One of the things voters should look for from candidates is their track record. What did they do when they were in position and what are their goals as a public servant.

Senatoriable Herbert Bautista is not new in public service. While some may know him as that actor from the 1970s drama Flor de Luna, he has done quite a lot in his years as a public servant. That’s what I discovered during his conference with the media last November 30.

• Youth sector, SK. Wala dapat SK if not for the advocacy na kailangan magkaroon tayo ng representation ng kabataan from baranggay. I was one of the advocates of youth representation. After EDSA (revolution), tinanggal nila ang youth representation. So we were strong on advocating na kailangang magkroon ng youth representation sa baranggay council, sa munisipyo, sa siyudad, sa probinsya. We were very happy na naging bahagi ‘yan ng local government code of 1991.

• When I was councilor from 1992 to 1995, ang naging focus ko was tourism. So lahat ng tourist oriented or related establishments dito (Quezon City) like this restaurant (Victorino’s) must be accredited. Kasi that was the time na dine-devolve ng Department of Tourism some of its functions. Dati lahat centralized. 1992 – 1995, councilor ako, there were some functions na binaba and we had to enact an ordinance. So ang naging focus ko was tourism. Pati ‘yung planning ng mga susunod na destinations sa Quezon City, naging bahagi ako sa pagpa-plano. So now, we have the TriNoma area, pinaganda natin nang husto ang Tomas Morato area, meron ka ngayon sa Balintawak. Quezon City is a multi-sector, maraming sectors sa sobrang laki niya. Ganun ‘yung ginawa namin. Konsehal lang ako ‘nun.

• And then, I ran for Vice Mayor from 1995 – 1998, we introduced the emergency response team na ginagamit ngayon sa buong Pilipinas. And then, pinalakas namin ang anti-drug campaign, rehabilitation in 2001 until 2010. In 2007 – 2010, I authored the green building ordinance kasi kainitan ng climate change. So when we attended the convention in Paris, representing Quezon City, ‘yung ang natutunan ko:we had to come up with policies of green building. So, we were the first city na nagkaroon ng green building ordinance. Na kailangan merong water treatment facility, ‘yung rain water sasaluhin para ‘yun ang gamiting pandilig, the use of solar, and many other green features na dapat gawin.

• And when I was Mayor, housing. We had several housing and DRRM, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, HIV. Housing and HIV clinic were given Galing Pook award on the same year. So, when I was Mayor,we submitted several programs, two of the several programs were recognized by Galing Pook on the same year. Para sa akin, bihira ‘yun. That’s also one of the proudest during my term as Mayor. And then, of course, hall of famer kami sa Disaster Risk Reduction Management nationally, Metro Manila-wide and then, nationally. Hall of famer din kami sa Seal of Good Local Governance ng DILG. Etong 2019, that was the last seal I got for the seal that’s why kami naging hall of famer.

Senatoriable Herbert, more popularly known as “Bistek” in the local showbiz scene, first made a name for himself as an actor/comedian before throwing his hat into and making an indelible mark in public service.

He is such an industry stalwart that seeing movie workers lose their jobs from cinema closure during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic affected him. That’s why he welcomes the IATF’s decision to finally allow local cinemas to reopen this November, after almost two years of closure.

With the reopening of cinemas, Herbert urges the public to go out and support local productions that braved protocol restraints to provide the people the much-needed entertainment on the big screen, especially the return of the Metro Manila Film Festival screenings in cinemas.

Needless to say, the local TV and movie industry is close to Herbert’s heart. As such, bills that would benefit the industry and its workers will be one of his priorities once elected as senator in the 2022 polls.

In addition to this, he is poised as well to push for bills and programs that would cater to and benefit locally produced products, i.e. food, fabric, etc., that would boost and strengthen overall national pride.

At the onset of the new normal campaign season, Herbert will put together interesting vlogs that would feature the best albeit oft-neglected aspects of Pinoy culture and everyday life for the infotainment of not just the Boomers and Gen Zs, but most importantly, the Alpha generation as well.

Watch videos from the media conference with Herbert Bautista below: