I want to get straight to the point, without the usual introductions and my usual story lines:Â Why are so many presidentiables are working their ass out just to become the next President of the Philippines?
This is something that I cannot fathom when I am seeing in the television, reading in the papers and listening to the radio how difficult and complicated a President’s life is.Â
When I was small, I used to dream and act as a President on one of my playing corners. But growing up, the presidency is not as easy as a child’s fantasy and role-playing games.
Here are some reasons why you should not run for the Presidency of the republic and even more become the President:
1. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism or PCIJ published a report  saying that Gloria Arroyo spent at least a staggering P5 billion on her 2004 presidential campaign. On line with this billions of peso figure, Presidentiable Manny Villar opined during an interview by Reuter  that someone planning to run for the presidency should have at least P1 billion on his/her pocket. Without that, presidentiables should just beg out of the race.Â
Anyone who has at least a billion-peso bank account? Kindly raise your hand. Oopsss, Manny Pacquiao raised his hand. Am I seeing Joc-Joc Bolante’s hand?
2. Becoming a President, you are only set to receive P60,000 monthly as your salary as President, smaller compared to the salary of a junior executive in the private sector. And our President is like a beggar compared to that of its US counterpart. The US President is earning 3,000% times higher than the President of the Philippines, receiving $400,000 annually. Now, this does not give me enough reason to be at the highest post of the land after spending at least P1billion on the campaign trail.
3. Being the President, you will live your 6 years with all the cameras targeting your every moves and hush. Probing eyes and professional paparazzi are surely set to trail by you when you go to hospitpal for a boob job. Plus, the usual attacks of opposition forces and activists, unruly government officials and New People’s Army (NPA), MILF and Abu Sayaff. If you can’t even handle your nagging in-laws, neighbors, pesky officemates and annoying blogging buddies, the Presidency is a no-no.
4. How about solving all the problems of the country and being blamed for failures? Have no rest on weekends and being always on-call 24/7?
5. And how about being judged by history?
Of course there are lots of other reasons that we could still enumerate here; and there are also so many reasons too why our Presidentiables are still aiming for the highest position in the land despite of everything I enumerated. But for me, I would still stick to my gun that power, prestige (and maybe, having all the means to get so rich from bribes and corruption) are not enough to convince me to aim for the Presidency.
I guess Manny Pacquiao can now run for the Presidency having billions of pesos already on his bank account eh.
What to you think are the reasons why it is a politician’s ultimate goal to become the President of the Republic? Despite all the things I enumerated, what do you thing are the rewards one gets on becoming the President of this country?
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oh boy! don’t nobody ever give Pacquiao an idea about running for presidency… he might grab it.
seems senseless really, if you think about it right? spending 1 billion in just a few months of campaign, only to receive P60k monthly as salary with free headaches to boot… but of course, we all know there’s more to that
Ooops! Sorry Bro, for dropping Manny’s name on this post vis-a-vis the presidency, ehehhe!
It is really unimaginable. A billion pesos to shelve just to earn 60k pesos a month?! Wow! With this circumstance, are our presidentiables running to grab the presidency for the sake of “sheer service” to the Filipino nation? Hmmm…
…and as you said…There is more to that of course, ehehhe!
korek! kung ako lang may 1 billion pesos eh di bumili na lang ako ng island at mamuhay ng tahimik. tsk tsk.
Hahaha! That’s a nice idea Fedhz. Ako rin, sa isang bilyong piso, bili akong isla somewhere sa Palawan at magrelax…sympre, dapat may internet connection dun, ehehe!
Yang mga politiko na yan eh, kung ginastos nlg kaya nila ang mga bilyong piso nila pang election campaign sa mga tao diba, dami ng nakinabang sana talaga.
Okay, I’m about to start an online petition to ask Pacquiao to run for President on 2022 (he’s qualified by that time). Just kidding…
I wouldn’t accept the position of President even if it’s handed to me on a silver platter. Too much trouble. This boggles my mind. If being President is too much trouble, why are so many politicians want to be one?
Well, as they say “Power corrupts absolutely.”
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Loy, leave Manny Pacquiao alone said Roy, ehehhe! But starting an online petition for him to run? Hmmm…all those Mexican boxers will surely be happy; no more Mexicutioner to banish them all inside the ring.
Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
I am also wondering, what’s with the Presidency that makes all them want to have that seat. Hahahhaha, power? That’s great answer Loy.
My boss once told me that it only shows how rich our country is. Not one of those people who became my boss believes that the Philippines is a poor nation. They know.
