Dr. Martin Bautista first ran for senator under Ang Kapatiran. He's now a candidate of the Liberal Party.

April 15, Quezon City – After Juan Flavier and Loi Ejercito, another doctor by profession will be joining the senatorial race for the 2010 Election on May 10. Dr. Martin Bautista, a former member of Ang Kapatiran party, joins Liberal Party headed by presidential candidate Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. He is hoping to bring resolution on the current status of health care in the Philippines along with the proper budget distribution.

Bautista welcomed me in their house at New Manila in Quezon City and have a 20 minute conversation that covered his plans in properly aligning the national budget, improving healthcare and educational system and projects for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). However, when asked what his major contribution was if he assumes position in the senate, he proudly answered that he would want to focus on the proper alignment of the national budget with five reasons as reflected in his position in the ballot:

1. He would like to slash 90% of the budget in infrastructure projects and distribute it to health care, education and salary of the teachers, public health workers (doctors and nurses), police and soldiers.
2. After investing to health care and education along with the salary, it would make the future generations competitive. Through this, it would make Filipinos stay in the country and serve their fellow Filipinos.
3. Professionalize the ranks of the teachers, police, health care workers and others to make them focus with their work given with right compensation.
4. The commitment to show our determination to produce the new generation of Filipinos by investing with healthcare and education.
5. He also saw infrastructure projects sometimes source of corruption in the country. Where other politicians can easily get funds for themselves from it.

As for Bautista, there were five topics that were raised and he needed to answer either to comment, yes, no or abstain.

1. Reproductive Health Bill

Bautista: I am for reproductive health bill. As I said more importance, well not more important, but as important for human life is respect for human dignity.

2. Department of Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral

Bautista: She is an excellent physician. I think she is doing great in her job.

3. Condom/AIDS/HIV

Bautista: HIV/AIDS is an epidemic our country cannot afford. Maba-bankrupt tayo niyan (It will lead us to bankrupt). Condoms will at least prevent a major outbreak, maybe 80-85%, 80% is better than zero percent. Condom will help to prevent the spread of the virus.

4. Church not supporting the candidates who are in RH Bill

Bautista: I think that is very short sighted. Unang una wag po tayong magmamalinis, wag po natin akalain na hindi pwedeng mag isip ang mga Filipino. Hindi lang ang mga pari and Obispo ang pwedeng mag isip. (Let’s not be self righteous and see Filipinos not thinking. Priests and bishops are not the only people who think. It is important that we should enlighten). It is our responsibility to make our citizen enlighten, give them the freedom to choose.

5. What is the current status of the public/government hospital in the country

Bautista: Halos wala (almost nothing). Like I said we only put 249 pesos per Filipino. Ang kinakailangan natin sa bayan natin ay mas marami sana ang baranggay health clinics (We need to have more baranggay health clinics in our country). Ang pinag uusapan natin na kailangan sa bayan natin ay malinis na tubig, bakuna, (Our country needs is clean water and vaccination) can you imagine that it is that primitive. It is important for us to focus on prevention and not on tertiary care.

Bautista is also known as “Dr. Balikbayan,” a 47 year-old physician who returned to the country after working as a doctor in the United States and tries to extend his service to his fellow Filipino by running to the public office. He answered issues without hesitation, especially sensitive topics. He sees politics as a public service and sacrifice and not the usual work/job as others interpreted it.

Watch the 20 minute interview of Dr. Martin Bautista here.

Senatorial candidate Alex Lacson

Lacson is the author of “12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do to Help Our Country.” The book became a bestseller, and according to him, it created a big impact to himself as a candidate for senator. He gained attribution from those who read it. The book contained things that Filipinos missed of doing/fulfilling. It includes paying taxes, buying local products, following traffic rules and regulations and waste management. Lacson mentioned that it may be simple but it creates dent if everyone is doing it.

He is one of the LP senatorial-candidates that are new in the field of politics, mostly with no names and lacks with popularity. Unlike others who re-runs for the same or higher position. According to Lacson, Noynoy and Mar selected new faces to join the race to initiate changes, giving chance to those who has capability to serve the country and share their ideas and learning to them. According to him, the selection process included balancing the numbers of popular and usual candidates that are running for higher positions and adding new faces that are used with the social activities.

From the platform of the LP, Lacson choose three key areas: education, employment and fighting graft and corruption. He emphasized education and employment–If ever that he assumes a senatorial seat, he would wantto be part of the education and labor committee. Lacson believes the importance of both education and employment and the government should prioritize it.

There were five topics that I’ve raised during the discussion where he can answer yes, no, no comment and can be supported with a sentence or two:

Question 1: Will justice be served in the case of the Ampatuans and Magindanao Massacre this year?

Lacson: No.

Question 2: Do you agree with the reproductive health bill?

Lacson: Not in its present form. There are certain provisions there that violate the basic right of a man on freedom of choice.

Question 3: Do you agree with Church interfering with the State?

Lacson: On the moral issues tama lang yun (it is right), tama lang na pansinin ng simbahan ang mali na ginagawa ng gobyerno (it is right that the church point out the wrong things that the government is doing)

Question 4: After the poll automation and seeing that there were lots of anomaly in the process do you think that the new government should investigate the COMELEC?

Lacson: Tama lang, dapat lang, (Yes, it should be done) as possible kapag nanalo si Noynoy at Mar at nanalo ang senatorial line up (as possible if Noynoy and Mar wins along with the senatorial line up of LP)

Question 5: Do you agree with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo running for congressional seat in Pampanga?

Lacson: Hindi, bigyan naman natin yung iba, tama na. Masyado nang mahaba ang nine years niya bilang president. Nagawa na niya lahat ng kaya niyang gawin as president. 9 years so bigyan naman natin ng pagkakataon ang mga bata, yung mga bagong henerasyon. (No, she should give chance to others. Nine years as president is enough and she should give chance to the new generation.)

Lacson hails from the Province of Negros Occidental. He graduated law in University of the Philippines in Diliman in 1996. He has also taken post graduate studies in Harvard Law Scool, in the United States in 2002 and Haggai Leadership Institute in Singapore in 2007.

Lacson runs for senator under the Liberal Party, where Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III runs as president and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II as vice president.

Here is a video of the interview: