RP should strengthen foreign ties, says Gibo

Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gibo Teodoro and Lakas-Kampi-CMD Provincial Chairman and re-electionist Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan answer questions from journalists. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

MANILA - The next administration should focus not only on internal concerns but also on strengthening the Philippines’ ties with other countries to guarantee national security, spur economic growth and protect the welfare of overseas Filipino workers worldwide, Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gibo Teodoro said.

At the same time, Gibo said Filipinos should speak with one voice before the global community, especially when it comes to fulfilling its international commitments, to protect its reputation overseas and build investor confidence in the domestic economy.

“Filipinos should speak with one voice,” he said in a recent media forum. “There must be no crack. Our reputation as a country that is ready, willing and able to stand up to its commitments made fairly, freely, must be proven because there is a sad question mark on that in the world scene. And that is also one factor why investments, perhaps, have not come.”.

Gibo said Philippine foreign relations was one topic “sorely missed” in the discussions during forums and debates among presidential candidates in this year’s elections, even though it is a key pillar in developing our economy and even in improving the quality of our human capital.

“One of the canons of Philippine diplomacy, Philippine foreign policy, is that we rely on our good and principled relations with other countries for our national security, national economic security, and thirdly, the welfare of Filipinos abroad,” Gibo said.

He said that to develop Filipino skills and brainpower, the country should learn to interact globally and open itself “not merely to investments but to influences worldwide.”

Gibo said that if elected President, he would continue strengthening the Philippines’ ties with its traditional allies such as the United States, Australia and Japan, while developing bilateral and trade relations with the Middle East, the European Community and South America.

The Philippines must also continue to build its partnerships with China, which is a major trade partner and potentially the largest market for Philippine exports, Gibo said.

Moreover, China is also a key element in maintaining economic growth and preserving peace and stability in East Asia, he added.

China, he said, also presents a large market for the country’s tourism sector and is a potential partner in investments on power and energy,
In the first six months of a Teodoro presidency, Gibo said that due to pressing domestic concerns, he would prefer to stay in the country rather than travel overseas, save for attending the upcoming Asean Summit in Vietnam in October and the APEC Summit in in Japan in November.

A former Defense chief, Gibo has huge public support and governors and mayors are campaigning for him to ensure his victory and that of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD candidates for the May 10 general elections.

Agro-Industrialization To Create Rural Jobs, Says Gibo

MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gibo Teodoro said the government should set the environment for re-industrialization and agro-industrialization to bring back the factories and the jobs that used to be vital anchors of the national economy.

This push for re-industrialization and agro-industrialization was made by Gibo in a recent radio interview, saying the resurgence of the factories and the agro-industrial sites is one sure way to lifting the economy and generating jobs on a massive scale.

Gibo is the first presidential candidate to argue for the twin programs of industrialization and agro-industrialization, the attraction of which as economic anchors has waned owing to the emergence of service and tourism jobs and the rise of jobs generated by business outsourcing.

In the same interview, Gibo said the government’s role in the overall job-generation and economic-lifting landscape has to be recast in its proper role—as a stimulator of growth, not a source of endless subsidies and dole-outs.

“The government should not be a well of dole-outs and of benefits. The government is a bridge that lays the foundation for jobs and growth,” Gibo said.

Toward this, Gibo said, his presidency would use good governance to entice the private sector into creating and generating quality and well-paying jobs.

He said that micro and small-scale entrepreneurs should either be assisted with the start-up capital, or given the assurance of adequate return-on-investment.

As all of these are being pursued by government, there will be adequate investments in the precious human capital through education and health care investments, added Gibo.

At forums and discussions related to the presidential election, Gibo has been the most impressive presidential candidate, with his in-depth take on critical national issues and his impressive but doable policy prescriptions.

“Gibo’s push for industrialization and agro-industrialization has never been part of the presidential discussions on the economy because it is essentially an out-of-the-box solution and it would take immense political will and planning to see to it that the country recaptures its industrial foundry,” said Gibo’s spokesman Mike Toledo, who is also director of the G1BO 2010 Media Bureau.

Toledo said Gibo is also batting for the imperative “synergy” between the country’s agricultural development programs and the agrarian reform program because the two are intertwined and the failure of the agrarian reform beneficiaries has been dampening agricultural production and the effort to achieve national food security.

Gibo has also been saying that his presidency would spend more in agricultural investments from roads to seaports to post-harvest facilities and irrigation.

Only through massive investments can agro-industrialization take place, Gibo added.

Choose Gibo If You Are Not For Erap, Says Jinggoy

MANILA, Philippines - If voters decide not to vote for his father, Puwersa ng Masa standard-bearer and former President Joseph Estrada, as their presidential candidate, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada said they should then vote for Lakas-Kampi-CMD bet Gibo Teodoro in the May 10 elections.

The senator made the statement during a proclamation rally in Bogo City and Daanbantayan town in Cebu that was also attended by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, the founding head of the local party One Cebu that has is backing Gibo’s presidential bid.

