There are at least 3 candidates vying for the position of
Vice President of the Philippines.
The following are some of the candidates:
- Senator Antonio Trillanes
- Senator Bongbong Marcos
- Senator Alan Peter Cayetano
- Representative Leni Robredo
- Senator Francis Escudero
All these individuals are qualified. They are highly educated.
Senator Antonio Trillanes for instance is a graduate of the
premier military institution in Asia, the Philippine Military
Academy (PMA) and a Masters Degree in Public Administration
at University of the Philippines.
Senator Bongbong Marcos has a Special Diploma in Social Studies
from Oxford University in England. He also took up Masters in
Business Administration in Wharton School of Business,
University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, United States.
Senator Francis (Chiz) Escudero is also a lawyer. He finished
his Law and Political Science degree at the University of the
Philippines in Diliman. He also received a Masters in
International and Comparative Law at the Georgetown University
Law Center in Washington, D.C in the United States.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is a Lawyer. He is a graduate of
the University of the Philippines. UP-Law is one of the best
Law school in the Philippines.
Representative Leni Robredo is also a lawyer. She obtained her
law degree at University of Nueva Caceres. Prior to studying
law, she finished her economics degree at University of the
Philippines.
I am just wondering why are these well educated people wanted
to become the Vice President of the Philippines. What do they
want? Is the salary of the Vice President more than say a
Senator or Representative. Is the office of the Vice President
that powerful.
All I know is that the only power the Vice President of the
Philippines has is to become the President when the incumbent
President dies or when he becomes incapacitated or when he
is removed from office such as impeachment.
In other words, The Vice President is just like a spare tire
waiting to be sworn in as President when the incumbent one
dies.
So I tried to read and learn a few things what Powers do a
Vice President of the Philippines have and why such position
is coveted by the above mentioned well experienced and well
educated men and woman.
Here are some of the Powers of the Vice President of the
Philippines:
1. The Vice President becomes the President when the incumbent
President dies, is permanently disabled, is impeached or
resigns.
The Vice President who becomes President will serve only
for the unexpired term.
2. The Vice President may be appointed Cabinet member.
Some of the cabinet positions held by previous Vice Presidents
of the Philippines.
- Vice President Joseph Estrada – Chairman of the
Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC). - Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo – Secretary of Social
Welfare and Development. - Vice President Teofisto Guingona – Secretary of Foreign Affairs
- Vice President Noli De Castro – Secretary for Housing and
Urban Development. - Vice President Jejomar Binay – Chairman of the Housing Urban
Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
So its ok for the Vice President to be appointed as a Cabinet
Secretary but I wondered what if the Vice President of the
Philippines is not appointed to any cabinet position?
Then he/she will do nothing but wait for the position of the
President to be vacated. In other words, he/she is just like
a spare tire.
If the Vice President will not be appointed to any cabinet
position, then what will he/she do for the next 6 years.
Maybe he/she will start campaigning for the office of President
for the next Presidential election.
What do you think? Please let us hear what you think by
commenting below.
i think in all country when the president die from then to get new election vice-president get the power of president.
yes, you are right, in most countries following the presidential form of government, when the president dies, the vice president becomes president.