DUMPER-PTDA Partylist Rep. Claudine Diana D. Bautista has aired regrets over the controversy sparked in the social media by her wedding at the exclusive and luxurious Balesin resort on August 11, saying that she acknowledges “all of the sentiments asserted by everyone.”
Responding finally to the hailstorm of protests and criticisms directed towards her as Congress representative of public utility vehicle drivers, Bautista explained that the posh wedding had been planned for a long time with her husband, Jose French “Tracker” Lim, a businessman.
“This celebration of our love was a product of my husband’s hardwork,” Bautista stressed as she described the wedding as the “culminating event of a decades-long loves story.” “He has since, also apologized for bringing unwanted attention to an event that was supposed to be separate from my life as a public servant,” she said.
She described Lim as a “kind and loving person” who merely wanted “to give me the wedding of my dreams.” “We both found many of the comments heartbreaking,” she said.
“I hear you, and I have internalized all the grievances that were brought up in light of what was supposed to be a private and personal milestone,” said Bautista, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Transportation.
“Although given the situation, i would also like to express my sadness over how my wedding day, something that I have separated from my work as a public official, has been made into a political spectacle,” the partylist solon lamented.
Bautista, daughter of Davao Occidental Governor Claude Bautista, came under fire after couturier Michael Cinco posted a photograph of the weddingon social media.
“We had no intention of making our wedding a public affair, so we kept it as intimate as possible. However, access was unintentionally given through the post of my wedding gown designer, Michael Cinco, and he mistakenly posted about the private event,”said Bautista, who represents the partylist group Drivers United for Mass Progress and Equal Rights - Philippine Taxi Drivers Association (DUMPER-PTDA) Many of the critics assailed her for timing her posh wedding as the country battled the deadly pandemic that also caused widespread economic dislocation, including the public transport drivers who were considered Bautista’s constituents.
Some went overboard by accusing the lady solon of spending money supposed to be allocated to her constituents, an issue that even her constituents in the Lower House have assailed.
“Working for a public office, I have always valued the integrity of my work,” she stressed.
Bautista also denied allegations that she had ignored the needs of public transport drivers who were among those who suffered the severe effects of the economic hardship during the pandemic.
“I assure everyone that we have never taken our eyes off of these concerns,” she said.
Bautista, who donated P3 million of personal money to medical frontliners, disclosed that to during the pandemic she was able to help 18,000 PUV drivers get much-needed COVID-19 jabs. She also provided assistance to thousands more through government assistance programs implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health and Department of Labor-TUPAD.
“To address the effects of the pandemic, in my personal capacity, I also made sure that more than 1.1 million grocery packs, PPEs, free insurance policies and relief assistance are distributed to affected PUV drivers and commuters,” Bautista recalled.
She said: “Moving forward, I want to move past this issue and focus on pressing matters - the pandemic and serving better my constituents.”