According to a report by the Cebu Freeman, the younger Estrada described Gibo as brilliant and qualified to be the country’s next president.

“Kung hindi ninyo iboboto ang aking ama na si Presidente Joseph Estrada, sana si Gibo Teodoro nalang ang iboto ninyo (If you will not vote for my father, President Joseph Estrada, I hope you would vote for Gibo Teodoro instead),” the Freeman quoted Sen. Estrada as saying before the crowd during the rally.

During Gibo’s latest sorties in Cebu, Garcia and his brother, Rep. Pablo John Garcia” announced the full support for Gibo of One Cebu, which has emerged since its establishment in 2004 as the most dominant power bloc in the over 400-year history of the province.

“One Cebu is for Gibo, so Cebu is Gibo country,” said the lady governor. Her brother said, on the other hand, that 49 of 51 mayors in the province are backing Gibo.

Like the young Estrada, Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar also said earlier he would vote for Gibo if her husband, Nacionalista Party standard bearer and senator Manny Villar, were not running in the May polls.

Mrs. Villar said he would choose Gibo because “he is better than the others.”

She also pointed out that she liked Gibo because he was “campaigning on a more professional level.”

Gibo, who is a former defense secretary and 1989 bar topnotcher, has mounted a positive campaign anchored on issues, and has never resorted to mudslinging or criticizing his opponents to make himself look good during presidential forums and other public gatherings.

Besides his unblemished track record in serving government, Gibo’s impressive list of credentials include his Master of Laws at the Harvard Law School, his term of nine consecutive years as congressman from the first district of his home province of Tarlac and his skills as a licensed commercial pilot.

Gibo bent on winning the Presidency

MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gibo Teodoro has assured his fellow Filipinos that he would never waver in his determination to pursue his goal of winning this year's presidential race.

Gibo issued the statement as he squelched nasty rumors circulating during the Holy Week that he would announce this week his withdrawal from the presidential race.

At the same time, Gibo welcomed the recent appointment of Deputy Speaker Amelita Villarosa as the new chairperson of the ruling party, saying the party's swift move now ensures a highly capable official would have enough time and energy to attend to the needs of the local candidates of the ruling party, leaving him to focus on his presidential campaign.

"Rumors have been circulating that I will allegedly call for a press conference this Monday to announce my withdrawal from the Presidential race,” Gibo said.

"Such rumors are originating from sectors that will cast aside all notions of decency to satiate their salivation and hunger for power through the Presidency,” he said.

"Unfortunately,” he said, “such is commonplace in Philippine politics, which reinforces my determination to make a stand, to continue the fight.”

Added Gibo: "I will settle for no less than VICTORY, our people deserve no less. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!"

Villarosa, who represents Occidental Mindoro, was chosen chairperson of Lakas-Kampi-CMD in place of Gibo during an emergency meeting last Wednesday of the ruling party’s Executive Committee.

In that same executive committee meeting, erstwhile Lakas-Kampi-CMD secretary-general Francis Manglapus was chosen to be the new party president—vice Sarangani Gov. Miguel Dominguez—while its deputy secretary-general Raymundo Roquero took over Manglapus’ place as secretary-general.

As the newly appointed Lakas-Kampi secretary general, Roquero called on all of its local leaders and members to close ranks and rally solidly in support of Gibo and the rest of the ruling party's national candidates.

These are the party’s vice-presidential bet Edu Manzano and senatorial candidates reelectionist Senators Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid, lawyer Raul Lambino, media personality Rey Langit, former justice secretary Silvestre Bello and Mayor Ramon Guico of Binalonan, Pangasinan.

Roquero said last week’s meeting was convened following Gibo’s decision to step aside as party chairman so the former defense secretary can work full-time on his candidacy and let the party choose a new chairperson who can also devote his or her 100 percent attention to the needs of the party and its candidates who are running for elective positions in the May 10 balloting.

After Gibo’s resignation, Dominguez and Manglapus also gave up their party positions in order to give the incoming chairperson the free rein to pick the new officers.

Two-thirds of nearly 19,000 candidates running for local elective positions belong to the ruling party.

Former press secretary Mike Toledo had said that Gibo’s resignation was “a win-win situation because it will enable the former defense chief to devote full-time to his campaign and at the same allow the ruling party to pick a new chairperson who can attend to the needs of all its candidates 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.”

Citing reports reaching the party’s headquarters along Edsa, Toledo said that governors belonging to Lakas-Kampi-CMD were fully supportive of Gibo’s decision to give up the chairmanship of the party.

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.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD show force in Sulu

Some 15,000 people paraded Monday, March 29, 2010 in Jolo town in Sulu province during the proclamation rally of the ruling political coalition Lakas-Kampi-CMD headed by Governor Sakur Tan, who is seeking reelection in the forthcoming May general elections. Tan is campaigning for former defense chief Gilberto Teodoro who is running for the presidency, and his vice presidential candidate Edu Manzano. The proclamation rally is the biggest so far in Sulu’s political history. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 29, 2010) – Some 15,000 people paraded Monday in the southern Philippine province of Sulu in a show of force in the proclamation rally of the President Gloria arroyo’s political coalition Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

Sulu Governor Sakur Tan, the local coalition chairman, led the rally and vowed support to the government’s candidates headed by former defense chief Gilberto Teodoro who is running for president in the May national and local polls.

