Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=554195&publicationSubCategoryId=63
MANILA, Philippines - Administration presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro said yesterday the rescue and repair efforts that he led at the height of storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” last year were much more exhausting compared to the pace of his four-week-old electoral campaign.
During a no-holds-barred interview with The STAR editors and reporters, Teodoro said that waging a positive campaign – no mudslinging and attacks against political opponents - is helping him cope with the stress of campaigning.
Teodoro was defense secretary and chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) when the two storms hit the country.
Ondoy and Pepeng slammed into the country in September and October last year, killing over 700 people in Metro Manila and Luzon and leaving over P40 billion in damage to agriculture and infrastructure.
“The emotional stresses of the work on Ondoy and Pepeng is much more emotionally challenging,” he said.
“You (as NDCC chairman) are the face of government and you can’t help everyone. You have good people, they do good things but they also make mistakes but it’s your responsibility to take the blame,” the administration bet said.
Teodoro said there are some political issues that he needs to answer in his campaign.
“But if those issues have been in the newspapers and on TV in the last several days, I get used to it, I just smile at them and my answers get shorter and shorter,” he said.
He also disclosed that despite his hectic campaign schedule, he has not lost weight. He has no time for proper exercise but does “breathing exercises” to keep fit.
Teodoro, who is placing third or fourth in the surveys, said it also helps that he focuses on his message to the people and his campaign platform instead of finding ways to hit opponents.
In fact, one of his immediate tasks once elected is to work for political reconciliation in his first 100 days in office, he said.
Political peace, he said, would make it easier for the nation to focus on the numerous pressing problems facing it.
MANILA, Philippines - Administration presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro said yesterday the rescue and repair efforts that he led at the height of storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” last year were much more exhausting compared to the pace of his four-week-old electoral campaign.
During a no-holds-barred interview with The STAR editors and reporters, Teodoro said that waging a positive campaign – no mudslinging and attacks against political opponents - is helping him cope with the stress of campaigning.
Teodoro was defense secretary and chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) when the two storms hit the country.
Ondoy and Pepeng slammed into the country in September and October last year, killing over 700 people in Metro Manila and Luzon and leaving over P40 billion in damage to agriculture and infrastructure.
“The emotional stresses of the work on Ondoy and Pepeng is much more emotionally challenging,” he said.
“You (as NDCC chairman) are the face of government and you can’t help everyone. You have good people, they do good things but they also make mistakes but it’s your responsibility to take the blame,” the administration bet said.
Teodoro said there are some political issues that he needs to answer in his campaign.
“But if those issues have been in the newspapers and on TV in the last several days, I get used to it, I just smile at them and my answers get shorter and shorter,” he said.
He also disclosed that despite his hectic campaign schedule, he has not lost weight. He has no time for proper exercise but does “breathing exercises” to keep fit.
Teodoro, who is placing third or fourth in the surveys, said it also helps that he focuses on his message to the people and his campaign platform instead of finding ways to hit opponents.
In fact, one of his immediate tasks once elected is to work for political reconciliation in his first 100 days in office, he said.
Political peace, he said, would make it easier for the nation to focus on the numerous pressing problems facing it.
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