130 Lakas lawmakers rally behind Teodoro

By James Konstatin Galvez and Jefferson Antiporda (The Manila Times) 

Link: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/15635-130-lakas-lawmakers-rally-behind-teodoro

In an apparent show of force, some 130 lawmakers under the banner of Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) gathered at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City (Metro Manila) on Monday to express support for former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, their standard-bearer in the May 10 elections.

Ray Roquero, the secretary general of the administration party Lakas-Kampi CMD, said that the meeting was held to show Teodoro that they will remain behind him and that they are committed to have him elected as the next president of the country.

“This [gathering] will show that they are still here for Gibo amid a few defections,” Roquero added, referring to a number of departures from the ruling coalition, most recently that of Gov. Jose “Joey” Salceda of Albay.

The meeting was the first of the two set by the party for its congressional and gubernatorial candidates.

Gibo supporters launch Multipliers Movement to generate votes

from The Philippine Star 

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=561065&publicationSubCategoryId=63
MANILA, Philippines - Supporters of Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr. launched yesterday a new movement for a people-based network to generate votes for their candidate.

Lead convenor Eli Quinto said the Gibo Multipliers Movement was formed to consolidate, coordinate and multiply individuals and groups supporting Teodoro.

“At the heart of the (movement) is the idea that a single person or group is connected to others who, in turn, have their own respective connections,” he said.

Speaking at the movement’s launch at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City, Quinto said they aim to increase the number of supporters to ensure his victory in the May 10 elections.

“When you add them all up, the reach of that one person or group would be much larger,” he said.

Quinto said although a person or group can only do so much, they can become multipliers by reaching out to other people they know.

“It’s all just a matter of bringing these people together so that they realize there are more who believe in the candidate they want to support, which is Secretary Teodoro,” he said.

Vice presidential bets trade barbs in debate

By Aurea Calica – With Perseus Echeminada, Mike Frialde, Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) 

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=560521&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Six candidates for vice president traded barbs and grilled each other during a televised debate aired last Sunday night.

Leading vice presidential candidate Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II of the Liberal Party had a face-off with Sen. Loren Legarda of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and the Nacionalista Party, who criticized her main rival over the expanded value added tax, Cheaper Medicine Law and land distribution.

Legarda was fierce in grilling Roxas, who implied that she was a hypocrite and a political butterfly for transferring to various parties.

The debate dubbed as “Harapan” was organized by ABS-CBN and held at the La Consolacion College in Manila. Members of the audience were each given a “truth meter” and were told to vote on whether the answer of the candidates was “believable” or “not believable.”

Roxas registered high scores on the believability of his answers while Legarda did poorly despite her attacks on the LP bet every chance she got. Roxas laughed off some of the issues raised by Legarda.

Legarda and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, the vice presidential bet of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, gave dramatic opening and closing remarks to the viewers while former Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando of Bagumbayan even wore an engineer’s hat to call attention to his training and his qualifications to be vice president.

Lakas-Kampi coalition plans decisive ‘Battle of the Bulge’

By Winston A. Marbella (Philippine Daily Inquirer) 

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100322-260115/Lakas-Kampi-coalition-plans-decisive-Battle-of-the-Bulge

Like a stealthy army preparing to launch a major offensive, the ruling administration coalition Lakas-Kampi-CMD is moving heaven and earth at the grassroots to save the lagging presidential candidacy of former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
The question that perplexes many party leaders is: Considering that Teodoro is running behind, why move only now?

The ruling coalition, which enjoys a headlock on 70 percent of local government positions, is pinning its hopes on superior resources and widespread party machinery to swing the tide of battle.

Banking on these advantages, it plans to assert its superiority with carefully synchronized offensives timed at the start of the campaign for local positions on March 26.

The opening salvo of this make-or-break offensive will be new TV commercials targeting the youth on Monday.

Teodoro’s spokesperson, former Press Secretary Mike Toledo, said the commercials would be aired with frequencies rivaling those of the front-runners, Senators Benigno S. Aquino III of the Liberal Party and Manuel Villar of the Nacionalista Party. Between them, they have spent close to P2 billion, dominating the airwaves, according to the media firm AGB Nielsen.

Teodoro’s ads will zero in on the target segment that the coalition hopes will swing the tide of battle to his side, the youth ranging in age from 18 to 39, who constitute 52 percent of the 50 million voters registered, according to Toledo.

Gibo, Edu go to NPA-infested Mindoro

By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star)  

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=560194&publicationSubCategoryId=63

SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines – Administration presidential candidate Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro and his team made their presence felt by campaigning in rebel-infested areas here.

