Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. strives to prove he is his own man

Administration party presidential bet Gilberto Teodoro Jr. was evidently exhausted when he arrived at around 9 p.m. in Mandaluyong City for a campaign rally. He was clad in his trademark green polo shirt and white T-shirt tucked inside his denim pants. He wiped his face with a white face towel. He had been on-the-go the entire day, yet when he faced the crowd of about 10,000 people, Teodoro was all fired up. “No celebrities. No paid crowds… I’ll place my bets on all of you here," Teodoro told the adoring crowd. Even after the rally, Teodoro found time to bond with his wife, former commercial model and Tarlac Rep. Monica Prieto-Teodoro, and their only son Jaime Gilberto. Mother and son were at the back of the stage while the administration standard-bearer delivered his speech, cheering Teodoro with tambourines in hand. Afterwards, Teodoro posed for pictures with supporters, many of them females. He even managed to reply with conviction to questions thrown his way by the press—a trait he obviously got from years of practicing law. Since the start of the local campaigns, life has been this way for the 45-year old presidential aspirant: traveling to different parts of the country, interacting with local officials who are members of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, and wooing the residents in the hope that he can get their support in the May 10 polls. Loyalty to ruling party Teodoro seems to have the makings of the country’s next chief executive—youthful, intelligent, and with ample experience in both the executive and legislative branches of government. One of his rivals for the presidency, former President Joseph Estrada, even called him “the most qualified" candidate for the country’s top post. Yet, Teodoro continues to stay stuck in fourth place in various pre-election presidential preference surveys, registering only single digit ratings. Critics attribute Teodoro’s stagnant survey ranking to his association with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who anointed him as Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s standard-bearer in 2009. Teodoro also owes his experience in the executive branch to Mrs. Arroyo: he was appointed in 2007 by the President as secretary of the Department of National Defense, a post he held after finishing his three terms as representative of Tarlac’s first district. Throughout his campaign, however, Teodoro has repeatedly denied that he is Mrs. Arroyo’s “yes man." In one interview, he asserted that he is “nobody’s lapdog" to assure the public that he will act independently if elected president. “Hindi ko na kailangang iharap ang sarili ko kanino man, sa ating mga kababayan kung ako ay magiging tuta lamang. Hindi ako tuta ng kahit na sino," Teodoro said. Despite these statements, Teodoro has stood by Mrs. Arroyo and the administration party. He said Mrs. Arroyo is fully behind his candidacy, even though the President never attended any of his political rallies. “Ako ay tumatakbo na hinirang ng Lakas-Kampi-CMD. I will stand and I will fall on that… Hindi ko naman kukunsintihin ang katiwalian, pero hindi ko naman gagawin ang ma-dramang paraan para lamang manalo," he said in one interview. Teodoro’s assurance of unwavering allegiance to the administration party, however, seems to have done little to engender loyalty among his party mates. Months into the campaign period, the administration party was faced with a slew of defections from key officials, including former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit" Singson and Mrs. Arroyo’s former economic adviser, Albay Gov. Jose Salceda. Teodoro’s camp has consistently downplayed these defections, saying Lakas-Kampi-CMD will continue to dominate the upcoming polls due to the party’s nationwide machinery. Lawyer Mike Toledo, Teodoro’s spokesperson, dismissed the trend as “a cleansing of the ranks" that will strengthen Teodoro’s campaign. The ‘Danding connection’ Teodoro’s association with a highly unpopular president is not the only issue hounding his bid for the country’s highest post. Before he was associated with Mrs. Arroyo, Teodoro was closely associated with an equally controversial figure—business tycoon and crony of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, Eduardo “Danding" Cojuangco Jr. Teodoro’s mother, former Batasang Pambansa assemblywoman Mercedes Cojuangco-Teodoro, is Danding’s sister. Teodoro is said to have been Danding’s favorite nephew, running thrice as Tarlac congressman under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), a political party founded by Danding. During his term at the House of Representatives, Teodoro was regarded as the NPC leader, spearheading controversial moves such as the impeachment complaint against former Chief Justice Hilario Davide in 2003 and efforts to change the Constitution. However, Teodoro is reported to have had a falling out with his uncle after he bolted the NPC in 2009 and joined the administration party. Danding’s daughter, Lisa Cojuangco-Cruz, said in a GMA News report that his father was “very hurt" when Teodoro left the party that has taken care of his political career for nine years. Teodoro’s sudden departure from the NPC was cited by Danding’s wife Gretchen as the reason why her family would support “anybody but Gibo (Teodoro’s nickname)" in the May polls. Danding has remained mum on the issue and his presidential choice. Teodoro has consistently refused to comment on the matter, saying the rift between him and Danding’s family are “familial issues" that should not be discussed in public. "This does not have any effect sa buhay ni Juan dela Cruz. Walang epekto 'yan sa plataporma de gobyerno o performance. Kaya iyan ay hindi dapat issue sa isang presidential election, and I am not going to go down to that level," he said in one interview. Positive, platform-centered campaign Throughout the three months he spent wooing voters all over the country, Teodoro has maintained that his campaign would be positive and platform-centered. He has refrained from mudslinging whenever pitted against his rivals, and constantly reminded his party mates to do the same. In keeping with his campaign slogan “Galing at Talino," the Lakas-Kampi-CMD often expounds on his plans on education, health care, and governance in all his sorties. Teodoro plans to reform the country’s education sector, so that each Filipino family will have at least one college graduate. He also wants to implement changes in the student loan program to make education more accessible to the poor. On health, Teodoro vouches for universal participative health care, where every Filipino gets covered by the same form of health benefits. He also believes in promoting medical tourism to keep Filipino doctors and nurses in the country. “(Dapat) gawing mandatory ang health care sa lahat ng Pilipino whether sa private health care providers or public. Isama mo yan sa isang sistema para lahat pwedeng mag-contribute ‘yung may kakayahan," he said in his interview on GMA 7’s “Kandidato." During the campaign period, Teodoro made a controversial turnaround of his stand on reproductive health. From initially supporting the much-disputed Reproductive Health Bill, the Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet softened his stand. “With a problem so close to the bedroom such as this, we must work with each other. The government should be neutral and committed to support a moral choice," he said in one interview. Teodoro said he changed his stand “to please disparate sectors," particularly the Catholic Church. A few months before the campaign, he had said he will not withdraw his support for the RH bill even if he incurs the ire of the Church, saying he believes the use of contraceptives should be a personal choice and not dictated by the State. Teodoro has vowed to continue Mrs. Arroyo’s programs, especially those involving “long term infrastructure" and her low-cost housing program. However, he maintained that his presidency will not merely be a continuation of the current government. “May sarili akong pag-iisip. May sarili akong mga pananaw ... I’d like to do things my way," Teodoro said. As the campaigns wind up, Teodoro believes that his message of moving forward— summed up in his campaign jingle “Sulong Gibo"— will convince the people that he should be entrusted the country’s leadership for the next six years. His biggest challenge, however, is proving that his “Galing at Talino" comes from a mind that is his own, and not from the powers-that-be that continue to be associated with his name even as the presidential race draws to a homestretch. – YA, GMANews.TV