Gilbert Teodoro and his wife, Nikki Prieto-Teodoro, who cheered him on at the MBC forum

MANILA, Philippines – He may have a sound economic platform, but presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s link to an unpopular president still proves worrisome to influential business leaders.

Teodoro had presented his business agenda before executives and dignitaries at the third and last Makati Business Club (MBC) General Membership meeting on Thursday.

Previous presidential candidates who met with the MBC to present their economic platforms are Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III (Liberal Party) and Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party).

MBC executive director Alberto Lim told reporters that he was impressed by Teodoro’s economic agenda, but that his ties to the Arroyo administration prevent some businessmen from showing support.

“[Teodoro] has said he is running because of GMA. We don't want to have anything to do with GMA,” Lim said.

MBC Chairman Ramon del Rosario, meanwhile, said in his remarks that it is a “real pity that [Teodoro] is associated with…the most disliked president in the post-Marcos era.”

Del Rosario said Teodoro has both the credentials and intelligence to be a good president.

Something to prove

Lim explained that business leaders wonder whether Teodoro’s link to Arroyo translates to a continuation of her policies and type of governance.

“He has to be different from the people who are backing him up. That’s a problem because he owes so many people in this administration,” he said.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who has had record low trust ratings, appointed Teodoro as defense secretary in 2007.

Arroyo and Teodoro are part of the same political party Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

Lim said Filipinos’ choice of leader this year is crucial in determining whether the country’s economic situation will improve through policy stability, a fair justice system and proper enforcement of laws.

The MBC is a non-stock, non-profit business association composed of over 800 CEOs and business executives from 450 corporations.

Business-friendly

Though business leaders are worried about his link to the Arroyo administration, Del Rosario said Teodoro still has “a noteworthy base of supporters among MBC members.”

Teodoro was the second most popular choice for president in an MBC in-house survey on the May elections last December 2009.

The Lakas standard-bearer also had a noteworthy base of support among female audiences (including his wife Tarlac 1st district Rep. Monica Prieto-Teodoro), who gave him a standing ovation after his speech at the MBC forum.

Teodoro expounded on his plan to raise economic growth by 8% per year on a sustainable basis and raise per capita income from $1,900 to $3,200 by 2016 then double this by 2018.

Some highlights of his business agenda are:

• Providing financial assistance farmers who will be affected by El Niño (extreme heat and little rain), mechanizing farming processes, and efficiently implementing land reform
• rewarding business-friendly, environmentally-friendly and managerially-advanced national and local government agencies; and, reforming the civil service process to include non-degree expertise
• institutionalizing the independence of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, simplifying the tax process and improving tax collection
• using 100 days of goodwill to attract investors; and building a logical network of long-term infrastructure.

Same goals?

Lim said Aquino, Villar and Teodoro all “said the same thing” in terms of their plans for infrastructure, investments and fiscal stability.

However, Lim said Teodoro’s health and education plans stood out more than the other candidates because it was “a little more specific.”

Teodoro wants to make public health insurance universal to all Filipinos by making membership to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) mandatory.

He wants to continue the basic education roadmap and invest in tertiary education through a P3 to 5 billion worth student loan program.

Teodoro also wants to increase the number of bona fide Master’s and Doctorate degree holders in the country.

Lim said Teodoro “did well” in the question and answer portion.

Won’t accept Cabinet role

Gilberto Teodoro Jr. at the Makati Business Club forum where he shared his economic agenda

Teodoro was asked about about private armies, what he plans for the Office of the Ombudsman, and whether he will accept a Cabinet position if he does not win as president.

Teodoro promised to review the performance of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who has been criticized for not acting on corruption cases filed against Arroyo and her allies.

He did not say if he will reappoint her, but assured he will find “someone who appears credible and who is credible.”

Teodoro will refuse a Cabinet position offered by any of his rival candidates. “I think that I can be in public service without being in government anymore,” Teodoro said.

As for appointing a rival presidential candidate in a Cabinet position, Teodoro is “open to appointing the most competent person at a particular time for a particular job.”

Prodded about the proliferation of paramilitary forces used by local warlords as private armies, Teodoro defended the military’s need for special forces during his stint as defense secretary.

He added, though, that there should have been a “cadre” overseeing these special units.

Teodoro repeated his call to beef up police and military forces as the country’s population grows. He said the current forces are insufficient to protect the country’s coastlines and to quash insurgency. Report and photos by Kristine Servando, Newsbreak.