ANTIPOLO CITY—Even the mention of the name of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo seemed taboo at the proclamation rally in Antipolo City of the administration’s standard-bearer, former Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr.
The presidential candidate of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD coalition spoke for about 45 minutes at the rally officially kicking off the election campaign season, but he mentioned Ms Arroyo’s name only once.
An attempt by party mate and senatorial candidate Silvestre Bello to elicit cheers for the President by shouting “Mabuhay si Presidente Arroyo” failed dismally to rouse the crowd of Teodoro supporters.
Ms Arroyo did not attend the rally.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita was the highest ranking Malacañang official who showed up to support Teodoro and his vice presidential candidate, Edu Manzano.
Other Lakas-Kampi-CMD stalwarts, including Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez, were also around to try and bolster Teodoro’s campaign.
Nearly 100 pro-Arroyo congressmen and local officials, led by the President’s elder son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, also showed up to express their backing for Teodoro and Manzano.
Teodoro’s wife Nikki and other political allies, Maguindanao’s Buluan vice mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, were part of the show of force.
Antipolo is the beginning
A huge tarpaulin bearing the image of Teodoro, Manzano and senatorial candidates Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Lito Lapid, Ramon Guico, Raul Lambino, Rey Langit and Bello fluttered over the stage.
“Gibo Teodoro will be the next president. And it will start here in Antipolo,” Puno told the cheering crowd. “Sulong (Advance) Antipolo! Sulong (Advance) Gibo!”
Mayor Danilo Leyble said the city’s more than 315,000 voters would go for “Team Gibo.”
Ex-Congressman Prospero Pichay, campaign manager for the Lakas senatorial slate, said the presence and support of the local government officials ensured the victory of Teodoro and Manzano.
“In Mindanao, the elections are over because the victories of Gibo and Edu are sure,” Pichay said.
Bridge of unity
Teodoro’s platform of government is centered on education, primary healthcare, continuity of infrastructure projects, food security and a sustainable land reform program.
Teodoro pledged to be “the bridge that will unite” the nation. He said his campaign would focus on his competence and the performance of his party.
Teodoro vowed to go to towns and places he had not visited before.
“Aside from continuing my campus visits to explain my platform of governance to our youth groups, we are planning to go to the provinces and meet sectors we haven’t visited yet,” Teodoro said, when asked what campaign strategy he would adopt to bolster his popularity rating.
Campaign strategy
In a statement, Teodoro said he believed his rating among presidential candidates would go up as the 90-day campaign progresses and when local officials of the ruling party start their campaign in March.
Over 70 percent of local government officials nationwide are Lakas-Kampi-CMD members who are seeking reelection, the statement said.
Teodoro dismissed pre-election surveys placing him a distant fourth, saying he would “prefer to lose every time in the surveys but win decisively on election day itself.”
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