COMELEC's BAN On Maundy Thursday/Good Friday Campaign Prevented A Political Penitensya

 

It's almost elections, right? Those who say that systems don't shape behavior NEED to think about COMELEC's ban on campaigning from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday. That may explain why we haven't seen a SINGLE POLITICIAN performing the Penitensya. It's proof that when certain rules are made -- it can have a HUGE IMPACT on how things work. 

 

Who can remember this joke last 2016? The Omnibus Election Code may explain why Mar Roxas didn't resolve to voluntary crucifixion. If only I knew of the Maundy Thursday-Good Friday ban. However, some people couldn't help but poke fun because of Mar's antics. Sadly, Atty. Kikoman Pangilinan and Bum Aquino are still REPEATING the same shenanigans. Shouldn't the Liberal Party of the Philippines FOCUS ON REAL ISSUES than publicity stunts? Publicity stunts FAILED Mar, FAILED Atty. Leni Loud Robredo, and what makes Kikoman and Bum think it'll work for them? Insanity is REPEATING the same thing and expecting different results.

Whether people want to admit it or not -- SYSTEMS SHAPE BEHAVIOR. I'm thankful for the Omnibus Code. However, it's still just another band aid solution of sorts. It's because the Philippines is still under a presidential system -- where pasikatan is the way of life!

However, we must look beyond the COMELEC bans and focus on updating the already outdated 1987 Constipation of the Philippines

The Loud House Encyclopedia

Who can remember when Leni Loud Robredo ran for president? It was funny as is thinking that The Loud House had an episode where an underage Leni Loud ran for mayor "Electshunned". It gets even funnier that Leni Loud Robredo pulled the Ang Tanging Ina stunt. One can argue that a Maundy Thursday-Good Friday ban on campaigning works. I don't deny that it works. However, what we're failing to see is that rules are good but UPGRADING the set of rules would be better. It's not enough to have certain rules set here and there. They can work, but for how long?

The problem is that it's just a SHORT-TERM ban. Unfortunately, the same monkey circus resumes after Holy Week is over. The same political stunts such as sayawan campaigns, sawsawan (like what Kikoman and Bum are doing now), and  the like. It's because the presidential system is still focused on NAME RECALL. Are you a DUTERTE, AQUINO, MARCOS, VILLAR, CAYETANO, ROBREDO, ETC.?! All it takes is to recall a certain person. Some people go as far as to vote for grieving widows. Thankfully, Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV is still alive, or the Philippines may have to be ready for an Arlene Trillanes presidency!

That's why I'm an advocate for the parliamentary system. The parliamentary system will force candidates to behave or BE SHIPPED OUT. It would encourage party-based politics where the Government and Opposition duke it out weekly. Right now, I wonder if some people believe in the nonsense Jason VOORHEES posted about the Empire of Marcos being "parliamentary". The guy has to be THAT MORONIC to even miss his own sources. Since when did a parliamentary system make a president ALL-POWERFUL? Please, the Philippines never had a parliamentary system under the Empire of Marcos. It was always presidential!

It's not enough to have rules that prevented a political penitensya from happening. Instead, we need to have a set of rules that will encourage candidates to focus on PLATFORMS over EPAL ANTICS.