What are the pros and cons of being the President of a country like the Philippines?

Jose Fabello Jr., Cagayan de Oro City: At best, it is a thankless job. Knowing what to do and doing your job well enough is no guarantee of being spared from criticism. But, well, you are the President.  

Leandro Tolentino, Batangas City: The pros of being President of the Philippines should outnumber the cons, judging from the huge number of applicants received by the Comelec in the last elections.  

One has power in his hands

Romeo Caubat, Masbate: Well, as President, you have unlimited access to all income-generating gimmicks/deals, but what a shame when the press/media finds out about it and torments.  

Renato Taylan, Ilocos Norte: Being President of a country like ours still ensures the growth of one’s assets despite the President drowning in a sea of problems.  

Rose Leobrera, Manila: When one is President of the Philippines, he/she has all the power in his/her hand to make the impossible possible. First and foremost, he can acquire wealth while in power.  

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: The cons: If the elected President gets hold of himself and practices self-denial. The pros: If self-centeredness rules over him and demands ROI for his election expenses.  

Edwin Castillo, Tanauan City: The Philippine President always inherits a country that is mired in corruption and poverty. On the other hand, he can enrich himself by using his influence and the power of the presidency.  

Lucas Madamba III, USA: The advantage of being the President of the Philippines is that the President is the highest official and most powerful person in the country, being the Chief Executive and the Commander-in-Chief of the Philippine Armed Forces. The disadvantage is having to bear and endure all the negative criticisms that may come his way.  

Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: The esteemed post gives the beholder immense power, fame and fortune etc., and the opportunity to rule the country. This is why many hallucinating Filipinos want to become President.  

Great power, great responsibility

Ryan Pahimulin, Rizal: The President is the most powerful in the country but he also has the greatest responsibilities.  

Ignacio Anacta, Metro Manila: The pros are: The President is the most powerful Filipino. As the leader of our nation, he has the means at his disposal to effect positive change and make our nation great again. On the other hand, the cons are: Corruption has been institutionalized in previous administrations, hence very difficult to control now.Everybody expects the President to solve all the ills of our nation, and if he is sincere about this, he has to make painful decisions daily.  

Edwin Chinel Monares, Rizal: The positive side of being President of the Philippines is the tremendous power of the position to make a difference in the lives of the people and steer the nation to great heights. The President is the head of state, chief executive, the commander-in-chief, the highest diplomatic official, and a revered leader of the party in power. He appoints the highest functionaries in the government. Whatever he does and says is news. The negative side is facing the decadent political culture in the country and being on top of a highly-corrupted bureaucracy, not to mention the tribal and regionalistic attitude of the people.  

Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: The pros: Popularity, power, influence, respect and the chance to see the world for free. The cons, besides many others, are sleepless nights.  

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: Though the President of the Philippines wields tremendous power, he/she is nevertheless saddled with complicated responsibilities. He/She appoints heads of his/her Cabinet. As Commander-in-Chief of the Army, he/she promotes and appoints high-ranking officials. He/She is mandated to serve all the Filipinos, including those who are against him/her. It is difficult to please Filipinos due to their regional and cultural differences. Despite the grave responsibility of the President of the Philippines, many Filipino politicians are aiming for the position as the power and influence weigh greater than the burden.  

The President has the esteem of the people

Dr. Jose Balcanao, Benguet: In Philippine politics, a leader receives more criticism than appreciation. The misdeeds of the President is recognized more than his good deeds. However, the President is regarded with high esteem as the highest official of the land and is imbued with much power.  

Elmo Cruz, Manila: No matter how grave the cons that saddle the President of the Philippines, the honor, pride, power and wealth one would reap are far greater if he/she becomes a good President.  

The job comes with perks

Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: For the pros: You will enjoy the perks, privileges and power but with these things come responsibility. For the cons: You are open to criticism even in the smallest details.  

Manny Cordeta, Marikina City: Pros: Most notably and foremost, the perks that are attendant to being the country’s “chief steward”, i.e. courtesies extended so diplomatically by local and international political figures; whether one likes it or not, the President occupies a slot in history, which surely becomes a source of pride to the family. Cons: Detractors are suddenly in abundance, watching his every move and anxiously anticipating blunders/bloopers; most importantly, the fulfillment of promises he had made.  

It’s a tough job being President

Concepcion Gaspar, Laoag City: To be President entails sacrifice and a big responsibility because of the gargantuan task that he/she faces. The President is sometimes pressured to make a decision favoring one group but at the disapproval of another group. Hence, conflict and problems occurs. He/She encounters lots of problems nationwide that cause him restless, nights thinking how to address them with justice and wisdom. On the other hand, the presidency connotes power, fame, honor and prestige. If one succeeds in doing well his job, he will be remembered in history as a great person or a hero.  

Lyn Reyes, Makati City: Being the President of RP is a tough job. Inheriting problems from various departments hinders the implementation of new plans/projects.  

Col Ben Paguirigan Jr., Ret., Zamboanga City: The pros and cons of being President of a country like ours is like a fire below and above it. But it’s worth trying.  

Lydia Reyes, Bataan: It’s difficult to be a president of a country like the Philippines, what with its leftover of vultures.  

Ruel Bautista, Laguna: Everyone of us has a plan of how to manage and improve our country. Being President could give you the driver’s seat, only to regret later as the job isn’t that simple and easy.  

Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City: The presidency is the most thankless job for a country like ours. We’re fond of giving the President a pain in the neck no matter how hard he or she works.  

