Why Don't We Elect Public Officials ... The Way We Select our Miss Universe

 

Miss Universe Philippines 2026 had just had its coronation. And the way, the selection process was described was highly competitive, transparent, and a modernized search designed to find a "queen ready" representative.

The Organizers conducted an intensive nationwide search, actively combing through provinces from Aparri to Jolo to find the best delegates, resulting in an initial, highly competitive roster.

The Candidates underwent months of preparation to refine their skills before coronation night, including training in pasarela (runway walk) and Q&A preparation.

The country wants to be sure that we are sending the best representative ... stop right there ...how come when it comes to selecting our own leaders, we can't apply the same yardstick and parameters?

 I have this suspicion that our standards for a barista are higher than our standards for a Senator, and we treat the Miss Universe pageant with more intellectual rigor than a national election?

If you are applying for a job as a "Junior Clerk" in this country, you need a four-year degree, three years of experience, an NBI clearance, a health certificate, and the ability to explain your "five-year plan" in perfect English. 

But if you want to run the entire country? All you need is a catchy jingle, a famous last name, and the ability to do a TikTok dance without breaking a hip.

Let’s be honest: as a nation, we are the most brutal HR managers in the world—but only when it comes to beauty queens.

-The Q&A: If a Miss Philippines candidate misses a single comma in her answer about "global inclusivity," we demand her immediate resignation from life. We dissect her walk, her gown, and her choice of lipstick like we’re conducting a forensic audit.

-The Election: When a candidate for high office is asked about their economic platform, and they reply with, "I love the poor," we stand up and cheer. "Grabe, ang humble niya! Siya na talaga!"

We demand "World Class" from a woman in a swimsuit, but we settle for "Class Clown" from the people handling the national budget.

If you remember right, in the last election, we never thought candidates duking it out in debates was necessary.

We allowed them to dodge important debates because they dont feel like doing it (they are winning anyway).

What we didn't realize is that skipping the primary debates, there is a possibility that the candidate will be exposed as weak after all ... has no substance ... and is a pushover ...  not being able to speak English ... they have no plan for the country ... and can they be presented to other world leaders?"

Imagine walking into a job interview for a Surgeon position.

• Employer: "So, have you ever operated on a human before?"

• Candidate: "No, but my father has a library of human anatomy, and I’ve seen a lot of blood in movies. Also, as a child, I always had epistaxis (nosebleeding)

• Employer: "You’re hired! Here is the scalpel!"

This is the Filipino voter’s logic. 

We hire leaders based on "Vibes" and "Legacy." We don't check the resume; we check the "Follower Count." 

We are the only people in the world who would hire a pilot based on how well he can sing My Way rather than how well he can actually fly the plane.

We complain that the Philippines is "stuck in a circle." 

We wonder why the traffic is still there, why the prices are high, and why the government feels like a permanent rerun of a bad 1980s sitcom.

-The Satire: We keep buying the same "Magic Elixir" from the same traveling salesman and then acting surprised when it’s just colored sugar water. 

We elect leaders who treat the Treasury like a personal ATM and leaders who treat the Constitution based on their political convenience.

Meaning they only followed it when it suited their political agenda, rather than being treated as the supreme law. 

And then we ask, "Bakit ganun? Bakit walang pagbabago?"

It’s because we aren't electing "Public Servants." We are electing "Protagonists." 

We want a hero to save us, but we keep hiring the guys who specialize in "Special Effects" rather than "Specialized Skills."

In a regular job, if you don't show up for work, you get fired. In the Philippine government, if you don't show up for a hearing, you get a "Confidential Fund."

And if you don't show for work ... your political allies will back you anyway ... and dont worry ... you have your salalry for life.

The nakataya (stakes couldn't be higher. 

It’s our lives, our livelihoods, and the future of our children. And yet, we treat the ballot like a remote control—just clicking on the face we recognize the most because the other candidates look "too complicated."

Until we start treating the Presidency with at least the same level of scrutiny we give to a Grab driver's rating or a Shopee review, we are going to keep getting "Scammed."

So if you wouldn't trust a guy to hold your wallet while you tie your shoes, don't trust him to hold the highest position of the land. 

It’s time to stop voting for the "Best Performance" and start voting for the "Best Competence."