MANILA - The administration coalition attributes Gilberto Teodoro's lackluster performance in surveys to Teodoro's lack of publicity.

After Pulse Asia released on Monday its latest presidential survey showing Teodoro still at the low end with only 2% voter preference, Lakas-Kampi-CMD secretary-general Gabriel Claudio said Teodoro himself refused to act as a politician or project himself as a candidate while he was still serving as national defense secretary.

Despite Teodoro's political advertisements as head of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, Claudio still claimed that Teodoro refused to use his position for media mileage.

Now that Teodoro has stepped down from the Department of National Defense (DND), Claudio said he expects their standard-bearer to be more exposed and that the public would be more familiar with his political agenda.

Teodoro turned over his post to National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales on Monday.

"We believe Secretary Teodoro's only problem is his lack of exposure and people's awareness of him. This is mainly due to his sense of propriety and inhibition not to project himself as candidate and politician while still secretary of national defense. He even refused to take advantage of the recent calamities to gain publicity and media mileage," the president's political affairs adviser said.

"Now that he has stepped down from the DND, we do expect him to be able to maximize his exposure as a political contender. Once seen and heard by people, Teodoro has no problem connecting with them and impressing them as the best, brightest and most qualified among the presidentiables," Claudio said.

Professor Prospero de Vera of the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance told ANC on Monday that President Arroyo's decision to distance herself from Teodoro's campaign can help improve his rankings in presidential surveys.

But de Vera also warned that Teodoro's Lakas-Kampi CMD party could suffer more defections if its leadership does not settle bickering among its members.

'Rectos a big loss'

Meanwhile, de Vera believes the addition of former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Ralph Recto and his wife Batangas Governor Vilma Santos to the Liberal Party is a blow to both the Lakas-Kampi CMD party and Senator Manny Villar's Nacionalista Party.

But de Vera also said the LP could lose the support of some groups if they don't like the politicians who will join the party.

He said the problem with Recto's addition to the LP senatorial ticket is that it dilutes the "good versus evil message" and the "opposition message of the LP."

Recto was one of the principal advocates of the expanded Value-Added Tax law, which raised VAT from 10% to 12% on many commodities and services. He lost in his re-election bid in 2007.

For his part, House Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. said the departure of the Rectos from Lakas-Kampi-CMD is "not good news to us in the administration...quite a heavy loss, too."

Deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said the move of the Rectos was "their personal choice," and "they are free to do that because we are in a multi-party system."

He said President Arroyo has "always been supportive to everybody kung ano ang personal decision ng mga taong malalapit sa kanya."

Golez said one reason for the departure of some party members is that the slots of the Lakas-Kampi are being filled, which means others who are not accommodated will go to other parties.

Meanwhile, Nacionalista Party senatorial bet Adel Tamano said that "in a multi-party system, politicians are free to affiliate with parties of their choice. Although I cannot wish them luck since we have our own candidates, I wish both Mr. Recto and Governor Vilma well." -- with reports from RG Cruz and Ron Gagalac, ABS-CBN News; ANC