The present Constitution imposes only three requirements to be elected President of the Philippines:
1. One must be 40 years of age on the day of election;
2. One must be a natural-born Filipino citizen;
3. One must be able to read and write.
I’ve put together a comparative chart of presidents elected to office, so that readers can take a look at past presidential biodatas, for the purpose of evaluating those seeking the presidency in 2010. Lists like these, however, can’t reflect the changing attitudes and preferences of voters as to what they consider essential requirements for the presidency.For example, there are basically two eras: 1935 to 1969 (the last pre-martial law presidential election) and post-1986 to the present. In the first era, Ramon Magsaysay, the lone non-lawyer prior to 1969, would be in many ways the major exception to the expectation of a long, sustained, record of public service beginning in local, then provincial, and legislative and executive positions. But in many ways he was the harbinger of our modern, post-party machine politics, and so ties in to the post-1986 trend Marcos helped launch by means of institutionalizing mistrust of lawyer-presidents.
Of the twelve presidents elected in national elections, the following observations can be made.
Education: seven were lawyers (all of whom were top ten in the Bar exams); two had degrees in economics; two had doctorates; only one didn’t finish college.
Pre-profession: Aside from their main professions, six had other professions/occupations, including two poets.
Military: Five achieved officer rank in the military.
Judicial: none served in the judiciary.
Legislative: three served as municipal councilors; eight have served in the lower house, with four serving as committee chairmen, and two of them as Speaker of the House; eight have been senators, and three have been Senate President, and two, Senate President Pro Tempore.
Executive: One has served as mayor; five have been provincial governors (including Magsaysay’s serving as Military Governor of Zambales); nine have held presidential or executive appointments in the bureaucracy or civil service; in addition, seven have held cabinet portfolios, with two each holding the National Defense and Foreign Affairs portfolios. Six have been elected Vice-President, four have succeeded to the presidency from that position (three by virtue of the death of the president, one by authority of the Supreme Court).
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12 Feedbacks on "Presidential biodata"
Ricci S.
This is one good analysis. Upon the chart created, in my opinion, our country is better if it is managed by very high achieved degrees like being a lawyer. Actually this must be a pre-requisite - that a president must be a graduate of a BS Degree. Anything less than that must never be qualified as a candidate. But since some of our countrymen, particularly the masses, goes for popularity, this important data is neglected.
handouts
This only means that being a presidencial candidate is not easy as it seems. It requires experience, intellect and genuine public service.
Hermi Zuniga
Just out of curiosity … data is already plural.
i haven’t heard of biodatas.
By the way, this is a constructive feedback. Don’t take it personally.
Berto
I don’t believe that that anything less than a BS Degree should never qualified as a presidential candidate. Look at our country since 2001, we have a palace occupant having a doctorate degree in economics but is stirring our country to poverty by her corrupt practices. Therefore, education can never be a basis.
The Lady in Green Ruffles
i agree with Berto..may i quote de quiros, “we do not need a CEO but a janitor”
Benhur Baguio
Well, I have worked with companies whose Managers,CEOs and Directors do not even qualified for their job despite their so called long years of experience and academic qualifications from so called high standard schools.
To my opinion decisiveness, discipline, morality and values learned during formative years from family and community are far more important than academic credentials, although it is an added advantage in running the government.
Jograd
Highest position in the land, we only have 3 simple requirements to be qualified to seek presidency?! And yet, if you apply for security guard, saleslady, clerk, or fastfood crew, you should be college graduate, with pleasing personality, no criminal records, at least 5′5″ , with good character reference, professional reference… etc.. etc.. etc. The constitution is clearly outdated. I think when the constitution was written on requirements of a candicate for presidency, they were referring to requirements for the janitor in Malacanang. He has to be at least 40, a Filipino, and must be able to read and write.
Jograd
Hermi, you should apply as a Proof-Reader… you spotted the ‘biodatas’ .. well done!
hopeless
I lost all my hope.
mac
ow c’mon?being a president,this is all about conscience,faith in god,and a rightful person.no need to be a lawyer,or anything.that’s it!
Reginald B. Tamayo
I completely agree. However, aside from those things mentioned as qualifications to become president, we should also give special stress on the moral character of the president. Admittedly, this is not a part of the quoted constitutional qualifications of the president, but at least we should take it into consideration. We have had some national leaders but were bereft of integrity and honesty to serve our people. And look at what is happening now in our country- it’s a mess.REGINALD B. TAMAYO, Aparri, Cagayan
john
being a president is not only about conscience,faith in god, honesty etc.. coz every person has conscience and faith in GOD.. every person lies…
you judge those PALACE as evil because your blinded with the rallies governed by the lefties.. or the bias or ‘may kinikilingan news’ by reporters such as hoy gising anchor whose daily topic in radio is arroyo.. and that he sees allies of arroyo as evil also.. but the truth is he’s not that good.. ‘isusuka sya ng mga taga’leyte’ because he did nothing in that province when he was still a congressman there..
we are also deaf with the people who are good in words not in works or ‘magaling sa salita hindi sa gawa’ like CHIZ. ‘isusuka rin ng mga taga sorsogon’ because of ZERO performance..
C’mon lets use our mind in voting.. i’m not pro teodoro also but i’m not deaf & blinded with the news.. lets open our eyes and be wise..
being a president is not just about passing the subject GRMC and VALUES EDUCATION.. it’s also about how a leader can handle domestic and national issues..
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