Desuel Pardo, Mandaluyong City: A politician is not bothered by the disadvantages of the post if he is God-fearing because he is always ready to carry the cross that will serve the best interest of his country and countrymen.  

J.R. Mondonedo Jr., Parañaque City: Well, the bad side is, you can’t please everyone. You have to make tough decisions; attend countless meetings not only here but outside the country; and you have to be diplomatic. Your life is always in danger. Every move you make is being watched by the media so when they catch you picking your nose it makes the front page. The good side is you come out richer at the end, which will secure you and your family financially for life.  

Dino Monzon, Caloocan City: To cite the cons: A horrendous foreign debt, a split congress, government officials with their own agenda and meddling family members vying for influence.  

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: Pros are concentrated on the immerse powers of the President who literally rules like a despot. The cons are a pestering opposition and an unforgiving press.  

Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: The pros far outweigh the cons and your scale could be the big number of people who are willing to throw away billions and risk life, health and bankcruptcy.  

Ruben Viray, Antipolo City: The President has the supreme power and authority to lead the country to progress or to its downfall. He maintains good and friendly relations with dignitaries from other countries in the world. He also enjoys the highest position of the land. On the contrary, he should be ready to receive criticism from those who oppose his style of leadership and defend his action diplomatically. He should maintain his good health and composure at all times in order to cope with the problems of the country. He is on call 24 hours a day for any eventuality or whenever necessary. His life and those of his family are at risk and he needs to have full security whenever and wherever he goes.  

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: Being President means personal honor and power but the position also carries a big responsibility in solving the gargantuan problems besetting the country.   

It’s a rare chance to prove one’s greatness

Jesus Mendoza, Pangasinan: Being President of the Philippines is a rare chance to prove one’s greatness against all odds. Ignominy awaits one who fails to turn the country around.  

Kelvin Casamayor, Ilocos Sur: As the President of a hungry country yearning for honest and clean governance, one is able to have the chance to lead them for the better.  

Elpidio Que, Vigan: An honest and able selfless president is given the opportunity at heroism by turning around our sad state of corruption. On the other hand, such a President greatly risks his life, limb and liberty for going after the economic beasts in government and business who have the combined power to plan and fund for his assassination. This is the reason why we pray for the Great Architect of the Universe to vouchsafe P-Noy in his journey of reversing our nation’s direction.  

Dennis Montealto, Mandaluyong City: It’s a damn-if-you-do and damn-if-you-don’t kind of work, with many points to consider, and with no one to blame for decisions gone wrong. But it’s also a great privilege to effect positive change in the lives of the Filipino citizenry.  

Ishmael Q. Calata, Parañaque City: On the positive side, being the President of a country like the Philippines or of any country, for that matter, one has the opportunity for greatness as in the likes of, let me just mention a few, Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela and Lee Kuan Yew who all transformed their respective countries into what they are today. On the negative side, a President can easily be swallowed by a bad political system that has defamed many leaders of the world who allowed themselves to be party to many controversial and shady activities. In recent times, how many have been removed from power and how many have admirably left the seat of power because of shame?  

Corruption is a thorn on the President’s side

L.C. Fiel, Quezon City: I consider our being too forgiving as a plus for any president. On the other hand, it’s the pesky issue of corruption that will always be a thorn on his side.  

Personal honor

Ernesto Oliquiano, Las Piñas City: If the real intention of the elected President is to serve the country, I honestly can’t see any advantages for him, except maybe, prestige and power. If we consider the compensation that a President will receive, it is a pittance compared to the fortune he has to spend to win. And the problems that he will encounter during his term are so unsurmountable that they may drive him crazy. Every move that he does, even his private life and those of his family, will be under scrutiny. He’ll be damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t.On the other hand, if his intention is to get richer, then, the Presidency is the fastest way to attain that goal. With the vast resources under his power, he can be a billionaire in a very short time.  

Filipinos are forgiving

Robert Young Jr., San Juan: The advantages of being President: Filipinos are very tolerant; they have short memories; and are forgiving. Moreover, the judiciary is inutile. It took Filipinos 20 years before they staged a march to oust a dictator. In the past nine years, Filipinos didn’t take any action against officials allegedly involved in corruption amounting to billions. They accepted as their fate that the highest official was elected on questionable circumstances. Filipinos have short memories, too, they elected the wife and children of a dictator responsible for the death of hundreds and stole billions, which are still deposited in Swiss banks. The PCGG has filed thousands of cases but lost most of the cases. It seems that people in charge of running after corrupt officials are corrupt themselves.  

You get credit and blame for everything

Johann Lucas, Quezon City: Pros: You get the credit for everything good that happens during your term even if you may not be responsible. Cons: You get blamed for everything bad that happens during your term, although you may not be responsible.  

Cris Rivera, Rizal: In a sentence: Do 10 right things but never make a mistake on the 11th, to avoid losing everything and be trapped in a dire situation.  

Gerii Calupitan, Muntinlupa City: Pro: Being RP’s president is like choosing between having sex with a thousand gay cannibals on an isolated island or else be executed by gang rape to death by the same thousand natives. Con: Spermologos;n/the rag-picker, one who steals the idea of others and claims them as his very own. TV evangelists, ministers and pastors all quote from the same source then claim that their sect is the only true path to eternal salvation. All presidents are like them, but no one will admit it. FM showed how the path to riches is paved with government projects and all of his successors got commissions and got away with it. Unless the pros outweigh the cons, then being RP’s 15th CEO may be the last straw that will break Noynoy’s back.  

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.

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