Teodoro, along with vice presidential candidate Edu Manzano, led the entourage in defying threats by the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in areas where just a few weeks ago 11 government troops were killed in an ambush staged by the rebel group.

The troops were waylaid when they were trying to prevent the NPA from implementing their permit to campaign on local candidates.

At the rally Teodoro said he would prioritize development programs for local government units if elected president.

He promised his leadership would determine the concerns of every community to effectively address their particular needs.

“The leader should be capable of understanding the needs of communities to effectively address their respective problems and then give the best solutions,” Teodoro said.

Teodoro gives up on surveys

By TJ Burgonio (Philippine Daily Inquirer)  

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100320-259865/Teodoro-gives-up-on-surveys

MAMBURAO, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines—Administration standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro said Saturday he has stopped following his ratings in the surveys and is looking forward to the start of the local campaign on March 26.

"I don't pay attention to surveys anymore. Whether I've gone up or gone down, it's nothing to me. Our campaign is based on our party network and party strengths," said Teodoro, a consistent fourth-placer in the surveys.

Lakas Kampi CMD secretary general Francis Manglapus said they would focus on the party message, and "work with the local candidates to deliver the votes."

"Our feeling is that they can do it," he said by phone, pointing out that over 60 percent of local candidates are allied with the administration party.

Teodoro, his running mate Edu Manzano, and senatorial candidates Silvestre Bello III, Raul Lambino and Rey Langit barnstormed Mindoro on Saturday, less than a week before the March 26 kick-off of the local campaign period.

Vans full of supporters and Manila-based reporters waited for Teodoro at the Mamburao airport for a motorcade around the dusty town off Mindoro Strait Saturday morning, but he did not arrive on time.

Due to a delay in the flight to Mamburao, Teodoro and Bello flew first to Isabela in northern Luzon. He and Bello later flew to San Jose town in Occidental Mindoro.

Teodoro, Manzano, Senate bets in rare group sortie

By TJ Burgonio (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100320-259774/Teodoro-Manzano-Senate-bets-in-rare-group-sortie

MANILA, Philippines—Administration standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro, his running mate Edu Manzano, and senatorial candidates Silvestre Bello III and Raul Lambino Friday appeared together in a rare group sortie in Valenzuela City.

Teodoro, Bello and Lambino each gave a pep talk during an uproarious student forum at the Our Lady of Fatima University campus in Valenzuela City. Manzano caught up with them at the tail-end at the forum.

“We’re halfway there already. I guess this is a sign that we’re here for the long haul. We’ve committed to the party; we’ve committed to the people. Gibo and and I said we’ll finish this election,” Manzano later said in an interview as he waved at the crowd from the back of a truck during a motorcade from the campus to the city interiors.

Grumblings about funds

Their rare appearance together came on the heels of grumblings in Manzano’s camp and among the senatorial candidates about Lakas Kampi-CMD funds not trickling down to their level.

Since the Feb. 9 kick-off of the campaign, Teodoro, Manzano and the six senatorial candidates have mostly barnstormed Metro Manila and the countryside on their own.

Teodoro, Manzano and some of the senatorial candidates also barnstormed Butuan City in Agusan del Norte last Thursday, and had dinner with President Macapagal-Arroyo at the birthday celebration of Rep. Jose Aquino II.

Lambino conceded that campaigning alone has its advantages, like covering more areas to campaign for the presidential team, but has a big downside to it: the perception that “we’re disunited.”

Teodoro said the public would see more of them campaigning together once the campaign period for local officials kicks off March 26, but said the senatorial candidates would be campaigning in two teams to cover more ground.

Not awash in funds

“Our schedules jibed today. But when local campaign kicks in, we will be campaigning together. The senators will still have two teams,” he told reporters after the forum.

But the issue of funds will not simply go away.

“There is fund, but that’s a precious and limited resource. We’re not awash in funds. We should use this judiciously,” said Teodoro, who claimed he had received funds from the party.

The forum at the Fatima University was generally boisterous, with female students shrieking at the sight of TV personality Jolo Revilla and jostling for the chance to give him a buss, and more so, at Manzano who came in last at around 11:30 a.m.

The young Revilla campaigned for his father, reelectionist Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and so did Patrick Guico for his father, Mayor Ramon Guico of Binalonan, Pangasinan. The party’s two other senatorial candidates are Sen. Lito Lapid and broadcaster Rey Langit.

