Gibo Pins Hope On Young Voters
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/247944/youth-smarter-voters-key-gibo-ratin...
By ARIS R. ILAGANMarch 15, 2010, 5:53pm
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The ratings of Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. are expected to shore up further with the ever-growing support of the youth sector, more intelligent voters, and the party’s formidable political machinery, campaign spokesman Mike Toledo said Monday.
In the latest survey of the Campaign and Images, Teodoro has already overtaken Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III from the No. 2 slot.
The survey said Gibo’s ratings took off from single-digit levels in December 2009 to 24 percent in March due to “the political machinery of the administration party and (his efforts of) touching base with local government politicians seeking re-election into various offices.”
It also noted that Teodoro’s campaign relies heavily on “a large network of volunteers… in colleges and universities that by far put him well-entrenched in the psyche of voters across the 18-28 and 29-39 age brackets.”
“The survey, ending March 7, shows that the Filipino voter is no longer swayed by candidates' staged spectacles and unsubstantiated self promotion gimmicks.” Toledo said, adding that “the survey convinces us that we can be confident that today's voters, especially the youth are discerning and can recognize a candidate's true worth.”
“Gibo's campaign will not engage in condescending methods of bringing 'artistas' because we want our platforms to be the basis for our candidates to be chosen. We recognize that a voter's intelligence and discernment is equal among the social classes despite differences in economic standing. Intelligent discussion of a candidate's platforms and qualifications is not a monopoly of the A&B classes."
Massive survey conducted on more than 5,000 respondents throughout the country confirmed Teodoro breaking through the double digit glass ceiling of voters’ preference for next May's elections.
“He is (at) double digit (percentage levels of preference) now. He will continue to surge. We believe the local machinery will provide another 10 to 15 percent,” Toledo underscored, even as he added that the survey was conducted on a larger survey sample, three times more than the usual 1,500 individuals supposedly interviewed by enumerators of other surveys.
Teodoro posted an impressive 24 percent in the survey, placing second to Nacionalista Party (NP) presidential candidate Sen. Manny Villar’s 31 percent.
Elated by the survey result, Teodoro expressed confidence that his popularity rating among the youth will propel him and surge once the campaign period for local government candidates starts on March 26.
Seventy percent of local government candidates are affiliated with the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD – a dominant party that is expected to win the majority positions in the May elections.
Teodoro’s spokesman stressed that the local officials support could bring in “a 10 to 15 percent increase to Gibo’s popularity rating.”
Meanwhile, the Liberal Party (LP) warned the public against reported bogus surveys.
LP issued the warning as it expressed concern about “clear efforts” of other presidential candidates to mislead the public in terms of fake surveys.
Senator Francis Pangilinan, the LP campaign manager for his party's senatorial ticket, was reacting to a series of press statements over the weekend to the effect that the ranking in surveys supposedly conducted by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) showed that Nacionalista Party presidential bet Sen. Manny Villar is number one while Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard bearer Gilbert Teodoro is number two.
“The PPCRV has denied they have conducted any survey and the results of such a bogus survey claiming Villar is 1 and Gibo is 2. We express concern about these clear efforts to mislead the public and media, in terms of bogus surveys,” Pangilinan pointed out.
“We believe that such tactic is primarily meant to undermine and to place the campaign of (LP standard bearer Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino III and his running mate Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II) in a negative light,” he added. (With a report from Roy C. Mabasa)