Tan, who is seeking reelection, also introduced his official slate with Abdel Anni as his running mate. Most of Tan’s candidates are veteran politicians and incumbent officials whose track records have been proven in the past.

“Let us continue what we have started – peace and order and economy and development and progress of this beautiful province – remain our top priority. Let’s all unite for peace and progress and future of Sulu,” Tan, a known philanthropist, told cheering supporters.

He also campaigned for Teodoro and Manzano and the coalition candidates for the Senate and Congress. The proclamation rally, attended by various civil society groups and various peoples’ organizations, was so far the largest in Sulu’s political history.

Supporters of Tan estimated the crowd to be 15,000-20,000 who paraded around the capital town of Jolo. Hundreds of residents also lined up the streets to welcome the rally.

“If elections are to be held today, the whole slate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD will win hands down – from the presidential candidate down to the municipal council. Governor Tan, in his three years as our leader, brought us progress and development,” said Amir Sakandal, a trader.

Filipinos are to choose their new leaders in the first ever automated elections in May 10. (Mindanao Examiner)

Gibo Rules In Campus Mock Polls

MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gibo Teodoro continues to dominate the mock elections for presidential candidates in school campuses nationwide as shown in the latest poll results in two top universities, which reflect his significant improvement in recent independent surveys, particularly among the youth.

At the University of Asia & the Pacific, Gibo was the runaway winner in the mock polls with 44% of the total number of 1,076 students who had voted choosing him as the country’s next president.

His rating is a 17% lead over the second top choice, Sen. Benigno Aquino III, with 27%. Sen. Richard Gordon was in third place with 17%, while Sen. Manuel Villar followed with 7%, and former Joseph Estrada and Councilor JC de los Reyes with 2% each. TV evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva got 1%.

At the St. Louis University in Baguio, Gibo, a former defense secretary, Harvard-educated lawyer and 1989 bar topnotcher, also emerged as the top choice of students with 241 out of the total of 760 votes cast.

Aquino was again in second place with 231 votes, followed by Villar with 161 votes. Gordon got 76 votes, while Estrada got 12, Villanueva 21, Nicanor Perlas 8, disqualified candidate Vetaliano Acosta, 5, Sen. Jamby Madrigal 4, and De los Reyes, 1.

At the Ateneo de Davao University, Gibo was second to Aquino who got the top spot in the mock polls. Gordon was third, followed by Villar, Estrada, Villanueva, De Los Reyes, Perlas and Madrigal.

Besides these mock elections, Gibo also topped an informal poll of presidential candidates conducted recently among leading alumni and officers of the University of the East (UE) at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

Leading representatives from the UE colleges of business administration, engineering, arts and sciences, computer science, and dentistry, took part in the small, but influential straw vote, which resulted in Gibo beating the other presidentiables.

“The secret balloting, which was done on a spur of the moment after our regular monthly meeting, clearly shows that within a group of thinking voters such as business professionals, academics and even undergraduate students, Gibo always wins due to his obvious intelligence and no-nonsense platform of government,” said Jesus Tanchanco, former National Food Administration administrator and UE adviser for alumni affairs.

Tanchanco said the participants in the voting were all leading figures in their respective professions. “They felt that Gibo’s substance is his best quality in the sense that while others give motherhood statements, Gibo touches on specifics on what he actually intends to do when he becomes president.”

Lawyer Mike Toledo, the former press secretary who is now Gibo’s spokesman and director of the G1BO 2010 Media Bureau, said the outcome of the UE balloting dovetails with the significant improvement in Gibo’s ratings in recent independent surveys, particularly as he starts converting young Filipinos, along with other voters to his side every time they hear him speak, and get to know about him and his impressive credentials and concrete platform of government.

The results of the latest campus mock polls were released after an independent survey done by the research firm Campaigns and Image Group in the period ending March 7 showed Gibo already No. 2 among the voters’ preferences for President with a 24% rating.

The survey of Campaigns and Image, which was done by sector and by age brackets, was able to trace where Gibo’s strengths lie—which is among voters aged 18-28 and 29-39 years old.

Toledo said Gibo’s “secret weapons”—the youth which comprises the biggest voting bloc in this year’s national balloting, and the formidable campaign machinery of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD CMD—will carry Gibo to victory in the May 10 elections.

Gibo has also topped the mock elections held earlier at the Ateneo de Manila University, where he beat Aquino, an alumnus, for the top spot; the De La Salle University, where he clobbered other presidentiables with a commanding 67% share of the votes; and Holy Angels University in Pampanga.

At the University of Sto. Tomas, Gibo was statistically tied with Aquino, garnering 34.7 percent and 33.5 percent of the votes, respectively.

Over the past months, Gibo has impressed not only students, but even government critics, veteran journalists, business leaders and other professionals, during presidential debates and forums.

Toledo said that being the administration bet, Gibo has the backing of the country’s largest political party. “The surge in his ratings will be complemented by a minimum 15% of the votes that would be delivered by the formidable political machinery of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD CMD down to the grassroots,” he added.

The ruling party has candidates for 170 or 73.9 percent of all House seats up for grabs, 64 or 80 percent of the 86 gubernatorial posts, 86 or 71.7 percent of the 126 mayoralty seats and 1,043 or 69 percent of all seats for municipal mayors.

51 Governors Throw Support Behind Gibo

MANILA, Philippines - At least 51 provincial governors from the country’s vote-rich regions have forged a “multiparty alliance” to campaign and deliver the votes for Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gibo Teodoro, who they described as the “best, brightest and most capable candidate” in this year’s presidential race.

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.

Among those who signed the manifesto forming a “multiparty” alliance to support Gibo’s presidential bid were Governors Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu; Amado Espino Jr. of Pangasinan; Michael Keon of Ilocos Norte; Deogracias Victor Savellano of Ilocos Sur; Teresita Lazaro of Laguna; Casimiro Ynares III of Rizal; Joey Salceda of Albay; Jesus Typoco Jr. of Camarines Norte; Aurelio Umali of Nueva Ecija; Sally Ante Lee of Sorsogon; Erico Aumentado of Bohol; Salvacion Zaldivar Perez of Antique, Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar and Miguel Dominguez of Sarangani.

They said their “multiparty alliance” was created solely to achieve the goal “campaigning only for the best, brightest and most capable candidate for President in the May elections,” who is none other than Gibo Teodoro.

The governors, who are grouped together under the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), said that after carefully studying the current crop of presidential candidates in this year’s elections, they have reached the “inescapable conclusion” that Gibo is the one candidate who “towers over the field, possessing the high intellect, courage of conviction and managerial competence to pursue the best-conceived pro-gram of government that could propel our country to new heights of economic development and growth.”

“Gilberto ‘Gibo’ Teodoro Jr. has articulated a well-thought out program and vision for the Filipino people—by far the best, and only presidential aspirant who has eschewed empty platitudes and rhetoric to provide a substantive, issue-specific program on how the country can move forward and be modernized through deep-rooted reforms and change within our democratic way of life,” their manifesto stated.

The others who signed the manifesto were Governors Josephine Sato of Occidental Mindoro; Telesforo Castillejos of Batanes; Alvaro Antonio of Cagayan; Bellaflor Angara Castillo of Aurora; Nestor Fongwan of Benguet; Floydelia Diasen of Kalinga; Maximo Dalog of Mt. Province; Enrique Garcia, Jr. of Bataan; Gov. Dakila Carlo Cua of Quirino; Eustaquio Bersamin of Abra; Jose Antonio Carrion of Marinduque; Arnan Panaligan of Oriental Mindoro; Mario Joel Reyes of Palawan; Natalio Beltran III of Romblon; Elisa Olga Kho of Masbate;

Governors Damian Mercado of Southern Leyte; Felipe Hilan Nava of Guimaras; Isidro Zayco of Negros Occidental; Jesus Jurdin Romualdo of Camiguin; Carlos Jericho Petilla of Leyte; Milagros Tan of Samar; Orlando Fua, Jr. of Siquijor; Carlito Marquez of Aklan;

Governors Ma. Valentina Plaza of Agusan del Sur; Vicente Pimentel, Jr. of Surigao del Sur; Sadikul Sahali of Tawi-Tawi; Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte; Oscar Moreno of Misamis Oriental; Lakas-Kampi-CMD national president Miguel Dominguez of Sarangani; Rolando Yebes of Zamboanga del Norte; Jesus Sacdalan of North Cotabato; Aurora Cerilles of Zamboanga del Sur; Abdusakur Tan of Sulu; George Hofer of Zamboanga Sibugay; Jum Akbar of Basilan; Mamintal Adiong of Lanao del Sur; Erlpe John Amante of Agusan del Norte; and Suharto Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat.

They pointed out that “Gibo, the country’s 1989 Bar topnotcher, former three-term Congressman and former Secretary of Defense, has strength of character and unquestioned integrity.”

“[Gibo] does not only have a program of government but has courageously worked with issues of peace and development amid the rising demands of the new global economic order,” they said.

The governors also agreed that Gibo has shown “decisive leadership in promoting social and economic justice, in building bridges of understanding in our archipelagic nation of multi-religious and multi-cultural diversity, in fighting conflict and terrorism through education and economic alleviation program, and most specially in strengthening the local government units to enhance their capacity to govern, raise income and fight mass poverty as the front-line workers of government.”

