Gibo: Filipinos deserve only the best

MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro said the Filipino deserves only the best during his miting de avance at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila Friday night.

The crowd of thousands was composed mostly of youth groups and urban poor organizations clad in green.

“The time has come for Filipinos to make a decision, to decide on their future,” Teodoro said in Filipino.

“The whole world is watching. They will not only see if the elections are clean. They will not only see if the process is orderly. They will find out if Filipinos can choose the best leader who can handle our nation’s problems,” he added.

Teodoro said the people, especially the poor, are tired of being used and being subjected to “mind-conditioning.”

“We will be heard and we will not allow our country to remain a bottom-dweller anymore,” he said.

He reminded his supporters that he did not make promises he knew he could not keep, saying he would continue to promote unity, instead of sowing intrigues.

“I will bring out the best in the Filipino,” Teodoro said.

Throughout his speech, the administration bet stuck with his positive message and made very little reference to his political opponents.

With him on stage were his wife Tarlac Rep. Monica and their son Gilberto, vice presidential candidate Edu Manzano, and the administration senatorial slate led by Rey Langit, Ramon Guico, Raul Lambino, Silvestre Bello III, and reelectionist Sen. Lito Lapid. Reelectionist Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. was not present.

Seen among the crowd were actress Ruffa Gutierrez, her mother Anabelle Rama, and beauty queen Miriam Quiambao.

History in the making

Teodoro said he is leaving his presidential bid to the wise judgment of the voting public, but senior party officials said he is on the brink of pulling off a come from behind victory in the hotly contest presidential elections.

“Filipinos everywhere have been changed by Gibo’s campaign - no mudslinging, no dirty tricks but a campaign of ideas and programs of what can work best for this country. Now there is a Gibo bandwagon, triggered by a silent majority which will elect the real candidate of change in this election,” Ray Roquero, Lakas-Kampi-CMD secretary-general, said referring to the mammoth crowd at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Roquero said there is a massive voters’ movement toward Gibo because a vote for him is now being considered as a vote for efficiency, intelligence, stability and national reconciliation.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD president Francis Manglapus brushed off the poll surveys, saying millions more who belong to the silent majority will deliver the votes for Teodoro tomorrow.

“I’ve seen how beautiful this country is. It can go very far. Now we have this golden opportunity to stand up, to choose the right one, and heal the division. This is a chance for us to show that we will not be deceived by the popular sentiments being sold by others,” Teodoro declared before the roaring crowd who filled the Rizal track and field oval.

What triggered the groundswell of support for Teodoro, Roquero said, were two major events that could give as many as 12-14 million votes to the administration’s standard-bearer on election day.

The first was the Cebu City rally last week where 62 governors, 168 congressmen and more than 1,200 city and town mayors affirmed Teodoro as their choice for president.

Teodoro’s potential votes from local areas dominated by Lakas-Kampi candidates running unopposed are estimated to be from 8 to 12 million, Roquero said.

Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s endorsement, according to party officials, was also a major development that could catapult Teodoro to the Palace. - Jaime Laude