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Defense Secretary Gilbert 'Gibo' Teodoro

Photo Credit: Voyforums

In a sudden turn of events, the ruling party Lakas-Kampi-CMD has anointed Defense Secretary Gilbert ‘Gibo’ Teodoro over Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando last Wednesday, September 16. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita also announced that the administration party selected Local Government Ronaldo Puno as their vice-presidential bet for the coming May 2010 election. The selection process was made by its 65-member national executive committee wherein Teodoro got a landslide vote of 42 against Fernando. The MMDA chairman only got 5 votes.

Now, people like me are wondering why the ruling party picked this guy over the ‘popular’ Fernando. Listed below are some interesting information about this presidential aspirant:

Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo ‘Gilbert’ ‘Gibo’ Cojuangco Teodoro Jr. is the current Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines. He assumed the position since August 2007. He was also a former member of the House of Representatives from 1998 to 2007 representing the first district of Tarlac province.

Teodoro spent his primary and secondary school years in Xavier School and completed his bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the De La Salle University in 1984. He finished his law studies at the University of the Philippines in 1989 and topped the Philippine Bar Examinations in the same year. Then, right after he worked as a lawyer in the EP Mendoza EP Mendoza Law Firm for seven years, Gibo went to the Harvard Law School for his Master of Laws and completed the course in 1997. He was also admitted to the State Bar of New York during the same year.

Teodoro is no stranger to politics as he was a member of a famous political clan in the Philippines. He is the only child of the former Social Security Administrator Gilberto Teodoro Sr. and former Batasang Pambansa member Mercedes Cojuangco-Teodoro. Interestingly, Gibo and Noynoy Aquino are relatives as Gibo’s mom Mercedes and former President Corazon ‘Cory’ Cojuangco Aquino were first cousins. Gibo also seems to be favored in the political arena as he belongs to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s trusted inner circle and have a strong political support from his very wealthy uncle “former presidential aspirant” Eduardo ‘Danding’ Cojuangco Jr., chairman of San Miguel Corporation and was a close advisor of former President Ferdinand Marcos.

But personally, I have a lot of questions on why he was picked over Bayani Fernando:

1. I find the selection a surprise as Teodoro was never a frontrunner in the SWS survey even before Noynoy declared his presidential bid. As far as ‘winnability’ is concern, the chances are nil. So why him over Bayani?
2. I am not a Bayani Fernando supporter but Fernando is qualified too and more popular than Teodoro since the beginning of the selection. In fact, only a few from the so-called masa literally know this guy and when I say a few, maybe we are talking about the .2 percent of the Filipino people. Please do the math.
3. And lastly, people would agree that Noynoy and Gibo have the same excellent pedigree but the similarity ends there. Why? Gibo will always be associated with the Arroyo government and has this inclination to continue the Arroyo’s legacy. So, in a nutshell, Arroyo will still be a boss to him.

Hmmm, with all the questions I raised above,  I can only say that:

I want to hear him sincerely talking about his agenda on the current situation of the Philippines. Like, on how he will deal with the poverty rate, unemployment and the rampant corruption in the government. By then, I can truly agree with the press release that he has a more substance and heart to win than Noynoy.

To be honest, mas marami pa kasi siyang dapat patunayan because the bottomline of being a President is to serve the people of the Philippines and not just the few  “yan kasi ang nakikita kong wala sa aura” ni Gibo.

Just my two cents here.