The rewards? If done correctly, smoothly and no garapalan, there will be many rewards. Why? The government checks people but nobody is checking the government. If there will be individuals or groups or entities who will raise questions, hindi naambunan mga yun.
I don’t like politics. If you will notice, I don’t connect social media with politics even if it will promote transparent governance. In our local stage, politics is a very very unnatural creature.
Btw, sent you an email awhile ago.
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That is I think one greatest problem that this nation has, despite of its obvious riches on so many things (esp natural resources), it is still very very poor compared to so many nations with not much resources as ours. The culprit? As you said, the government checks on people, even invading their rights and freedom, but only a select few checks on the government for accountability.
I don’t know much with the U.S., but with all that I am seeing in the Tv and news in the internet, the US has a more vigilant politics, politicians, government and citizens.
Well, on my part, since I don’t want to run for the presidency and effect change in this country in that manner…I am just trying to fuse social media and blogging with social issues and realities; this is my little contribution for social awareness.
Yep, got the email. Thanks, thanks bro~
being a president gives so many perks and benefits thats why a lot of people wants to be on that place i dont know anything about politics but its really obvious that alot of people wants that position for “power”.
kung si ariel at maverick (gma7) pdeng tumakbo for presidency hehehe…anyone with 1billion can…wag nalang si manny…please…
Thanks for the visit here and joining in the active discussion. You are always welcome here Catya.
A no, no for Manny? Hehehhe…well-noted.
Perks? Lots of it actually. I am planning to make it my next post; perks of the presidency, ehehhe!
At least sila Ariel and Maverick eh sobrang yaman nah di ba, di na mangungurakot, eheheh! Laki ba naman ng singsing na diamond eh, ehehe!
Speaking strictly on the economics that you’ve mentioned, there is a very good ‘return of investment’ so to speak when one wins the Presidency. You just have to be careful in not getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar.
Nonetheless, ideally, these people have a vision, hopefully they really do, for the country and that they have the guts to take the risks.
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Return of Investment is indeed really good when one becomes the President. With hundreds of millions on intelligence fund for your perusal without the need to inform congress how you used it, it is sure money to the bank…plus all the bribes, kickbacks, and corruption from the budget of the government. Wow, what a way to earn good money in just six years!
Just be clever not to get caught, and if caught, just say “I’m Sorry, noh”.
Hay, it is my wish that in my lifetime there will really be a true, morally-upright and patriotic President to serve us.
Even our President’s salary is peanuts compared to many corporate executives, and the headaches that come with the job must be exponentially larger. I’ve always said that anyone smart enough to hold the office is smart enough not to run. I think Obama means what he says when he talks about service to one’s country, because that – or being a power-hungry megalomaniac are about the only reasons I can think of to WANT the job. And if you’re a power-hungry megalomaniac, you have to figure out how to get around the Supreme Court, the Congress, and the media. Say one stupid thing – one ordinary thing, for most of us – and you’ll be hung and humiliated in the press.
No, not a job I’d aspire to at all.
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Hi Holly! Truly, Mr. Obama’s annual salary is just the bonus of junior executives from those banks that cried to be rescued by the US taxpayers’ money via bailout.
I am actually so glad to have seen Obama become the US President during my lifetime. He is the embodiment I think of true patriotism, service and selflessness. As you said, you have really to go through a needle’s eye with so many probing eyes and critics ready to feast on each of your move (whether good or bad). The media and all the political camps has always something to say for and against you.
…and that is something that I can’t stomach.
How about several billions more as ROI care of bribes and kickbacks? Must be true for I couldn’t fathom either why one should go to battle without even an iota of an idea for a return of one’s investments. That and of course the perks that go with the office such as being the most powerful person in the land, going to any point in the Philippines without traversing traffic, your own helicopter, your own palace while in office, going to state visits with your own entourage of clappers just in case… etc. Never mind the headaches, you don’t get sued anyway.
And I have just began rubbing the surface…
Hi Bro! Wow, those are indeed good ROI on becoming a president, supreme power are all yours in this poverty-stricken nation. And of course, these presidentiables are all thinking of how to get the return of their investments…only fools are those who will spend P1 billion and then not get anything at all.
…you will not get sued anyway, even if you are caught…just shower the congress with kickbacks on paper bags, and you will not tussle with any impeachment complaints anymore, wahhaha. poof!
Being the President of a country is a responsibility that many simply where not born to have. You will have to ignore all those you have enumerated above if you want to run a country. Now, being a President has it’s perks. Who needs salaries when everything is paid for? You have you small house at Malacañang (it this spelled correctly), classy automobile with choffeur, body guards, dinner invitations, traveling all over the globe (for free) and Yes, if you have a Twitter profile, it is likely that every single citizen will follow you and then you can monetize it, hahaha. So much for not making money as President, lol.