Gibo campaign may peak on back of Lakas-Kampi machinery

Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. greets students of Father Saturnino Urios University during his campus tour Thursday, March 18, 2010. Teodoro has been getting wide-margin victories in mock presidential elections in state campuses and private universities and colleges in Metro Manila and the regions. Teodoro has emerged with a critical base of support from the youth sector. And Edu Manzano, running mate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr.,
receives a warm welcome from supporters upon his arrival at Butuan
airport Thursday, March 18.

Pollsters have pointed to a possible “strong surge” in the survey ratings of presidential candidate Gibo Teodoro during the latter half of the campaign season when the machinery of the ruling party Lakas-Kampi-CMD could make its presence felt.

In a recent briefing in Makati City this week, the head of Stratpolls pointed to the possibility of a surge in Gibo’s ratings when the local election campaign period starts in March “when the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party’s advantage in terms of political machinery, could make its presence felt.”

This independent survey group, in partnership with the news daily Business Mirror, released their latest nationwide survey of 1,500 voters from February 26 to March 3, 2010, showing the ratings of Gibo and the other contenders in the May 10 presidential race.

Stratpoll’s second and third tracking polls showed Gibo’s rating breaking through the double-digit level to 11 percent, compared to 4 and 7 percent in the Pulse Asia and SWS surveys of the same period, respectively.

However, a separate survey by The Campaigns & Image Group of over 5,000 respondents nationwide showed Gibo coming in a strong 2nd to Sen. Manuel Villar as his strong showing, especially among the youth, enabled him to overtake Sen. Benigno Aquino III and former President Joseph Estrada.

According to the third tracking poll of Campaigns & Image, Villar is still on top with 31 percent, followed by Teodoro with 24 percent; Aquino, 20 percent; and Estrada, 13 percent.

Campaigns & Image also said in its analysis of the third survey results that Gibo’s rating could surge next month after the March 26 start of the official campaign season for local candidates.

“Secretary Teodoro’s fourth ranking at this point, is understandable, given that he came late into the race,” Sureta told reporters during a press conference at the BusinessMirror office in Makati City.

“The other candidates had been preparing for this elections as early as two years ago. But as voters, particularly the youth—though not limited to them—get a chance to hear the former defense secretary speak, combined with his party’s strong political machinery whose influence may kick in after the local elections in March, I wouldn’t discount him from making this a tighter race,” he said.

Former press secretary Mike Toledo said “The results of this survey and Professor Sureta’s insightful observations confirm that we’re on the right track with regard to Gibo’s campaign strategy. The youth vote and the ruling party’s campaign machinery—these are Gibo’s “secret weapons, and we intend to use these to the hilt to guarantee his electoral victory come May 10.”

Toledo, who is now Gibo’s spokesman, said Gibo has an apparent lock on the support of the youth, who comprise the majority of this year’s balloting, as more and more students and other young Filipinos realize that he is the most qualified and deserving to be the country’s next president—given his impressive credentials and proposed concrete programs to address the country’s pressing woes.

“They have either witnessed for themselves how he has outshone his rivals during presidential forums and debates or heard him explain his doable platform of government in clear, simple terms,” he explained.

“At the same time, we recognize the need for Gibo to attract a wider voter base, which is why a major focus of Gibo’s strategy is to visit depressed communities all over the country to personally hear the concerns of our underprivileged countrymen, and reach out to them,” he said.

Toledo described the youth vote as “a potent sector that does not easily fall prey to campaign gimmicks and empty promises made by candidates”, as shown by the results of surveys or mock presidential elections held in universities and colleges, and the overwhelmingly warm reception that Gibo has been receiving during his campus tours nationwide.”

“The youth is not only the most discerning, but is also the biggest voting bloc in this year’s elections,” Toledo pointed out.

Besides this strength, Toledo said Gibo could count on the Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s formidable campaign machinery, which extends down to the grassroots.

“The ruling party has candidates for 170 or 73.9% of all House seats up for grabs, 64 or 80% of the 86 gubernatorial posts, 86 or 71.7% of 126 city mayoralty slots, and 1,043 or 69% of all seats for municipal mayors,” he explained.

“A machinery that reaches down to the grassroots easily accounts for 15% of the votes for a candidate vying for a national post. In contrast, Gibo’s closest rivals can only fill up candidates in as much as 41% of the local posts at stake in the May balloting.”

“Once the official campaign period for local candidates starts later this month, the full weight of the ruling party machinery will kick in–to deliver the decisive number of votes that would catapult Gibo to the presidency via the May 10 balloting,” Toledo said.

Strong youth support, party machinery to boost Gibo's ratings, says pollster

MANILA, Philippines - Ever-growing support of the youth sector along with the formidable political machinery of Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) will all the more further shore up the ratings of former defense secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr, who has already overtaken Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III from the No. 2 slot in the latest nationwide poll of the current crop of presidentiables, according to an analysis done by an independent research firm.

The Campaigns & Image Group, which conducted its latest survey in partnership with the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), said Gibo’s ratings took off from single-digit levels in December 2009 to 24% in March due to “the political machinery of the administration party and (his efforts of) touching base with local government politicians seeking re-election into various offices.”

