Did you watch the 90s quiz show "Battle of the Brains" growing up?
If so, then you probably received a blast from the past Monday morning, Feb. 6 when one of its more memorable contestants---Orion Dumdum of Ateneo de Manila University--appeared as a resource person during the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments' hearing on pending Charter change (Cha-cha) measures.
Dumdum, now a Singapore-based overseas Filipino worker (OFW), was hands-down the most impassioned resource person Monday as far as those in favor of revising the 1987 Constitution was concerned, if only to fix its economic provisions.
During his presentation to the House panel, Dumdum, a Cebu native, lamented how the bright and talented Filipinos have lost hope for the country and ultimately left their motherland for greener pastures abroad.
"I still proudly wear my Philippine flag here because I'm still a Filipino citizen. But if these changes that are necessary don't happen, I might be forced for the sake of my son to give him a better future," he said.
Dumdum recalled the 1993 grand finals of Battle of the Brains wherein he finished first runner up. His two fellow finalists were Leonardo Gapol of the Pamantansan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) and Ferdinand Makalinao of University of the Philippines (UP) Manila.
"Out of the three, two of us are overseas Filipinos," Dumdum said. He said mathematics and science whiz Makalinao, the grand champion of his batch, is now a doctor based in the United States (US).
"Marami pong mga nanalo dyan, sa Battle of the Brains, mga grand champion dati, mga kaibigan ko rin, overseas na sila. Several of them nag-US citizen na (A lot of Battle of the Brains winners, former grand champion who are also my friends, are now also overseas Filipinos. Several of them are now US citizens)," said the quiz show legend.
According to the resource person, the necessary reforms that the country needs to pursue are the removal of all anti-FDI (foreign direct investment) restrictions in the Constitution, evolving federalism, and a shift to the parliamentary system, among others.
Cagayan de Oro 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the constitutional amendments panel, commented that Dumdum delivered "a very good presentation".
Battle of the Brains aired from 1992 to 2001. It was hosted by David Celdran.