Survivor Payatas

Forget the social contract. Politics, Philippine democracy style, is all entertainment. Name one president, nay, one public official who once elected into office actually fulfilled his campaign promise. So why even bother finding out their platform? It’s a total waste of time. The so-called intellectuals are not very intelligent if you ask me.

I say, we embrace the reality of Philippine politics. Let’s up the ante even. Instead of the mudslinging campaign period followed by the boring and arduous casting and counting of ballots, we do a television series, Survivor Payatas.

Sixteen presidential candidates, 39 days, dumped in the Payatas landfill. Give them minimum wage to live on. And no, the minimum wage is not free. It’s the reward! Challenges can be designed to reveal their skills in balancing the budget, the best to deliver his presidential commencement speech, or the best strategy to end the conflict in Mindanao. Let’s give it a slight touch of social relevance, just enough so our proposal is taken seriously.

One twist from the original, vote-offs will be cast by the audience via text. Last man in Payatas becomes president.

I know we may have to tinker with the constitution a little here. But hey, the men in congress always seem too eager to tinker with that, the very document they swore to protect.