It also noted that Teodoro’s campaign relies heavily on “a large network of volunteers …..in colleges and universities that by far put him well-entrenched in the psyche of voters across the 18-28 and 29-39 age brackets.”

Gibo’s ratings, according to the research firm, is expected to further surge when the campaign period for local bets kick off on March 27, which is the time when the ruling party’s machinery that reaches down to the grassroots would start to work full blast in his favor.

Conducted by Campaigns & Image among 5,100 adults of voting age nationwide during the period ending March 7, this survey showed Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP) remaining on top, but with Teodoro jumping to second place after having overtaken Senator Benigno "Noynoy” Aquino III of the Liberal Party (LP).

Villar remained the survey front runner with a rating of 31%, up by 3 percentage points from his previous rating of 27% in the earlier survey done in the week ending Feb. 17. Teodoro followed with 24%, which is a significant increase of 6 percentage points from his previous rating of 18% in the Feb. 17 survey.

Aquino dropped 8 percentage points to 20% from his previous rating of 28% in the Feb. 17 survey. When Campaigns & Image first did its survey of voter’s preferences for President in Dec. 2009, Aquino’s rating was at 31% and remained unchanged a month later when the group conducted its January survey.

Former President Joseph Estrada landed in fourth place with 13%, which was an increase of 6 percentage points from his rating of 7% in the previous survey.

Senator Richard Gordon got 5% and TV evangelist Eddie Villanueva, 2% in the March survey where 4% of the voters were still undecided on their choice of presidential candidate for the May 10 elections.

“As the campaign period for local candidates kick off on March 27, the top-of-mind shares for Teodoro is expected to increase by 800%. Like (Sen. Manuel) Villar, first-name choice for Teodoro among voters will be higher in subsequent surveys,” Campaigns & Image said.

It likewise noted that Teodoro’s campaign took off on a relatively late start compared to his fellow contenders in the presidential race, which was why his ratings were on single-digit levels in December 2009 and January 2010.

The poll was done three weeks after the start of the official campaign period for national posts in the May 10 elections.

In its analysis of the survey results, Campaigns & Image attributed Aquino’s continued slide “to widespread perception about his lack of management experience and leadership.”

“Because most of the provincial and mayoralty candidates of the Liberal Party are over 65 years old, they had been unable to shore up (Aquino’s) ascendancy among young and middle-aged voters,” Campaigns & Image said.

The survey group also said that Aquino’s “good-versus-evil” type of messaging produced “a strong adverse reaction among voters in the industrial sector that expected him to avoid mudslinging and present a decent, high-level, platform-oriented campaign.”

This survey asked the respondents the question: “Who among the 10 presidential candidates do you think is capable of governing the Philippines and for whom will you be voting for the presidency?”

Campaigns & Image said that to gauge the governance capability rating (GCR) of each candidate, it also asked respondents the question: How do you rate your preferred candidate in accordance with the following parameters (—leadership, experience, integrity, transparency, platform and accessibility)?

Based on this question, Villar got a GCR of 81%, followed by Teodoro with 74%, Aquino with 70%, and Estrada 62%.

“This survey by the Campaigns & Image Group is by far the most comprehensive, easy-to-follow presentation because, unlike its Pulse Asia, TNS and SWS counterparts, it pinpoints the reasons for any change—increase or decrease—in the governance capability rating (GCR) of candidates,” the group said.

“The GCR includes the voters’ perception on individual qualification (leadership ability and management experience), track record (accessibility, integrity, and transparency) and relevance of platform.”

Campaigns & Image noted that “there is a corresponding percentage weight for each of the parameters that add up to a candidate’s GCR.”

“I’ll not stop till I’m No. 1,” says Gibo

MANILA, Philippines - “I’ll not stop till I’m No. 1.” This was the quick and brief reply of Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gibo Teodoro when asked by reporters in a chance interview to comment on the results of the latest tracking poll showing a dramatic bounce in his ratings to No. 2 among this year’s presidentiables.

Gibo was interviewed by journalists at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City, where he spoke about banking reforms and other issues during the national convention of the Chamber of Thrift Banks of the Philippines.

The third tracking poll by the political research outfit The Campaigns & Image Group showed that although Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP) remains on top, Gibo has jumped to 2^nd place after overtaking Sen. Benigno "Noynoy” Aquino III of the Liberal Party (LP).

Campaigns & Image Group, has predicted a surge in Gibo’s rating in the second half of this year’s electoral campaign season on the strength of his strong support among the youth and the formidable Lakas-Kampi-CMD machinery.

In this latest poll that Campaigns & Image conducted with the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), Villar remained the survey frontrunner with a rating of 31%, up by 3 percentage points from his previous rating of 27% in the earlier survey done in the week ending Feb. 17.

Gibo followed with 24%, which is a significant increase of 6 percentage points from his previous rating of 18% in the Feb. 17 survey.

