Triumphant Hero's Welcome For Gibo In Tarlac

PANIQUI, Tarlac — Tens of thousands of locals here momentarily dropped what they were doing, and spilled out into the streets, crowding marketplaces, school stadiums, and other major thoroughfares to welcome their hometown hero, Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard bearer Gibo Teodoro.

Through a blizzard of green confetti, ear-splitting cheers and music, the Tarlaceños united to show their support for the former defense secretary in his epic journey to the May 10 presidential elections. The fresh-faced Gibo visited Thursday a slew of Tarlac municipalities, including Tarlac City, Sta. Ignacio, Camiling, and Paniqui, among others.

In Metro Manila the next day, the metropolis also turned green as thousands of Gibo supporters lined its major thoroughfares for the launching of Green Day, which was highlighted by the signing by Gibo, his running mate Edu Manzano and the six administration senatorial bets of a “Green Covenant”.

The Covenant commits them to pursue pro-poor policies; ensure clean government that is always “on the go” to respond promptly to the nation’s needs, consistent economic growth, a sustainable environment, hope for a bright future and love of country and people.

After a “Green Day” motorcade around Metro Manila, Gibo proceeded to repeat his triumphant return to Tarlac and capped the opening salvo of campaigning for local candidates by attending a grand proclamation rally in Cebu organized by Gov. Gwen Garcia.

“Ang Tarlac ay 100% sumusuporta kay Gibo, kaya hindi ako naniniwala sa mga sinasabi sa surveys, [Tarlac is 100% in support of Gibo, that’s why I don’t believe in those surveys],” Gov. Bogs Aganon said of the former House Representative for the First District of Tarlac province.

“Mahal na mahal siya ng Tarlaceño kasi maganda ang pinakita niyang panunungkulan, makatao, malinis ang track record, at siya ang tunay na maka-masa, [The Tarlaceños love him because of his style of leadership, he is for the people, he has a clean track record, and he is truly for the masses],” added the Governor.

The 1989 bar topnotcher and Harvard-trained lawyer was in the Tarlac last Thursday to touch base with his original constituency of around 650,000 voters.. He was broadsided by an overwhelming welcome from his “kababayans” in return. As the locals flocked to Gibo to get a glimpse of their chosen candidate, many were teary-eyed as they rushed to shake his hand, while some just wanted to get a glimpse of his youthful visage. Mostly, the Tarlaceños wanted to hear what he had to say.

“This visit to Tarlac is very emotional for me,” Gibo told the people of Tarlac in his local dialect. “This is the last time that I will be able to serve you officially in whatever capacity.”

The presidentiable added that although he will be in other provinces during the campaign period, he is confident that the Tarlaceños will support, and even campaign for him and for his vice president Edu Manzano, the senatoriables, mayors, and other local government officials running under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD ticket.

Gibo reminded the people that it is time for the Tarlaceños to show the rest of the country that they are for clean elections, and that they are independent thinkers.

“Kailangan natin ng independent thinking, sipag, talino, at galing ng sarili. ‘Wag nating i-asa sa makalumang politika,” said Gibo. “Ako’y malayang-malaya mag-isip ng tama, ‘yung nasa tingin kong tama, at ganyan din dapat ang mga Tarlaceño (We need independent thinking, hard work and belief in oneself. Let us not depend on old politics. I myself am a free thinker. What I feel is right, I fight for, and that is what Tarlacenos should be all about).”

Former press secretary Mike Toledo, Gibo’s spokesman and director of the G1BO 2010 Media Bureau, said that the party’s dominance in the local polls will help deliver a decisive number of votes for the Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard bearer, on top of his apparent lock on the votes of young voters, who account for a majority of this year’s electorate.

At least 51 provincial governors have given their full backing to Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gibo Teodoro during a week that saw the former defense secretary topping or moving up fast in the latest public opinion surveys or mock polls in universities and colleges.

Gibo came in 1st or 2nd in the latest mock polls in universities or universities, proving anew, according to Toledo, the apparent lock of the 1989 bar topnotcher on the votes of students and other young voters, who comprise a majority of this year’s voters.

Also, Gibo stamped his mark in a series of presidential preference surveys conducted nationwide by broadcast media giant Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) through the month of March, snagging first place in one city and numbers two or three in other parts of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

In a manifesto of support adopted last week, the governors, said their decision to back Gibo was reached after careful consideration of the track record, qualifications and platform of government of each of the presidential bets in this year’s national balloting.

“Having completed our review, our candidate for President has to be ‘Gibo’ Teodoro and no other, and for whom we hereby commit ourselves to campaigning nationwide, among our local constituencies—our vice-governors, our board members, mayors, vice-mayors, councilors, barangay captains and other local leaders— with the view to delivering to him the highest possible number of votes in our local areas,” the governors said in their joint manifesto.

The pro-Gibo manifesto was signed by, among others, Governors Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu, Amado Espino of Pangasinan, Isidro Zayco of Negros Occidental, Teresita Lazaro of Laguna and Aurelio Umali of Nueva Ecija, Michael Keon of Ilocos Norte; Deogracias Victor Savellano of Ilocos Sur; Casimiro Ynares III of Rizal; Joey Salceda of Albay; Jesus Typoco Jr. of Camarines Norte; Sally Ante Lee of Sorsogon; Erico Aumentado of Bohol; Salvacion Zaldivar Perez of Antique, Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar and Miguel Dominguez of Sarangani.