MANILA-(1st UPDATE)-The ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD formally proclaimed on Thursday former Defense Secretary Gilbert 'Gibo' Teodoro and former Optical Media Board chair Edu Manzano as their presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the May 10, 2010 polls.

Speaking at the party's national convention at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Teodoro accepted the challenge to run for president, and vowed to continue the excellent work of the Arroyo administration if he wins the coming 2010 elections.

"This is perhaps the biggest challenge of my life but I am not afraid to accept it because it is not just my challenge but ours. We will work together to achieve our goals," he said in Filipino.

Teodoro cited the numerous achievements of President Arroyo and the ruling coalition, including positive economic growth in the country despite the global economic downturn.

He said his campaign will be founded, not on criticism, but on performance.

"I was told it's hard to campaign. It's true because the easiest way to campaign is to criticize. But we will not criticize. We will campaign while continuing to perform day in and day out for our people," he said.

He said the country now faces numerous challenges, including the after-effects of twin storms that left P38 billion in damages to the country, mostly in the agriculture sector.
 
If elected, Teodoro vowed to raise the plight of impoverished Filipinos through continued free access to tertiary education, granting of state and participative health insurance, and access to capital and credit for small businesses.

He said he will work to educate more citizens to become entrepreneurs "so that their enterprises shall provide engines of productivity."

He added that he hopes to stimulate the economy through modernization of air, sea and land transport, increase in infrastructure, lowering costs of production and distribution, and reduction of dependence on foreign energy sources.

In summary, he said a vote for himself and Lakas-Kampi vice-presidential bet Edu Manzano would be a vote of confidence in their capability to deliver on their promises.

"I promise that hindi kayo mabibigo!" he said.

Edu hits critics: 'I have K'

In formally accepting his vice-presidential nomination under the ruling party, Manzano lambasted his detractors for zeroing in “on one aspect of my being” only--as TV host and actor.

“My friends, after the announcement that I’ve accepted the nomination to be the running mate of Secretary Gibo (Gilbert) Teodoro, may mga nagtaas ng mga kilay at nagsabing wala po akong 'K' kasi ako daw ay isa lamang aktor at entertainment personality,” he said at the party’s national convention at the Philippine International Convention Center.

He said that by doing so, his critics are also questioning the competence of those from the entertainment industry as a whole to efficiently serve the public.

More so, Manzano said, his detractors are also in effect doubting the “intellectual capacity” of Filipinos to vote for the right leader.

He said lawyers, doctors, engineers, businessmen and rich people are not the only ones who are capable of serving the public.

Contrary to criticisms, he also maintained that he has a solid background in public service.

Record of service

Manzano went on to enumerate his credentials. He pointed out that he served the Makati City government as its vice mayor from 1998 to 2001. He was also a former national president of the Vice Mayors League of the Philippines and member of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines.

He also served as chairman of the Optical Media Board from 2004 to 2009. 

“They (critics) conveniently close their eyes and minds to the fact that I have had training and experience in the military. I have worked in banking, in shipping, and hotel industries before entering the field of entertainment and the political arena,” he said.  

“But beyond that… I also offer my honest labor, my personal integrity and dedication to duty fortified by my experience in local governance and law enforcement," he added.

He also pointed out that he has never turned his back on any call to serve the country, saying he would never do a "Cotto." He was referring to Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto's strategy to stay away from Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao in the latter rounds of their bout last Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

‘Perfect harmony’

Before coming out with his decision to be Teodoro’s running mate, he had a series of meetings and discussions with “persons I highly respect” and who believe that he has what it takes to bring about change in the country. 

Manzano, who has been a Lakas member since 2001, said he decided to run under the administration because the vision and platform of the ruling party are in “perfect harmony” with his principles.

On November 13, Lakas-Kampi-CMD stalwart Ronaldo Puno announced that Manzano will be the running mate of Teodoro, citing his "unmatched intelligence,” experience in local governance, and genuine concern for the youth.

Manzano said he is pledging his “entire being” to attain victory in May 2010, and to be “an instrument with which to help our people to a new and more vibrant tomorrow.”

Arroyo: Lakas-Kampi the dominant party

Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said the Lakas-Kampi-CMD remains the "dominant party of our generation," despite the defections of key members to the Liberal Party (LP) and the Nacionalista Party (NP).

"Our party has been the largest political party for 15 of the last 17 years. Seventy-two percent of the country's elected leaders are part of us. Think of it, almost 3 out of 4 elected leaders are party members. This overwhelming majority confirms that our party is the true party of the people," Mrs. Arroyo said.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD secretary-general Gabriel Claudio said Mrs. Arroyo stood in front of 2,894 political leaders from all over the country during Thursday's party convention.

Although the ruling party is the country's dominant party, Mrs. Arroyo said they are faced with the "arduous task" of getting their national candidates elected.

Teodoro has been lagging behind in the presidential surveys.

The party’s vice-presidential candidate, Edu Manzano, is in the top 12 senatorial aspirants based on opinion polls, but has yet to be included in vice-presidential surveys.

'Lakas is party of future'

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, the erstwhile Lakas-Kampi-CMD party’s senior vice-president for external affairs, has left the ruling party. He has taken his oath of membership with the LP, which is endorsing the presidential bid of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Sen. Miguel Zubiri, Lakas-Kampi-CMD vice-president for Mindanao, earlier said that at least 40% of their members nationwide have defected either to the LP or the NP of Sen. Manuel Villar.

Mrs. Arroyo said in her speech that they are banking on Teodoro and Manzano to lead the party to becoming the “party of the future.”

She said she is expecting the tandem to continue the economic reforms implemented by her administration, which, she said, would lift the country to a “first world” status.

"But first things first. Let us get them elected," she said, urging the local leaders to work harder and earn votes for the Gibo-Edu tandem and maintain their loyalty to the party.

Mrs. Arroyo said she was relinquishing her post as Lakas-Kampi-CMD national chairman to Teodoro.

She also announced that Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, the party’s national president, and party secretary-general Gabriel Claudio, have also volunteered to give up their posts to “other dynamic, capable, young representatives of the next generation.”

Wrong estimate

Raymundo Roquero, the party’s deputy secretary-general, said Zubiri’s estimate that 40% of party members had defected was way off.

“We remain the dominant party in the country today. Some are leaving but several new members are coming,” Roquero told reporters before the convention commenced.

Roquero estimated the number of defections at only 15 percent, which, he said, is to be expected during election periods.

He admitted Belmonte’s defection is a big loss because Quezon City is known as one of the vote-rich cities in the country.

He said they are now planning to reach out to barangay leaders to maintain their base in the city.

Political machinery matters

Political analyst Edmund Tayao of the Local Government Development Foundation said that despite his low popularity, Teodoro still has a chance to win the presidency in 2010.

“Anyone in the administration would have an advantage of the [political] machinery [of Lakas-Kampi-CMD],” Tayao told ANC on Thursday.

He said Teodoro may have taken the chance of being endorsed by an unpopular Arroyo due to the party’s machinery.

He added that Teodoro’s confidence and “right competence” also give him a plus as a presidential candidate.