Aquino dropped 8 percentage points to 20% from his previous rating of 28% in the Feb. 17 survey. When Campaigns & Image first did its survey of voter’s preferences for President in Dec. 2009, Aquino’s rating was at 31% and remained unchanged a month later when the group conducted its January survey.

Former President Joseph Estrada landed in fourth place with 13%, which was an increase of 6 percentage points from his rating of 7% in the previous survey. Sen. Richard Gordon got 5% and TV evangelist Eddie Villanueva, 2% in the March survey where 4% of the voters were still undecided on their choice of presidential candidate for the May 10 elections.

Gibo’s rating of 24% in the survey conducted by Campaigns & Image and the PPCRV during the week ending March 7 was enough to dislodge from second place Aquino, whose rating has been steadily declining as shown in the three previous surveys of voters’ preferences for President done jointly by these two groups.

In its analysis of the poll results, Campaigns & Image said Gibo’s ratings took off from single-digit levels in December 2009 to 24% in March due to “the political machinery of the administration party and (his efforts of) touching base with local government politicians seeking re-election into various offices.”

It also noted that Gibo’s campaign relies heavily on “a large network of volunteers …..in colleges and universities that by far put him well-entrenched in the psyche of voters across the 18-28 and 29-39 age brackets.”

Gibo’s jump in the surveys could be attributed, said Campaigns & Image, to “the political machinery of the administration party and (his efforts of) touching base with local government politicians seeking re-election into various offices.”

Gibo’s ratings, according to the research firm, is expected to further surge when the campaign period for local bets kick off on March 27, which is the time when the ruling party’s machinery that reaches down to the grassroots would start to work full blast in his favor.

Conducted among 5,100 adults of voting age nationwide, the separate survey by Campaigns and Image asked the respondents the question: “Who among the 10 presidential candidates do you think is capable of governing the Philippines and for whom will you be voting for the presidency?”

“This survey by the Campaigns & Image Group is by far the most comprehensive, easy-to-follow presentation because, unlike its Pulse Asia, TNS and SWS counterparts, it pinpoints the reasons for any change—increase or decrease—in the governance capability rating (GCR) of candidates,” it said.

Gibo is No. 2 in latest survey!

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Manuel “Manny” Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP) remains on top but Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr has now jumped to second place after having overtaken Senator Benigno "Noynoy” Aquino III of the Liberal Party (LP) in the latest survey conducted nationwide by an independent research firm three weeks after the start of the official campaign period for national posts in the May 10 elections.

Teodoro’s rating of 24% in the survey conducted by the Campaigns & Image Group during the week ending March 7 was enough to dislodge from second place Aquino, whose rating has been steadily declining as shown in the three previous surveys of voters’ preferences for President done by this marketing research firm with the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV).

Conducted among 5,100 adults of voting age nationwide, this survey asked the respondents the question: “Who among the 10 presidential candidates do you think is capable of governing the Philippines and for whom will you be voting for the presidency?”

Villar remained the survey frontrunner with a rating of 31%, up by 3 percentage points from his previous rating of 27% in the earlier survey done in the week ending Feb. 17. Teodoro followed with 24%, which is a significant increase of 6 percentage points from his previous rating of 18% in the Feb. 17 survey.

Aquino dropped 8 percentage points to 20% from his previous rating of 28% in the Feb. 17 survey. When Campaigns and Image first did its survey of voter’s preferences for President in Dec. 2009, Aquino’s rating was at 31% and remained unchanged a month later when the group conducted its January survey.

Former President Joseph Estrada landed in fourth place with 13%, which was an increase of 6 percentage points from his rating of 7% in the previous survey.

Sen. Richard Gordon got 5% and TV evangelist Eddie Villanueva, 2% in the March survey where 4% of the voters were still undecided on their choice of presidential candidate for the May 10 elections.

Campaigns & Image said that to gauge the governance capability rating (GCR) of each candidate, it also asked respondents the question: How do you rate your preferred candidate in accordance with the following parameters (—leadership, experience, integrity, transparency, platform and accessibility)?

Based on this question, Villar got a GCR of 81%, followed by Teodoro with 74%, Aquino with 70%, and Estrada 62%.

“This survey by the Campaigns & Image Group is by far the most comprehensive, easy-to-follow presentation because, unlike its Pulse Asia, TNS and SWS counterparts, it pinpoints the reasons for any change—increase or decrease—in the governance capability rating (GCR) of candidates,” the survey group said.

“The GCR includes the voters’ perception on individual qualification (leadership ability and management experience), track record (accessibility, integrity, and transparency) and relevance of platform.”

Campaigns & Image noted that “there is a corresponding percentage weight for each of the parameters that add up to a candidate’s GCR.”

It pointed out that Villar remained the top spender in TV advertising during the period when the survey was conducted.

Teodoro’s jump in the surveys, on the other hand, could be attributed to “the political machinery of the administration party and (his efforts of) touching base with local government politicians seeking re-election into various offices,” Campaigns & Image noted.

