By Bernice Camille V. Bauzon Reporter

Branding themselves as “transformational leaders,” Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon and former Chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Tuesday sealed their bid for the top two posts in the country by filing their candidacy.
Fernando, who earlier made clear his intention to run for nothing else but the presidency, agreed to be Gordon’s vice presidential running mate under their party Bagumbayan-Volunteers for a New Philippines.
Gordon said that his platforms and values mirror those of Fernando, so they decided to join forces.
He prided himself in proving his leadership as mayor of Olongapo City in Zambales province and administrator of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, also in Zambales.

“We are here to face the problems. We are not here to fix the blame,” Gordon said, adding that filing their candidacy proved that they are committed to their vision, and that they are courageous enough to go through the challenges of a national campaign.

“We cannot hide behind money . . . [or] behind birthright and pedigree because [these] are not enough,” he said.

The running mates, however, did not elaborate on their platform of government.

“We are not going to promise new things right away. We promise you hard work . . . a lot of sweat, a lot of encouragement. We are not going to preach despair. We are going to preach hope,” Gordon said.
He added that he and Fernando will make sure that “change will take place in the country” once they are elected.

The senator was the principal author of Republic Act 9369, or the Automated Election Law, which aims to eliminate cheating during elections.

Fernando was first elected to public office in 1992 when he won the mayoralty race in Marikina City (Metro Manila). He was twice reelected as mayor until 2001 and appointed as Metropolitan Manila Develpoment Authority (MMDA) chief in 2002 by President Gloria Arroyo.
He and Gordon have no senatorial candidates.

Gibo and Edu

Also filing their candidacy on Tuesday, the deadline for doing so, were former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro and his running mate, former Optical Media Board chief Edu Manzano.

They were joined at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) by Sen. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., former Senate President Franklin Drilon, former Sen. Agapito “Butz” Aquino, Environment Sec. Joselito Atienza, Councilor Jejomar Erwin “Jun-Jun” Binay of Makati City (Metro Manila) and boxing superstar Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao.

Except for Pacquiao who filed his candidacy with the local Comelec office in Alabel town, Sarangani province in southern Mindanao, and for Binay, who filed his also with the local Comelec office, the rest of the deadline beaters filed theirs with the Comelec central office in Intramuros, Manila.
PacMan is running for congressman in Sarangani, facing a powerful political family.

Teodoro is the standard-bearer of the administration party—Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats —and Manzano, his running mate.

Madrigal is running for president as an independent candidate.

Revilla is seeking reelection and Drilon is making another bid for the Senate.

Aquino and Binay are going after the mayor’s seat in Makati City and Atienza, the same seat in Manila now occupied by Mayor Alfredo Lim.

Teodoro confident

Teodoro, despite placing last in presidential surveys, said that he was confident about winning next year’s balloting.

“I’m very confident that people will realize the value of tested performance with a good platform of balanced reform . . . we have a track record of performance and so the people should judge on that basis,” he added.

Running for the presidency, Teodoro said, is “a challenge [but] the best joy is to prove the surveys wrong.”

In his four-man senatorial lineup are Revilla, Sen. Lito Lapid, Mayor Ramon Guico and broadcaster Rey Langit.

Teodoro is a nephew of San Miguel Corp. Chairman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuango Jr. and late former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino.

A member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and a Harvard Law alumni, he is also a licensed commercial pilot and a reserve colonel in the Philippine Air Force.

With Report From Cris G. Odronia