Set aside, even if you have all the billions required for your campaign, it is not guaranteed you will get elected. That is another story. If you ask me, politics must be part of your DNA or you will not even get close to being a Mayor.
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It is like a question whether politicians are born or made. Are politicians sport the DNA already to have the nerve to run for available public offices? Are politicians made due to circumstances and outside forces? In this case, despite all the troubles and expenses on running for the post, there is a stronger motivation to grab the position because of the seemingly endless “perks”.
Twitter? It never actually occured to me. You really know Bro how to see streams of income on so many things. But I guess, what a President could earn from Twitter is just peanuts to what he/she could get from bribes and corruption, ehehehe!
I would do anything to stop Manny Pacquiao from running. Yeah, you would question his motives. He has billions of pesos in his bank account and why in the world would he run for presidency? He would say, he want to help the country? But how? How? How de carabao, manny? I hope he’d get back to his senses pretty soon that running a country is no joke.
And you would wonder: Bakit madaming nag-aagawan sa pagiging presidente kung tutoosin ang liit lang naman ng sahod? Pero, alam natin lahat kung bakit…………
Hmpt! Na-highblood tuloy ako.
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Hahaha! Na-highblood ka tuloy dahil sa post ko. Hindi naman obvious na BFF mo si Manny ah, ehehe!
Floating the idea of “sheer want to serve” the people be enough for an individual to throw the hat unto the presidential race?
I think an upper cut from you gurl could send Manny back to his sense, ehehe!
I agree with you, hindi tamang pasukin ni Manny ang pagkapresidente dito sa Pinas. Maling mali!!!
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Haays, ang masasabi ko lang nasusuka na ako sa politika at sistema ng pamahalaan natin. I can only hope for a true deliverer of our nation one day.
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My great grandfather thought Magsaysay or Marcos were the Messiah. My grandfather thought it was Cory Aquino. My parents thought it was Ramos, Estrada and now Gloria.
I am now also aspiring for a savior of this country hopefully by 2010. But the mere word “savior” in itself is quite a big joke and an impossibility already. And as you said Joji, hay….
And history repeats itself, Elmot. Whaaaayy!
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My question is: Do the voting public really has the power to change history?
A noted political scientist once said that politics is the struggle for power. Power is the ability to determine who gets what, when, and how. No matter how much the president earns, at the end of the day, he/she still determines who gets what, when, and how given that he/she is the “end” in the linear framework of power distribution.
Many might argue against my proposition citing extraneous factors affecting power. However, as far as pragmatic politics is concerned (not totally barring theoretical politics though), the president signifies power.
In a constitutional democracy like ours, power emanates from the people. But the people as a whole cannot decide for itself. Tracing its origins from Social Contract theorists in the persons of Hobbes, Locke, and Holmes, there is a need for someone to channel the power emanating from the people.
To sum it up, it is all about power: the capacity to determine who gets what, when and how, the same power that emanates from the people, but channeled by the president.2
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I totally agree with that one, politics is indeed the struggle for power, and from there comes the different ways and means in order for one (in this case a politician) to get that power; be it spending billions of pesos for campaigns and even sporting Machiavellian tactics. At the end of the day, it is the one who holds the supreme power in this nation who has everything.
The problem with this democracy that we are enjoying is that it only gives us the power (people/citizens) only in spirit and not actually power for a communal direction and decision. After practicing our right to elect a president, our power seemingly diminishes also as the elected president assumes power. We are then only to become political spectators, ready to bark, but have actually no teeth to effect a change on the “balance of power” in the government.
In actuality, the present political system that we have is not a triangle with all three branches of government of equal power, but rather a pyramid, with the concentration of power and resources at the hand of the President.
Therefore, the sheer power that a president should only have in a democratic system as ours actually far exceeds what it only offers it ideally.
Power, power, power. Indeed, when one tasted power, it corrupts him…but our only consolation maybe is that, it will eventually corrupt him absolutely.
Buti sana kung kili-kili power lang eh, ehehehe!
erratum: It should not be Holmes. That should be read as Rousseau.
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Oks, got bro, ehehe! Jean-Jacques…”man is free, but everywhere he is chains”.
It is true that the president has lot of power but as well as he has many boundation and it is not easy to play his role.