Roxas, Binay, Legarda splurge millions on ads

It’s air war for vice prez bets, too
by CHE DE LOS REYES (Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism - Malaya)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/03192010/news8.html


IT’S AN air war for now for the candidates for president; it’s an air war for their running mates, too.

Just like their parties’ standard bearers, the leading candidates for vice president have poured in hundreds of millions of pesos on political advertisements on television.

The official campaign period started only last February 9, but from November 2009 to February 8, 2010, four candidates for vice president -- Liberal Party’s Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas III, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino’s Jejomar ‘Jojo’ Binay, Nacionalista Party’s Loren Legarda, and Bagumbayan Party’s Bayani Fernando -- had already incurred a total of P561.5 million in advertising values for television, radio, and print ads.

Minus discounts of up to 47 percent granted by media agencies at the time, the net indicative spending on these candidates’ political ads amount to P294,417,894.

In the first month of the 90-day campaign period, or when campaign finance laws also started to take effect, the four showed more tempered spending, as did their running mates.

From February 9 to March 8, 2010, the combined spending on political ads of the four candidates and Bangon Pilipinas’s Perfecto Yasay Jr. amounted to only P167,814,890, according to published rate cards of media agencies.

Minus discounts allowed by the Commission on Elections (at the rate of 30, 20, and 10 percent for TV, radio, and print, respectively), the combined indicative cost of these candidates’ political ads during the 28-day period amounted to only P144,327,68.

Some candidates, however, may now be counting on dividends from their early investments in political commercials.

Legarda trails front-running Roxas by 9%

from Manila Standard Today

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNews.htm?f=2010/march/8/news2.isx&d=2010/march/8

LIBERAL Party candidate Senator Manuel Roxas II continued to lead the vice presidential race, beating out his closest rival, Senator Loren Legarda, by 39 percent to 30 percent in the latest Manila Standard poll.

The survey, conducted between Feb. 20 and 26, asked 2,500 registered voters to cast their ballots for the positions of President, vice president and senators in a way that simulated actual voting in the coming automated elections in May.

The February results for vice president showed the same pattern as January’s, said Manila Standard resident pollster Pedro Laylo Jr.

Former Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay received 15 percent, while former Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando and administration candidate Edu Manzano both had 4 percent.

Some 6 percent of the respondents were undecided.

Data by major areas somewhat reflected the same voting pattern as that of the presidential race. Roxas had big leads in Metro Manila, South Luzon and the Visayas. Roxas and Legarda were tied in North and Central Luzon.

10,000 Caloocan voters back ‘Gibo’

by BEN R. ROSARIO (Manila Bulletin)

http://mb.com.ph/articles/246368/10000-caloocan-voters-back-gibo

At least 10,000 Caloocan City voters formally pledged Monday to vote only the most qualified candidates in the May 10 elections as their contribution to ensure political harmony and high growth in the country into the next decade.

Former defense secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. led residents of Barangay Bagong Silang, in a mass-recital of the “Panatang Makabago” containing a voter’s commitment in pushing for the victory of only the most qualified candidates.

Bagong Silang folk, mostly belonging to the urban poor sector, mobbed Teodoro as they aired the belief that the Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet’s qualities as a leader best fits the presidency.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD officials noted that the Caloocan City campaign sortie provided the warmest reception yet for Teodoro although he was also warmly welcomed in Malabon.

Leaders in at least 16 purok and barangay officials declared publicly their support for Teodoro during the jampacked gathering at a basketball court.

Leaders of 11 organizations representing the different districts in Caloocan had also expressed their full support for Teodoro, his vice-presidential bet Edu Manzano and the ruling party’s six senatorial bets—reelectionist Senators Ramon Revilla Jr. and Lito Lapid, lawyer Raul Lambino, former Cabinet secretary Silvestre Bello, media personality Rey Langit and Binalonan, Pangasinan Mayor Ramon Guico.

Thousands of cheering people lined the streets as his convoy passed through on Phase 7, Bagong Silang, Caloocan City

Gibo: Only God can stop me from seeking presidency

by Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=555414&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro said yesterday only God can stop him from seeking the presidency.

Teodoro’s statement came after his running mate, former Optical Media Board (OMB) chair Edu Manzano, belied reports that he is dropping out of the vice presidential race.

Speaking at the presidential series of the morning TV program “Unang Hirit,” Teo-doro cautioned the public that a lot of political intrigues are bound to happen before the May 10 elections.

