An ideal worthy of support

The most profound statement that I heard from the face-off program of candidates organized by the ABS-CBN did not come from the acclaimed lawyers and renowned professionals who are seeking national office. It came from a doctor of medicine. His name is Dr. Martin Bautista, a candidate for senator.

While the nationally televised program only allocated no more than few minutes for candidates to present the concept of their respective plans, if and when elected to office, it only took Dr. Bautista few seconds to arouse my idealism. Thenceforth, I committed to voting for him despite the fact that his idea, brilliant and novel as it is, may not get the support of old political oligarchs, including many of those who are his allies in the party.

Dr. Bautista said that he succeeded as a migrant worker in the United States and had seen what the government did not do, but should have done, for our overseas workers. More importantly, he stated that he is asking for only one term as a senator because he plans to contribute to our growth within that period of six years.

Wow! This doctor said that public office should be dedicated to service and never a source of livelihood. He did not mince words. Within a fleeting time, he pointed out to the incontrovertible fact that many of our politicians have made elective positions their means of livelihood. What he failed to state was the obvious. These many politicians do not have any visible means of living. Some of them are utter failure in their private lives. We can ask, for example, our beloved Mayor Tomas Osmeña, what he did in the United States because some people I know have derogatory remarks.

No. Dr. Bautista was not directing the incisive edge of his idealism against our once cancer-stricken mayor. He rather emphasized that for our democracy to work, leaders do not have to make a living by staying in power for the kind of extended periods of time like that of our mayor.

There should be, in our midst, brilliant minds, who do not possess high strung political family names but can better serve our people. Of the four hundred thousand plus voters in the city, there must be guys out there who are armed with verifiable education (unlike the undocumented claim of Mayor Osmeña to having finished some college degree), humble (as opposed to the mayor's perceived arrogant) disposition and a comprehensive outlook of what to do (instead of crowing out only a reclamation project for about ten years).

The statement of Dr. Bautista was not a criticism against Mayor Osmeña alone. It was obliquely aimed at others too. For instance, we have Enrile, (who acknowledged having participated in the false report on an assassination attempt during the regime of Pres Marcos), and Drilon, (a cabinet member of Pres. Cory Aquino and senator later). Most likely and judging by late survey results, they are poised to win again and in the process diminish the chance of Dr. Bautista from winning.

Politics is economics. The continued control of some, if not most of these politicians of the rein of government power provides them their means of lucrative livelihood. That is the very reason they continue to seek government elective positions. Public service is only an accident. Drive them out of politics and they cannot identify any means of living. 

I will put to a test the refreshing ideals of Dr. Bautista. My vote will be cast for him, and include in my ballot a Col Queruben, a Mr. Valdehueza, an Atty. Alex Lacson. My precious vote will not go for such predictable winners as Jinggoy, Bong and Lito (to avoid converting the Senate into a showbiz stage), and a Cayetano (to prevent one family from dominating legislation).

Quite sadly, I anticipate the idealistic principle of Dr. Bautista to suffer a lopsided loss in the polls. But, for me, this ideal is more valuable than gold and that's what matters!

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