Administration presidential bet Gilbert Cojuangco Teodoro Jr. was in The STAR yesterday for a free-for-all with STAR editors, reporters and columnists and each of those who threw a question at him were visibly impressed.
If his handlers want to project him as GALING and TALINO, they have every right to do so. Gilbert seems to have a deep well of both. And precisely because he is secure with his intelligence, he did tell those who gathered to “grill” him, “I don’t pretend to have all the answers.”
He even had an answer to the trick question on whether he would make President Arroyo, titular head of his political party Lakas, answer for her alleged wrongdoings if he became President.
He said he could not give an answer that would be “credible” at this point, but said he would address the issue when the time came. But he did score the government for its handling of the 43 Morong detainees who are allegedly communist sympathizers.
He was not always charming or engaging during our session with him, and sometimes, his answers were quite boring (who isn’t bored with statistics and the fine print on international treaties?) but if it was knowledge you were looking for in a President, you could end your search in Gilbert’s brain. The UP and Harvard-trained Bar topnotcher was never at a loss for words during the three-hour press conference held at The STAR office. But he fumbled once — when he saw Allure assistant editor Büm Tenorio Jr.’s face redden, as the room erupted in giggles, after he addressed Büm as “Pare.”
Realizing his faux pax, he immediately reversed himself and said, “I’m sorry, Büm, I didn’t realize till it was too late that...” Büm forgave him.
But what impressed me most about Gilbert was not his galing and talino — I expected that of him — but his answer to the question: “What would you do in your first 100 days in office?
“I will reach out to my political opponents,” was his answer, adding, “I want to forget the acrimony of the elections.”
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Gilbert’s classmates from Xavier high school — like STAR president Miguel Belmonte, Motorpool Supervisor Juanito Chua, Anthony Sia, Robert Tan, Nelson Chuaunsu, Carlos Uy, Samson Lim, lawyer Ernest Maceda, Harold King, Edison Dy, Claro Gosiaco and Dr. Willie Ong — showed their quiet but full support by being there for him. Except for Miguel, who joined the press conference with his brother, another Xavier alumnus, STAR editor-in-chief Isaac Belmonte, all the Xavier boys waited patiently for Gilbert in the sidelines, foregoing lunch till 3 p.m.
Gilbert himself restricts himself to one full meal a day, usually protein-rich. He tries to have dinner every night with his wife, Tarlac Rep. Nikki Prieto-Teodoro, at home. A mean cook himself (among his favorite books are cookbooks), Gilbert believes one of his greatest assets is his sense of taste, a “very sensual” attribute. One of his greatest accomplishments is learning how to eat sinigang na liempo and crispy pata without rice — a difficult process for a foodie like him. But this six-footer has managed to keep trim by adhering to that diet and despite having quit smoking in August 2008.
He starts his day by digesting the contents of the day’s newspaper with a cup of black coffee. He ends his day with a prayer.
What does he pray for aside from winning the presidency?
Aside from praying for the good health of his family, he prays that, “God’s will be done.”
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What does he think will make him win the tightly-contested presidential elections?
“Awareness.” Awareness of his platform and what he has to offer in a Teodoro presidency. He believes his strength is the youth sector. “I have a strong following with the youth sector. I am hoping that we can leverage that, and that when vacation time comes, they can spread out and effectively spread the message.”
Gilbert and Nikki have an 11-year-old son, Jaime. If he becomes President, he does not discount the probability that he will seek Nikki’s advice, as it is not unusual, he says, to seek the advice of family members. He knows for sure that if Nikki becomes first lady, she will actively pursue the cause of child welfare.
An only child, he promises not to put any of his relatives in confidential positions in his office if elected. He has not spoken recently to his uncle, tycoon Danding Cojuangco and his wife Gretchen, who was quoted as saying “Anybody but Gibo” for the presidency. It seems that Gilbert has gotten over that, and is moving on. He doesn’t appear to be nursing a broken heart because of it.
His blood pressure is above normal —130/100 before medication and 125/90 after — but Gilbert says he does not have a hot temper. He can get mad, and then simmer down easily (“galit militar” is how he describes it). He cries when watching tearjerkers, like the Wild Geese (starring Richard Burton) and says one of his most difficult tasks as defense secretary was meeting parents of soldiers slain in duty.
The man with the incredible brain seems to have a soft heart, too.
(You may e-mail me at joanneraeramirez@yahoo.com)