Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Election's Over

The election is over. It is time to examine, and to both skeptics and sympathizers alike, explain my participation in it.

I gave up a flourishing medical practice in America, joined Kapatiran and ran for the Senate because I wanted not merely to prove a point, but to live by it.

And the point is this: we can change our country, help our people, not by talking or theorizing but by actually doing something about it. One cannot simply make a statement. He must apply it in his life, by example, by involvement, by action. Our political campaign was such a statement.

Did we succeed? We did not get enough votes for a seat in the senate. But we did get the attention of the electorate and, more importantly, we made people aware of alternative solutions, better political options.

We demonstrated that it is possible to conduct an open, honest, vigorous campaign on programs, not personalities.

We showed that there is no need for false promises, political gimmickry, immoderate spending; but that there is a need for continuing communication, defending and justifying our positions and priorities.

Our fundamental premise is this: Politics is not a means of livelihood. It is not an economic investment that will pay off in future material gain. Politics is a way of giving, of sharing, of helping. It is not soliciting support but providing it. It is not about rendering service in the senate when elected, but rendering service now, in the present, in this time and place, in one's capacity as a candidate, a citizen, a Filipino of compassion.

If we have, even in a small, tentative way, we have redefined politics in the Philippines, then we have been fully recompensed for our efforts. The accomplishments of our greatest heroes cannot be judged in the simplistic terms of triumph or defeat. Like Burgos, Gomez and Zamora, the Kapatiran candidates won no instant victory. But they achieved a beginning, advanced the cause for reform, and awakened a hope that such reform is possible.

A personal note of accountability. I received donations from many sectors of society. Added to my own private contribution to the campaign, the total amount exceeded my modest campaign expenses. The balance I shall turn over to Gawad Kalinga in accordance with my conviction that politics is not an enterprise for profit.

Finally I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to all the men and women of goodwill who stand with us in the common belief in a Filipino future. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.

Martin D Bautista, MD

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good job! Though you will not make it to the Senate, you have elevated the quality of the elections.

Aldwin Ong said...

Thank you Dr. Bautista. You, and the Kapatiran, did give new hope. As of now, even if none of you are near getting a seat in the senate, honestly, it is only your votes that i still look out for. I am excited to see through your final counts, how many people you've actually affected and given hope to...

In true/ideal politics, it ought to be like this, promotion not by sheer volume of money spent on meaningless advertisements; rather, promotion through volume of people inspired enough to share the good news of such new hope. A sight like this is most overwhelming.

Because of ang Kapatiran, and the other instances of capable people who've stepped-up with the same God-centered intentions - Fr. Ed Panlilio and Sabas "Abang" Mabulo - I sincerely became more proud of our nation, the Philippines. I hope this pride and hope in our nation does start to spread amongst us... Indeed, I am full of optimism and hope.

I've been supporting and promoting ang Kapatiran from the time I got to know about it... Do not stop just yet. God bless!

Anonymous said...

Waah doc! We need people like you. Itutuloy ninyo ang laban ah??

Anonymous said...

as of today you and the rest of the kapatiran candidates are not in the top 12. so sad....i only voted for 4, all three of you and arroyo. maybe by some miracle at least one of you will get into the magic 12. never lose hope...although sometimes it's tempting to lose hope for our country. if only filipinos loved their country more.

i hope that if you won't win you won't give up on our country and stay. i'm sure you and the other candidates have touched a lot of lives. by staying maybe you can get to meet more filipinos and educate them more. someday our country will rise from the hole that we've dug ourselves into. stay and convince our countrymen that we deserve more than these self serving politicians who i'm sure don't give a hoot for those people who hardly have anything to eat. stay and raise your children to be faithful filipinos. a lot of kids today think they're part caucasian. stay and give hope to the rest of the filipinos who are hungry for change but think that they can't do anything to help the country. God bless you and your family. I'm sure your wife is a very strong woman to stand by you during the whole campaign period, hats off to her.

Adobobo said...

I am crying right now. Crying because I was really touched by your sincere and humble words, and crying because I really believe you (and your two fellow candidates) could have done so much had you made it to the Senate.

Thank you, Sir, for making my first voting experience significant and very memorable. I am so proud that I took an intelligent and principled stand by writing your names on the first three slots of my ballot.

I do hope that your fight will not end with this loss. There is life after the elections. We can still do so much for the country, even as private citizens!

God bless, Doc, and good luck on your future plans. I hope to see you and Sir Adrian and Atty. Jess in 2010! =)

Anonymous said...

when people ask me who i voted for yesterday, i say with pride - "i voted for the Kapatiran." congratulations and i earnestly hope you continue the great work you've started in this country! if not in the senate, then wherever else i'm sure you guys will make a difference in. to God be the glory for people like you!

Anonymous said...

