Editorial: Election & Its Candidates
The future is always uncertain as we don’t know what will happen, however, we can increase its predictability by doing what we think is best at a given time and moment. This month there are two things we need to carefully discern and conscientiously do which will affect our future as citizen of our nation and as member of our professional organization and that is to exercise our right to vote of who will lead us to have, hopefully, a better shot in a promising future not only for ourselves but for the next generation.
It is true that we shouldn’t solely depend to our leaders what our country and PDA organization will be in the coming years, but, it is also a fact that our leaders, the country’s national and PDA officials, will be holding in their hands on how they will shape our country and PDA organization, respectively, as what they will do during their term of power will greatly affect where, what and who we will be as a Filipino citizen and as a professional dentist. So, allow me to share with you my own introspection on this process in the hopes that maybe we can both be enlighten on what will be the best decision we can make as we cast our votes on May 9 for our National Election and May 28 for our future PDA forerunners.
Let me tackle first the PDA election. I can still remember what happened last year as our PDA organization started to went through a lot of challenges. Like everyone else, I was deeply saddened and greatly alarmed as I listen and read the accusations and heated arguments between those who lead us and those who oppose them. Like some of you, my immediate reaction is that of indignation. However, I realized after awhile that I have to be very careful in making quick judgements. The Facebook forums of different groups helped me sift through what can possibly real and what’s not. Some concentrate more in personalities rather than the issues at hand. Some muddles up the situation to take advantage of the confusion and the increasing discontent and distrust. So, I stop and take a stock on what these all means to me as a member of the PDA. As someone who now finally hanged my lab coat to say goodbye on my private practice I couldn’t really care less about what will happen with the PDA but I discovered that as one matures, it is really not about you anymore but about others especially if you already achieved the things you want in life. You want to leave something good to an organization who’s been a part of who you are as a professional. It is a symbol and an institution that reflects the collective body of our dental community and for it to be damaged instead of growing better for the next generation will be indeed something to bereaved about. I don’t want the legacy of my generation to be this for the next ones. Thus, I learned to listen, observe, reflect and discern what’s really going on. So, it is our obligation to ensure that whoever we will vote to be our next leaders have to truly work for the PDA members, who can rebuild trust and work on its unification. I don’t want to anymore rehash what happened because no one will publicly admit anyway of any wrongdoing, so, I prefer to look forward and objectively see what the candidates’ platform, how he/she will work to implement them, strengthen the rules to safeguard from the mistakes of the past and, finally, to give back the pride of being a PDA member. Thus, I am publishing the videos of the three candidates running for the top slot positions. I would have wanted to have the administration candidates to be interviewed as well but, the candidate running for President for the white team has respectfully declined my invitation because she wants to respect the collective decision of her party. I have no choice but to accept that decision. For the sake of clarity, the video is done one on one via screencast and the candidates don’t know the questions prior to the interview. This is to make sure that we will all be able to see the candid and sincere answers of the candidates to my questions. I am NOT promoting and encouraging any candidate for you to vote but my intention is to assists all of you by providing one of the tools you may consider when you cast your votes by May 28. Your decision on who to vote is yours and it is a personal choice. I just sincerely hope that we will base our decision on who to vote on what’s good for all and not only for the few. This election will define if the legacy we will leave behind for the next generation will go down to history, probably not perfect, but at least something they can respect as fair and just.
Below are the Links you can watch the following candidates for the top positions. This is a one on one interview for the President and the President-Elect position. Allow me to clarify and make sure you understand the process of this interview for the integrity of my intentions of doing this:
- This NOT an official interview for PDA COMELEC rather a blog and editorial to feature the candidates for the positions they are running for.
- As much as I want to interview all the candidates for all positions, unfortunately, when I got back from my vacation, I have to face first the tragedy that my husband, husband's family and I will face due to the critical condition of my mother-in-law.
