Gibo on a campaign sortie in Cebu province

Yesterday was a hectic day for me. Lakas-Kampi Presidential bet Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. accepted my invitation to be the guest on my show on Straight from the Sky with Gov. Gwen F. Garcia and her vice-gubernatorial bet Glenn Soco, which we taped yesterday morning for airing this coming Monday. SkyCable became the assembly point for the motorcade to escort GIBO to a rally at the Minglanilla Sports Complex.

Last Sunday, while I was still in Manila, I got a several text messages that the GIBO Green Team had more than a hundred cars making a swing to the Southern part of Cebu. The Green Team is composed of volunteers who spend their own funds in the pursuit of their hope and aspirations that they would help bring GIBO to Malacañang. They do not belong to any political party, not even the Lakas-Kampi. I didn’t get to see this spectacle of so many vehicles in one huge motorcade driving round south to campaign for GIBO.

Yesterday, I was a witness to the same spectacle. I was on the vehicle directly behind GIBO’s car, I couldn’t gauge how many cars were in that motorcade until I called my good friend Mr. Paquito Unchuan who was far behind. He told me that he was still near the Asilo de la Milagrosa while we were already in Fuente Osmeña. But as we got into SRP, it was then that I realized that we were not the lead vehicles in that motorcade. We had to overtake the vehicles so that we could be on the lead. Indeed, a hundred cars on that motorcade was something of a spectacle.

GIBO went to the Minglanilla Sports Complex to speak before some 15 thousand or more Barangay Health workers and Day Care workers from all over the Province of Cebu. The town of Minglanilla literally turned green as green ribbons festooned the streets and sidewalks. But what struck me was when Minglanilla Mayor Eduardo Selma came up on stage to acknowledge GIBO Teodoro and Gov. Gwen Garcia, welcoming them with open arms. An all the time, I thought that the 1st District would go for Sen. Villar. It just makes you wonder who would be voting for Sen. Noynoy in that town.

When Gov. Gwen spoke, she was acknowledged by the health workers with loud cheers for Gwen, Glenn and GIBO. In his speech. GIBO gave a tribute to Rep. Eddiegul Gullas as his mentor in Congress on Parliamentary Procedure. Watching all this unfold gives me the idea that GIBO is very welcome in the 1st District despite the commitments of Rep. Gullas to Sen. Villar. I guess this is a strategy that has been going on in today’s kind of politics. People like Erap would say that if you cannot vote for me, then vote for GIBO, a sentiment echoed by his son Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. It’s every man for himself.

GIBO Teodoro has that very unpolitical trait wherein he vehemently refuses to throw mud at his attackers. This is the kind of politician we need today because fighting one another is a waste of time and energy. GIBO would rather focus on the order of the day, campaigning vigorously and that’s exactly what he did in Cebu.

Yesterday, after Minglanilla, we didn’t go to Toledo City anymore, but he had lunch there and flew by chopper to DaanBantayan for a campaign rally at the National High School grounds, then drove to Medellin for the Fiesta and then to Bogo for the campaign rally at the Reclamation area. Then he had dinner at the residence of Mayoralty candidate for Bogo Mariquita S. Yeung. Then he drove to Danao City for another campaign rally at the Freedom stage and finally ended in the campaign rally in Lapu-Lapu City.

Today, GIBO’s schedule is even more hectic as he needs to go very long distances. Hence, he is flying by chopper to Camotes island for a campaign rally at the gym, then by 10:30 am, he flies to Bantayan Island for a campaign rally at the Plaza and then lunch at the Escario Residence. This is one house I’m very familiar with as Mayor Geralyn Escario is the childhood playmate of my wife Jessica. Presidents Garcia and Marcos visited Bantayan Island when they campaigned in Cebu.

Then from Bantayan Island, he flies to Dumanjug, the bailiwick of the Garcia’s for another rally then fly to Argao for another rally and drive to Carcar. Then from Carcar, he proceeds to Mandaue City for the big rally at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC). No doubt, this is a very rigorous campaign. But there is no doubt that GIBO is able to reach the furthest part of the Province of Cebu. From the way he campaigns so hard, he converts a lot of people to vote for him. Many even ask for green ballers during the motorcade; unfortunately, they ran out so quickly.

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