Sum total of your misguided efforts = zero. Sure, console yourself by likening your lack of success to Burgos, Gomez or Zamora. In the end, you lost because you did not deserve to win. If you were truly serious at gaining a senate seat you would have campaigned smarter. As it was, it was a so-so effort as reflected by your meager votes. Blame whoever you want, but all you did was offer false hope.

Anonymous said...

You are one of the reasons i really reget not having registered for the elections. it sickens me that people who have had their chance at the senate and who haven't made any real progress for the country are going back for another term. I hope you give it another shot. i like to believe that the filipinos can make smarter decisions in the future. God bless

Anonymous said...

You lost because majority of the voters still think like Dashed above. As long as their kind of mindset remains, it will be an uphill battle.
But don't lose heart. As you said, you have planted the seeds. We must wait for them to grow. Run again next time! We will still be there for you.

Anonymous said...

Amen! Well said Martin! Hope to see you sometime for another round of....this time without the elections hovering above our heads.

Anonymous said...

at least you lived your dreams of running for office. How many of us can actually realized that desire.

Anonymous said...

The Kapatiran's grand ambition of aspiring for nationally contested electoral positions was foolish, foolhardy, and now that the votes are in, has proven to be utterly futile. As the electorate has learned from the principled but unpractical example set by the Kapatiran, may this defeat also be a lesson in humility for the leaders and nominees of Kapitaran.

In 2010, I hope that the forces behind Kapatiran focus their attention on the local elections where victory is more realizable. Blazing the campaign trail for a few months with "a snowball's chance in hell" of winning may get your message across, but winning a local seat and promoting your advocacies from there will be far more effective in the long run.

Small steps, Doc. Small steps.

Neri said...

Like the other supporters, I tell you not to be disheartened. The Kapatiran's cause has lit my flickering hopes for the country and I don't think voting for the three of you were wrought in vain. I still love to see those counted votes for you because I also look at them as a start of something better.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for loving our country enough to sacrifice personal agenda. Keep the faith and God bless!

Ryan said...

Thank you. You sacrifice everything. The comfort, wealth and luxury just to serve our country. It so sad that most of our countrymen are into traditional politics.

I am personally devote myself in the service of our people. I am a student nurse and now by your example, I will not leave our country just to give my service for the Filipinos.

If ever you decided to create a group or organization to reach out people count me in.

Ryan said...

Indeed, a Modern Filipino Hero

If ever you will create a organization to help and restore the Filipinos count me in.

God Bless

Ryan Ocampo
Bataan

Aldwin Ong said...

Just by these people who've expressed hope (here in your blog), alone shows that your efforts are not futile (as some people claim). If they understood what winning is, it does not mean converting everybody, its about achieving the most with the best of one's effort. You did your best, and garnered this much... you've already won.

Jesus, Mother Teresa and Gandhi did not get all on their side, but they got plenty. They did not get many at one time; they get many OVER time, and IN THE PASSAGE OF time. You've not only won now, you've "already won" in the future...

Where you stood, you were called maybe not to win the senate, but to create an impact at a NATIONAL LEVEL (that's why it was the Senate you ran for). These people who saw your "futile efforts" in fact have also been your affected in some way, whether they admit it or not.

Who else have you affected and brought hope to?

- Those who lacked faith in the Filipino and our nation.
- Those who already had faith but whose faith may be weakening
- Those who thought our politics is stagnant and doesn't evolve for the better
- Those who think Filipinos are forever naive (but seeing from the this elections, in fact we see a trend that we are maturing as voters)
- The Filipinos who thought they could not contribute at all to their own nation
- The Filipinos who were about to give up and leave for "greener pastures" (e.g. Doctors, nurses, teachers, etc...)
- Filipinos in the US and abroad. They grow in pride for their own countrymen there, and also see the good implication of being "Filipino"
- Those good and capable people who are second-thinking running for politics only because they are besieged by fears.

The list goes on. You won more than you lost, Dr. Martin Bautista. You might have lost against other candidates, but you DID NOT LOSE against your nation.

As Abang Mabulo wisely said before the elections proper, "we've already won"... c",)

God bless you. God bless the Filipinos. God bless our nation (It's time we really own it).

Dorothy said...

I am really proud of you brod!
Itutuloy natin ang laban ...

- Dra. Doray Delarmente

Unknown said...

aldwin, indeed nicely said..... i was about to have my WTF moment (dashed & that other anonymous) until i saw yours and the rest who sees the picture clearly that is truly encouraging. hope to see more kababayans with the same attitude as yours and we may see change for the better sooner than we thought.

dreamsatopanashtray said...

my only regret dr bautista is that i had only heard about your campaign after the elections. i salute your ideals and your conviction that we still have hope. as our folks say, "di pa tapos ang boksing." I do hope more will be enlightened. thank you for this glimmer of hope.

Anonymous said...

YOUR LOSS IN THE SENATORIAL RACE IS A GAIN TO MANY FILIPINOS.

You demonstrated to the Filipino people that there are still few
remaining Filipino politicians who are highly principled. Your loss is still a victory because your message gave us hope.