“Because most of the provincial and mayoralty candidates of the Liberal Party are over 65 years old, they had been unable to shore up (Aquino’s) ascendancy among young and middle-aged voters,” Campaigns & Image said.

Gibo and Noynoy neck-and-neck

MANILA, Philippines - A new mock poll among students showed both Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro and Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III breasting the tape in the race to become the next president of the Philippines.

Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, UST rector, said in a news briefing the results were from the third and final Political Opinions of the Youth Survey (POYS) conducted from February 16 to 19 at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila.

De la Rosa said Aquino and Gibo led other presidential candidates with 33.2 percent and 32.5 percent, respectively, or a difference of 0.7 percent—“effectively a statistical tie.”

Aquino and Gibo, who are second cousins, placed 11th and 13th, respectively, in the first survey round in August, then shot to first and second place, respectively, in the second survey round in December with 34.7 percent and 33.5 percent.

“The UST polls validated a persistent trend in campus mock polls indicating that the former defense chief is emerging as a serious contender in the wings in what was originally perceived as a neck-and-neck fight between Senators Aquino and Manny Villar for the presidency,” said former press secretary Mike Toledo, who is now Gibo’s spokesman and director of the G1BO Media Bureau.

Recent reports point to Gibo’s poll bounce, with his ratings breaking through the two-digit barrier and threatening to dislodge or actually dislodging former President Joseph Estrada from the No. 3 slot, Toledo said.

The UST poll placed Sen. Richard Gordon at third place with 15.4 percent, the largest percentage increase among the candidates from 7.7 percent in the survey conducted in December 2009.

Villar obtained 7.2 percent of the votes, down from 10.3 percent in December 2009, and half his votes in August, when he scored 14.6 percent.

Bro. Eddie Villanueva obtained 1.5 percent of the votes; Estrada, 1 percent; environmentalist Nicanor Perlas, 0.7 percent; Olongapo Councilor JC de los Reyes, 0.2 percent; and Sen. Jamby Madrigal, 0.1 percent.

Asked to tick off the main issues affecting the country that politicians should address, 18.9 percent cited corruption in society; poverty, 16.3 percent; education access and quality, 15.9 percent; peace and order, 10.6 percent; and inefficient government services, 8.8 percent.

Dela Rosa said that of the target respondents of 35,889, almost 40 percent or 13,599 students from 12 colleges of the university participated in the final survey round.

“With almost 40 percent response rate, the margin of error of the survey was already less than 1 percent. The survey was implemented using the E-leap system of the Ed-Tech Center of UST through the Central Commission on Elections under the Office for Student Affairs,” de la Rosa said.

Toledo said the UST polls join the growing list of mock polls conducted in universities and colleges nationwide that Gibo has been dominating in the past two months.

At the Ateneo de Manila University, which is Aquino’s alma mater, the mock election set aside school ties to choose Gibo as the students’ presidential preference (598 Gibo versus 589 Aquino), Toledo said.

At the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, which was presumed to be Villar’s turf because he took his undergrad there (Gibo had his BA from La Salle and law at UP), Toledo said that students went for Gibo (1,669 or 25 percent for Gibo versus 1,481 or 22 percent for Aquino) .

At UP Mindanao, Gibo garnered 33.3 percent of votes, followed by Aquino (24.4 percent), Gordon (20 percent) and Villar (13.3 percent), he said.

Toledo said the most stunning support for Gibo came from students of Holy Angel University in Angeles City.

The conventional wisdom was the students there would go for Aquino, a fluent Pampango speaker and considered a native son. Instead , the mock polls showed a decisive vote for Gibo, a 2-1 lead over Aquino .

Gibo netted 1,432 ballots (38.829 percent), Aquino received 958 botes (25.976 percent), followed by Villar with 954 (25.868 percent) and Estrada with 39 (1.057 percent).

“The youth are out-of-the-box thinkers,” explained Toledo.

He noted that the youth are apparently attracted to Gibo’s master plan for sustained growth and lasting peace as laid out in his ‘Sulong Pilipinas’ platform, that comprises education reform, health care, food security, environmental protection, continuation of the public infrastructure build-up, and a tough stance versus crime and terrorism.

“Because of the youth support, Gibo’s ratings have broken through the double-digit level, and this poll bounce will be complemented by a minimum 15 percent of votes that will be delivered by the formidable political machinery of Lakas-Kampi-CMD down to the grassroots,” he said.

Citing Lakas-Kampi-CMD data, Toledo said the ruling party has candidates for 170 or 73.9 percent of all House seats up for grabs, 64 or 80 percent of the 86 gubernatorial posts, 86 or 71 percent of 126 city mayoralty slots, and 1,043 or 69 percent of all seats for municipal mayors.

“Once the official campaign period for local candidates kick in later this month (March), the full weight of the ruling party machinery will kick in – to deliver the decisive number of votes for Gibo in the May 10 presidential polls,” he said.