The administration’s presidential candidate appeared to be consolidating his lead over the so-called thinking class, according to a statement released on Sunday. “It’s no surprise that Lakas-Kampi CMD [Christian Muslim Democrats] presidential candidate Gilberto ‘Gibo’ Teodoro Jr. is making his presence felt with the online crowd and has placed first in a simulated election on a popular online social networking site,” the statement said.

The statement was referring to the Facebook survey “Election 2010,” billed as “a simulation for the Philippine 2010 Presidential Election.”

The Facebook poll shows Teodoro pulling away from his closest contender, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd. Aquino, however, leads the conventional surveys conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia.

As of noon on Sunday, Teodoro continued to hold first place in the ongoing Facebook poll with 58.41 percent followed by Aquino (31.76 percent) and Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr. (7.10 percent) of the Nacionalista Party. In conventional surveys, Villar was running second among the presidential contenders.

Facebook’s Election 2010, which has no political affiliation, said that its round three of mock voting started on November 23, 2009 and was to end at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.

The mock polls dropped Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero from the among the options, since he has withdrawn from next year’s presidential race, leaving bar topnotcher Teodoro as the lone lawyer among the leading presidential candidates.

Earlier rounds

Aquino had dominated the first two rounds of the online poll.

But during the second round (November 16 to 22), Teodoro shadowed Aquino, the statement said. They were followed by Villar, Escudero, former President Joseph Estrada and former Public Works Sec. Hermogenes Ebdane. Like Escudero, Ebdane withdrew his Palace bid on Sunday.

In poll’s first round, the results of which were announced on November 15, Teodoro was tied with Villar for third place. Aquino was first, followed by Escudero.

The statement, citing Teodoro supporters, said that the latest results were “hardly surprising.”

Ryan del Rosario, in comment posted on Facebook, wrote, “Intelligent voters will really pick Gibo.” He added, “Gibo Teodoro’s campaign is based on positive change, solutions, track records, decency and competency.”

In another posted comment also by a certain Ringo N Cielo Perezi, “Amongst the presidentiables, I think he [Teodoro] is the only one that can deliver what he says . . . he looks sincere and intelligent to me.”

Agent of change

The Lakas-Kampi statement said that Teodoro remains as the candidate with the strongest qualifications in terms of education, competence and preparation for the presidency with a name untainted by controversy.

“We are not surprised by the outcome of this poll, because we have always known that the youth who are looking for change in this election can spot those who can be agents of change,” said Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez of Saranggani province, also Lakas-Kampi national president.

“We have known all along that only our candidate Gibo has the brilliance, the clean track record and the vision to bring progress to this country,” Dominguez added. “We are happy that the young, smart and computer savvy netizens see in Gibo the leader that the country desperately needs.”

In the Philippines, Internet users number around 15 to 20 million and account for 28 percent of the 35 million urban population, according to the statement, adding that about 70 percent of the Internet users are between 10 and 29 years old. Most of the users (71 percent) get online at Internet cafes, and more than half (51 percent) visit a social networking site, such as Facebook, the statement added.

Also, about 1 in 3 Filipino Internet users have a blog, while about 63 percent of the Yahoo e-mail contacts in the Philippines live abroad, according to the statement.
The Manila Times