But he said there will be a lot of surprises when the local campaign starts on March 29, and that Lakas-Kampi-CMD critics should just brace for developments.

The former defense chief said he is no longer relying on surveys because what is happening on the ground is entirely different.

In the latest Pulse Asia survey (Feb. 21-25), Teodoro’s five percent rating rose by two points but was still a far cry from the numbers of Sen. Benigno Aquino III, Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. and former President Joseph Estrada.

Admin bet not quitting VP race

from The Daily Tribune

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20100306hed6.html

Amid rumors that he is withdrawing from the vice presidential race, former Optical Media Board chairman and Lakas-Kampi-CMD vice presidential bet Eduardo “Edu” Manzano yesterday appeared on television and declared that he will not abandon the party’s standard-bearer.

“I will not withdraw, that is my categorical statement,” said Manzano at a presidential forum series of the morning TV program “Unang Hirit.”

“I will not abandon my presidential candidate,” he reiterated at a news forum in Greenhills, San Juan City that he attended with Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr.

Manzano said his temporary absence from campaign sorties was misconstrued by some quarters as a move to pull out from the vice presidential race when what he had done was to join Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in Hong Kong and visit the Filipino communities there.

Arroyo no-show at Teodoro’s proclamation rally

by Fe Zamora (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100210-252316/Arroyo-no-show-at-Teodoros-proclamation-rally

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.

Binay tops MB Online VP poll

By ERICKSON BECO (Manila Bulletin)

http://mb.com.ph/articles/241080/binay-tops-mb-online-vp-poll

Makati Mayor and Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan vice presidential bet Jejomar “Jojo” Binay leads five other vice presidential candidates in a survey recently held by the Manila Bulletin Online.

The said survey, which polled a total of 49,935 votes as of 2 p.m. of January 30, 2010, asked online visitors “Who will you vote for vice president in the May, 2010 elections?” It had Binay ahead of everybody else with 53 percent of the votes.

Binay was followed by former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando of Bagumbayan-Volunteers for a New Philippines, 20 percent; Senator Manuel Roxas of the Liberal Party, 19 percent; former Optical Media Board (OMB) Chairman Edu Manzano of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, 5 percent; and Sen. Loren Legarda of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, 3 percent.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. emerged the top vote-getter in MB Online’s previous poll that asked “Which presidential candidate for the May 2010 elections is most capable of handling the duties as the Philippines' next leader?”

Teodoro edged out cousin and initial poll favorite Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III as he amassed 45 percent of the survey’s total votes. Aquino trailed closely with 39 percent.

Readers are asked to participate in the upcoming poll about trust in the automated election process.

Show ability to lead nation, Palace tells Noynoy

by Marvin Sy (The Philippine Star) Jan 17, 2010 
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=541479&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang called on presidential aspirant Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to show his ability to lead the nation instead of waging a hate campaign against President Arroyo.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Aquino should engage in a positive campaign that highlights his own accomplishments rather than going after Mrs. Arroyo in what could be seen as a smear campaign.

“It would be better if he would just focus on his capability to lead, his track record and especially his platform of government,” Remonde said.

“In other words, people will appreciate him more if he will be more constructive rather than wage a campaign of hate against President Arroyo,” he added.

Aquino figured in a heated debate with his opponents in a recent televised debate when he declared his campaign would focus on the supposed administration lapses of Mrs. Arroyo.

VP bets say they are not just ‘spare tires’

by AMITA LEGASPI, GMANews.TV July 15, 2010

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/181626/vp-bets-say-they-are-not-just-spare-tires

Believing that the post they are seeking is not just a "spare tire," vice presidential aspirants on Thursday revealed what they would do once elected.

During the press conference for GMA’s Isang Tanong: The Vice Presidential Forum, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay of the United Opposition and actor Edu Manzano of Lakas-Kampi-CMD said they would like to utilize their ‘expertise’ on local governance and law enforcement by heading the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Dominador Chipeco of Ang Kapatiran would like to be the Labor secretary, Perfecto Yasay Jr of Bangon Pilipinas wants to be in charge of trade and investment, and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando would like to supervise all the infrastructure agencies.

Senator Loren Legarda would like to lead the government program against hunger while Senator Manuel Roxas II and broadcaster Jay Sonza said they would give the president a free hand to decide what other government function should be given to them.
Binay added that his president would be able to sleep well “dahil ni isang segundo ay hindi ko iisipin na agawin ang kanyang pagkapangulo (I would not dream, even for a second, of taking the presidency from him)."