Why do Filipinos keep on electing minority presidents?

When will we ever learn? We often ignore the lessons of history. That is why we keep on repeating the same mistakes. And then we never stop complaining of the consequences of our own lack of wisdom.

All the last five presidents of the Philippines were minority presidents, or were voted into office by less than 50% of the valid votes cast: Duterte was voted by only 39.02% in 2016; PNoy by only 42.08% in 2010; GMA by 39.99% in 2014; even Erap by merely 39.86% in 1998. FVR was the worst, with only 23.58% in 1992. Cory Aquino lost in the 1986 elections with 46.10% to Marcos' 53.62%. She was not elected but installed by the EDSA revolt.

It is clear that all the last six presidents were chosen by less than 50% of the valid votes cast, in elections where too many registered voters opted not to vote, and where the number of voters were all very much lower than the total of the adult population. Thus we are a nation governed by presidents who are not really the choice of the majority of the people. This puts our democracy in a serious cloud of doubt. The men and women we put in office to govern the nation were not chosen by the majority. If it were a boxing match, they all won by split decision. They were not clear victories.

I am not a Marcos loyalist but the official records show that Ferdinand Marcos had always been a majority president. In 1965, Marcos with 51.94% won over Diosdado Macapagal with 42.88%. In 1969, Marcos won by 61.4% over Sergio Osmeña Jr.'s 38.51%. In 1963 in a questionable referendum of "Do you want Marcos to continue in office?" the Yes vote won 90.67% over the 9.33% who voted No. That was repeated in 1977 where 89.27% voted Yes, and 9.37% voted No. In 1981, Marcos won 88.02% over Alejo Santos who got 8.25%. Then, as stated above, the 1986 snap elections.

Macapagal won in 1961 with 55.05% over Carlos P. Garcia (the incumbent) who got 44.95%. In 1957, Garcia won with only 41.28% over Jose Yulo who got 27.62% because there was a strong third candidate, Manuel Manahan, who got 20.9%. In 1953, Ramon Magsaysay won 68.90% over his former boss, Elpidio Quirino, who got 31.08%. In 1949, Quirino won 50.93 over Jose P. Laurel with 37.22%. In 1946, Manuel Roxas got 53.93% over Sergio Osmeña Sr.'s 45.72%. In 1941, Manuel Quezon, with a whopping 81.78% won over Juan Sumulong (grandfather of Cory Aquino) who got 18.22%. In 1935, Quezon got 67.99% over Emilio Aguinaldo's 17.53%. There was a third candidate Gregorio Aglipay, who got the rest of the votes.

Based on these historical facts, the following are the only majority presidents; Quezon, Roxas, Quirino, Magsaysay, Macapagal, and Marcos. Garcia, Cory Aquino, FVR, Erap, GMA PNoy, and Duterte were all minority presidents. What is the reason for this? Too many candidates, and because of that the votes were fragmented. This is bound to happen over and over again. The Filipinos never learn, especially the politicians.