- To see the trend in regards to my intention as to why I am doing this, there is a post at Pinoy Dentist Forum as to the timeline and discussion as to why certain things you might expect didn't happen as well as my CLEAR intention as a non-partisan and PDA member. Kindly READ ALL THE EXCHANGE COMMUNICATION WELL for CLARITY & UNDERSTANDING of the situation. This is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/531602523646651/permalink/684794668327435/
- I have personally invited the candidates for the President and President-Elect of the White Team but Dr. Maridin Lacson respectfully declined the one on one interview invitation I issued for her and Dr. Bino Villanueva as a collective decision of their party. I have to respect that even if I feel that it will be better if I got the interview but, since, they declined, then, the responsibility of the effect of their decision are not mine but theirs. I want to achieve for a just and fair play feature as I believe I did on this matter.
- To maintain the integrity of the interviews, please take note that the questions I asked for all the opposing candidates didn't know the questions before hand and the questions given are all the same EXCEPT for the follow-up questions depending on the candidate's answer. The videos are UNEDITED, so, you will know that this was created with fair and honest manner with respect to the candidates in mind.
- Some of the videos are not too ideal both in video and audio quality because it is done via screencast using Facebook Video call. It is beyond my control to adjust the camera and and the audio quality of the equipment that the candidates used during my interview. The videos are long as I've mentioned I didn't edit it EXCEPT to repair what I can to have a better audio and add an initial title for the video. It will be long as this is unedited.
- Click the NAME of the CANDIDATE for the Link to Watch the Video of Candidates as they answer my questions in a candid and frank manner. I urge you to watch it in full, so, you will know who will be really the best candidate for you to vote in the coming PDA Election. I will also attached their resume and photo, so, you can see their track record as a dentist and as a person.
DR. CARLOS BUENDIA FOR PRESIDENT
Download His Background: CLICK HERE
DR. MARK VILLALOBOS FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT
Download His Background: CLICK HERE
DR. FLOR ENRIQUEZ FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT
Download Her Background: CLICK HERE
8. Here are the Ten Questions I've All Asked Them:
I. Introduce Yourself
-Name
-How Long Have You Been In Practice
-Specialty
-Position You Are Running For
II. Did you hold any position in PDA prior to the position you are running for? If so, how long have you served for the PDA?
III. State Your Accomplishments In Service
IV. What is the first thing you will do on your first month in office if you win?
V. Give me your 5 Main Goals You Intend and Promise to Accomplish for the next 12 months.
VI. Give me Top 5 Problems That You See Currently with the PDA. Recommendation for Solutions.
VII. If you will ask your opponent 1 question, what will it be?
VIII. Your positions to the following issues:
- HMO
- Pricing of Dental Services
- Benefits- Emergency, Calamity, Sickness, Death, Legal Assistance, Medical
- Education - Curriculum in Schools, Continuing Education, Manner of Seminars (are you satisfied with the style), Speaker’s Bureau
- Charity Works
- Marketing of Dental Practice
- Illegal Practice / Malpractice / DIY
- Funds at PDA
- Suggestion to Stop Alleged Corruption at PDA
- From President will Run for A Lower Position after Term
- Officials with Relatives Also An Official
- Purchases
- Holistic VS Scientific- Amalgam, Endo
- PD 1575
- Amnesty
- Election Practices- Changes
IX. What was your biggest mistake you ever did in your career? How did you solve it.
X. Is there anything you want to clarify that’s been posted against you?
As I write this editorial, there’s a probability that we’ve already cast our vote for the national election. I was indecisive for such a long time ever since the campaign started. I really don’t know who will be the best candidate to vote for President and VP. I have been voting for a such a long time every national and local elections hoping that for every steps I walked and participate during EDSA 1 and 2 will have meaning. Most of my choices when I vote never really won but I always been happy with my final choice because I know I voted based on conscience and not base on what’s popular and be swayed by other people’s idea of what good governance should be. So, I want to do the same here. I watched every debate and interview on channels I can trust that, hopefully, can’t be bought. I looked into the track record, platform of the candidates and how they really plan to achieve them. Talk is cheap but whatever good they can really do will be priceless for all the Filipino people.
Thus, both elections should be just like what the Head of the National COMELEC said during his interview on CNN Philippines, that the election should be held not only to be honest but should be perceived to be honest by the majority of the people, otherwise, the election can be considered as a failure. It is my hope that our PDA election will be of the same objective, to hold an election with integrity and fair play and has to be perceived as one.
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