Hi Jack! It is true that a President has lots of power and so many difficult responsibilities on his/her shoulders…and there are also boundaries to safeguard the common good, the true and the right. However, what is I think most crucial is the President staying true to a genuine motivation of service to nation and not getting corrupted by the tempting cup of power and wealth.
waaaaa ganda ang pag edit ng pic… hehehehehe nice one,,,,
Blogfornoob Dot Com´s last blog ..Madonna Biceps, Madonna Photos, Madonna Skinny, Madonna Pictures
I am all praise to the people who made the photo. Very creative and intelligent people…making Manny and GMA a two-in-one photo, whow!
Did I just read Php 1 billion??? OMG, that’s too much. samantalang Php 60k lang ang sahod nila, and with math, Php 4M+ lang ang makukuha nila within their 6-year term! Tsk. tsk. this only means, may something n makukuha sila na worth billion pesos when they grabbed the president’s crown.
hayy.. pulitika nga naman…
Kelvin Servigon´s last blog ..A Story Plus Some Photos of Our Flowerhorn Fish
You got it all right Kelvs, P1 billion for a political campaign. Question: what if they win? Need for a return of investment of course.
What if they lose the race? Hmmm…maybe run on a lower government position; jump to another political camp and be appointed on the cabinet to get your ROI.
Simple math, complicated life for the masses.
Manny Pacquiao formed his Political Party and it was approved by the commission on election recently. In my point of view it is another wrong move on his political ambition. As what he did last May 2007 election, he run as a congressman but he failed, he didn’t make it. Mostly of the people from a certain district in General Santos City declined his political desire to become a representative in the congress despite his being well known and popularity not only within entire Philippines but in the whole world for being legendary on his boxing career. It is not for the reason that people doesn’t like him to vote, but the people refuses to let him won as a district representative not to involve in a dirty life of politics, and in order not to drag his name into possible controversy of political life. People preserved his name being idolized due his greatness in boxing.
http://bravedier.blogspot.com/2009/08/asiang-aksaya-field-trip-sa-amerika.html
Thanks for the visit here Jeri and on joining in the discussions. You are always welcome here
Yes, he did make a political party and he is going to use it as his political vehicle come 2010 elections when he runs for a congressional seat in Saranggani Province.
and you are right. People are afraid that the good intention of Manny to help the people of his province will be corrupted by so many bad politicians who would be surrounding him.
hahahah that’s ridiculous if manny pacquia will run for president.heheheh
tsk. tsk. tsk. tsk..
hi gerson.. hmmm pls include my blog http://mariancalago.blogspot.com in your blogging buddies. done changing your blog name in mine. thanks.
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Hi Marian! It has been a long time since you came back here. I thought you got lost already thinking that I was still at Ani-Mo!
Anyways, welcome on my new home.
Oks, no problem, I will update your blog on my blogroll. Thanks for reminding me too.
thanks for adding my blog gerson.
Politicians are really corrupt. Imagine if you are the president you are only receiving P60,000. but they still want it,… they want the power even if they are receiving only below 100,000 salary a month. Being a president is really a big responsibility. But i guess they don’t mind it for as long as they have the power to put plenty of cash secretly in their own pocket. hahay.
Marian Calago´s last blog ..October 23, Sen. Mar Roxas and Korina Sanchez’ Wedding | Cel [Digg]
No problem, I actually should have done and completed my blogroll…. Just got entangled with lots of work.
Being a President is so much of a responsibility being a 24/7 servant of all. Maybe, that is the reason why our president is making all ways to get all benefits she could have for serving 24/7?
The recently reported sudden increase of networth of GMA is definitely worth investigating. They claim that is was primarily because of the lands and stock investments that she has. I would probably agree with the appreciation of land investment (though they’ve also done their part for the land to appreciate its value by devloping it and building roads on it) BUT like most critics say, the stock market cannot be the reason for the increase. It is because during the period given, the stock market is experiencing donwturn due to the global financial crisis. I should know coz I also invest in stocks.
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Her sudden significant increase on her asset was an obvious corruption scandal. She even had beaten Ramos, Aquino and Estrada.
And as you rightly pointed out, she has even beaten with so much difference, that our GDP growth and that our local stock market.
Then, the only answer here is: illegally obtained wealth.
Being in a position of presidency or even a congressmen had lots of perks. Surely they want to serve their “nasasakupan” but that only comprises about 10% of their over all intention… for much obvious reason of course…
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Most of them are serving their constituents and provinces or turfs with all their pet projects in the guise of public service, but for all we know that their other hand is already receiving fat checks reading to put on their personal accounts.
This is really making me angry and pissed off.
Power, that’s the incentive. And of course, all the other benefits that goes with it.
Why are people so obssessed with power Dee? Because historically, we were powerless people after being colonized by a number of nations? Or power is simply on a personal level something that is very difficult to resist?