WHOLE TERM. For example, how often did we see Duterte face off against other candidates? Only during the election campaign period. 

Then you can think of ads like this...

Who can remember the Gary Alejano jingle? There's a lot to think about such as Noynoy's presidential campaign vs. Duterte's presidential campaign. Take note that Duterte once helped Noynoy and Mar Roxas in the campaign last 2010. My favorite example of stupid campaigning is the Alejano Jingle. Alejano took part in the infamously stupid Oakwood Mutiny with BFF Antonio Trillanes IV. Alejano tried to present himself as the great and powerful soldier of the Filipino. I really laughed listening to the Alejano jingle as it's just several levels of stupid. All Alejano had are claims but no proof to his claims. It's pretty much a campaign jingle because whoever makes the best speech and not whoever has the best plans wins, right?

A bit of a throwback will also make you wonder why Noynoy and Duterte also won. Who can remember the campaign of Noynoy when he said, "Kung walang corrupt ay walang mahirap." or "If there was no corrupt then there will be poor."? Who can remember Duterte's promise of fixing the country in three to six months? Again, neither Noynoy nor Duterte was able to keep those promises. Yet, people still keep falling for the same stupidity most of the time. Fortunately, Alejano lost the 2019 senatorial campaign. Yet, you can't deny that #OtsoDiretso was trying to woo people with theatrics over solutions. #OtsoDiretso's failure is rooted in its failure to give alternatives. Yet, we can't deny that the rise of such theatrics is a result of the presidential system's treating of its candidates like they were beauty pageant contestants.



Such isn't the case of the parliamentary system. It's because people vote by PARTIES than BY CANDIDATES. In short, every last member in every party must cooperate and act their part or be gone. Not only that, the parliamentary system has the weekly question hour instead of the once-a-year SONA. The prime minister is required to attend the weekly question hour unless he or she has a valid reason. We can have Duterte as the prime minister and Trillanes as the opposition leader. Both Duterte and Trillanes have their own cabinets - the government cabinet and the opposition cabinet. Every government minister faces against the shadow minister. For example, Karl Chua the minister of finance faces off against Florin Hilbay as the minister of finance. Weekly debates between both sides will show people which party deserves their votes or not. This would deviate from the popularity vote and go for a credibility vote. 

Just remember that democracy is NOT the rule of the mob. Rather, democracy is a rule of the PEOPLE, of the PEOPLE, and by the PEOPLE. Democracy is meant to represent both majorities and minorities. A parliamentary system proves itself more democratic because both majority and minority have a better voice.