Two-Day Negros swing shows Sugarlandia is "Gibo Country"

BACOLOD CITY—Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gibo Teodoro has ended a two-day swing in Negros Occidental on a high spirit as the unexpectedly huge crowd turn-out in multi-city rallies organized by local government leaders and volunteer groups had shorn up his supporters’ claim that this vote-rich Visayan province will be “Gibo country” come May 10.

“My heartfelt thank you to all of you Negrenses. Now what can people say in Manila? We’re sure of victory because you are with us,” said Gibo at the end of rallies from Sipalay City to Bacolod City on Thursday and from San Carlos City to Silay City the day after.

“The groundswell of support here in Negros was simply very much amazing not only because of the help of our local politicians but more so because of the volunteers. It’s pure conviction by the people that Gibo deserves to become the country’s next president,” said former press secretary Mike Toledo, who is now Gibo’s spokesman and head of the G1BO 2010 Media Bureau.

Gibo combed the southern and northern portions of Negros, a province with at least 1.3 million voters, stopping in more than a dozen towns and cities where he was warmly welcomed not only by hugs, kisses, cheers but also fireworks.

Aside from the above-mentioned cities, Gibo led his running-mate Edu Manzano and the ruling party’s senatorial ticket in rallies in other places like Cauayan, Ilog, Himamaylan and Manapla plus the cities of Kabankalan, San Escalante, Cadiz and Victorias.

In this city on Thursday night, the plaza turned into a sea of green, Gibo’s campaign color, as an estimated crowd of more than 10,000 brushed elbows, setting aside their social economic classes.

A dazzling fireworks spectacle made possible by volunteers’ donations kept the crowd’s mouths and eyes wide open in awe.

Police and plaza vendors said this was the largest political rally in recent years in Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental.

Rep. Monico Puentebella, of this city’s lone district, expressed confidence that Gibo would emerge as winner in Bacolod City given his solid foothold among the voters, as shown by the massive crowd turnout at the plaza.

“Gibo has high chances of winning in Bacolod because he is strong among the youth, the academe and the professionals here,” the three-term lawmaker stressed. “If you have the support of these groups, winning is not far here.”

Puentevella, who is on his last term as lone representative of the city but seeking the mayoralty seat, vowed to campaign hard by using the local party machinery in barangay level to ensure Gibo’s victory in this Ilonggo-speaking city.

Also dubbed as the “City of Smiles,” this city has a voting population of at least 252,000.
Puentevella assured that he is sticking with Gibo till the May 10 polls, stressing his loyalty to the ruling party where he is a member for 20 years now.

“Gibo has a brilliant mind among the presidential pack,” Puentevella described the former defense secretary, who is also a Harvard-trained lawyer and 1989 bar topnotcher.

Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo, who is running virtually unopposed in the fifth district of Negros, was all the more bullish over the chances of Gibo in Negros.

“We will make Negros Occidental a ‘Gibo Country,’” the President’s brother-in-law said.
Arroyo reiterated his show of full support to Gibo by sitting beside the former defense secretary at the gymnasium and introducing him to the crowd of about 2,000 as the best person to lead the country.

Arroyo said the local machinery of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party is now coming into play to pave the way for Gibo’s victory in next month’s balloting.

Early this week, in a meeting of the national executive committee of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, the President gave the marching order for party members to work for the victory of Gibo in May 10 polls.

For his part, Negros Gov. Isidro Zayco, who accompanied Gibo all the way in his Negros sorties, said: “We’ll do our best to make Gibo a winner in Negros.”

Zayco said that 15 to 16 mayors in the province are now solidly behind Gibo in his journey to Malacañang.

Himamaylan Mayor Mencit Bascon vowed to make Gibo the winner in her city with a voting population of some 55,000.

“People in our town believe that he’s qualified to be the president of the Philippines,” said Bascon, who is on her last term but fielding her son Tint as her replacement.

Now running for vice mayor, Bascon said she was awed by the brilliant ideas of Gibo, a Harvard-trained lawyer and 1989 bar topnotcher, on how to make the Philippines a better nation.

Manapla town Mayor Manuel Escalante, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Negros Occidental, said that Gibo has the solid support of the mayors from the southern and northern portions of the province.

“We believe that he has the sincerity and the capacity to lead the country to further development,” Escalante said in behalf of the incumbent mayors of Lakas-Kampi-CMD.
In Escalante City, the hometown of basketball star James Yap, husband of showbiz celebrity Kris Aquino, his magic is apparently not potent enough to push the bid of his brother-in-law, Sen. Noynoy Aquino.

Mayor Yap said he would campaign for Gibo in his city of at least 53,000 voters because the ruling party standard bearer is a leader worth to be proud of. Escalante City is about 95 kilometers north from this city.

“In fact, I go around campaigning in my locality wearing green,” Yap said.
“Gibo is very intelligent and not a traditional politician,” said Mayor Yap, who disclosed that since the local campaign period, his team has been conducting three to six sorties daily, and never forgetting to include Gibo in these campaigns.

Cebu’s dominant local party, One Cebu, and the influential Garcia clan led by Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia and his children—Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Rep, Pablo John Garcia—have thrown their full support for the former defense chief, with the governor proclaiming the province as “Gibo country.”

Zayco and Garcia are two of 50 governors who have thrown their full support behind Gibo all the way till the May 10 polls.

Hinoba-an City Mayor Ma. Teresa Locsin Bilbao said: “I believe in Gibo’s capability and intelligence. He has the clearest and most plausible platform compared to others.”

In Cadiz City, Mayor Salvador Escalante expressed confidence that Gibo would earn the trust of the voters numbering to at least 82,000.

Escalante said he has command votes of over 30,000 voters that would also likely choose Gibo over the other presidential contenders.

“Gibo’s two secret weapons—his apparent lock on the youth vote and the formidable machinery of the ruling party—will ensue his poll victory come May 10,” said Toledo.

Roughly 70 percent of almost 19,000 candidates aspiring for local elective posts in the May balloting belong to Lakas-Kampi-CMD, Toledo said.-30-