7 March 2022
Director Christina Bautista, the current head of the Infrastructure Committee responsible for the new 50-meter pool, would not be the strong woman we know today if it weren’t for her motivation that manifested even at such a young age. Being born with asthma, Bautista never imagined that she would be an athlete, let alone a competitive swimmer. “It was people like Christine Jacobs who inspired me to push myself to the limit, and bring pride to the country through the love of sports,” she shared in an interview last February. She considered it a challenge of a lifetime to be an award-winning swimmer, just like her idol-teammate [Jacobs], and represent our country in international competitions.
Dipping a toe in the water was pretty easy for Bautista, mostly because of the resources available to her at the time— MPC’s 50-meter pool, to be exact. It was here that she spent time strengthening her lungs and improving her techniques. In fact, the Manila Polo Club had a whole generation of swimmers who we all grew up training in the 50-meter pool. Bautista was fortunate enough to train alongside the best swimmers of her time, Jacobs included.
“It was a joy to see [Christine] swim! I felt honored to be teammates with someone who was extremely good at what she does, and who was revered by Filipinos and foreigners,” she recalls. “She was my inspiration.” Countless hours of training to be the best she could be eventually paid off.
In 1985, she bagged the silver medal for the Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay in the Southeast Asian Games— the biggest milestone in her swimming career. Amidst the pressure of honing her technical skills, she remained steadfast. The friendships she made over the years made the rigorous training regimens bearable. She appreciated her teammates, and saw how their training sessions fostered camaraderie amongst them, in and outside of the pool.
Now, Bautista stays active in the Club as she runs three committees, namely Infrastructure, IT and Communications & Club Events. She acknowledges that her persistence and discipline she had back then translates in her abilities to lead said committees. Being able to serve an association close to her heart also motivates her to put her best foot forward. She is driven by the desire to give back to a community where she found an undying love for swimming, life-long peers, and meaningful connections with their families as well.
Being a part of three committees in Manila Polo Club, how would you describe juggling these responsibilities?
It’s been fun! It hasn’t really felt like work at all. I had a stress-free and enjoyable transition all thanks to the great members of the committee who have helped me adjust to the roles. I felt so fortunate to have been mentored by amazing people like Margo Flores, and supported by an amazing team.
Right now, I really am just working hard to pick up from past projects spearheaded by the previous committees. It is my job now to continue the good work they have started, and eye possible opportunities for growth here in the Club.
Can you please share with us experiences that you had in the past at the Club that you wish newer Members and Dependents get to experience too?
Manila Polo Club has always had a good sports heritage. The swim team bagged the top spot, being consistent national champions in the 80’s.
We had about 100-200 swimmers competing outside MPC, and we had our own monthly competitions within the Club. You can bet that the team produced a lot of national champions, and had an all-female team represent our country in Asian games in India in the year 1982.
If you could give just one leadership lesson that you’ve learned over the years, what would it be?
There were three people who helped me learn the real meaning of being a leader.
“You have to leave the place better than you have found it”
– Mr. Sycip, SGV on stewardship
“Whatever happens, just keep working, don’t take things personally.”
– Cesar Purisima, SGV
“You find the best in the people that you have, and you bring them up with you, you bring out their strength, and then you should teach them to pass it on and do the same thing to the people with them.”
“I am really looking forward to bringing our sports heritage back, especially with the development of the 50-meter pool,” Director Bautista shares, “this time around, we will also be working on the Polo Field, and will be busy reviving our athletic initiatives for racket sports, such as tennis and badminton.”
With that, all athletes can look forward to hitting the ground running with new and improved facilities and an exciting lineup of competitive events. Led by Bautista’s efforts, we can all come back to the Club to sharpen our athletic techniques, and have fun while doing it with people we love.
We have all had trouble getting back on our feet since the pandemic started, but signs point toward hope, here at MPC.
If ever you are looking to revive your old habits, or try something new, you can count on the Manila Polo Club to support you. Take it from the words of Director Bautista, “If you just find something that you really love to do, just go ahead and do it.”
