“It is understandable for people to naturally side with someone they can relate to, hence the packaging by the ads of some candidates that they are one of us, the common folk, the poor, only able to rise up in life through sheer hard work.  I ask you though, how much of that is true?  Can we guarantee that it is entirely accurate?  If yes, will it actually translate to a successful leadership?”

LAST SATURDAY, February 6, administration bet Gibo Teodoro graced our beloved province with his presence.  After months of scheduling and rescheduling, Sec. Teodoro was finally able to squeeze in his extremely tight schedule the Rotary Club of Southern Pampanga’s invitation to address the socio-civic group as its guest speaker.

A lot of people turned up, and Max’s restaurant along the GSO road was jam-packed.  In attendance were some of the various Rotary Clubs’ members and officers, other local personalities and officials in politics, specifically those belonging to Teodoro’s party, and also representatives of Pampanga’s different sectors.

After retired Court of Appeals Justice Agustin Dizon’s glowing introduction, Teodoro spoke to the crowd.  He initially acknowledged his friends from the province, and there were a lot.  This only shows that in case he wins, we Kapampangans would not have a difficult time approaching him, as he is truly a friend of the province. 

Then he delivered his message, and after doing so, not a single soul in the room was left unimpressed.  Hearing him speak in person will only highlight his intelligence and brilliance, the strength of his character, his still youthful idealism.

In addition, I also heard a lot of comments regarding his good looks, especially from the female population.  I actually overheard one lady, who happened to be merely dining at Max’s that time, say that “kasanting na palang Gibo, sige kaya na ku.”  Not only can he impress you with his wit and smarts, but he can also make women swoon with his movie star good looks.  A lethal combination, if you ask me.

What was obviously lacking though is a touch of mass appeal, which probably explains his not-so-good performance in the ratings game.  Although not everyone is blessed with the common touch of let’s say an Erap Estrada, or a Chiz Escudero, that is not actually necessary.  At the very least, a connection with the people, especially those from the poorer brackets, is required for a candidate to boost his ratings.  This is the only advantage that Manny Villar and Noynoy Aquino have over him at the moment, and it is turning into quite a huge one at that. 

No one can blame a person for being fluent in English, or educated in such a manner that he is more comfortable speaking that way.  He should not be punished because he grew up in an environment that is much different from ours, in a culture that is a bit more advanced, for it doesn’t necessarily follow that he does not necessarily understand what we are going through, what our needs and wants are.  His intelligence guarantees that.

It is understandable for people to naturally side with someone they can relate to, hence the packaging by the ads of some candidates that they are one of us, the common folk, the poor, only able to rise up in life through sheer hard work.  I ask you though, how much of that is true?  Can we guarantee that it is entirely accurate?  If yes, will it actually translate to a successful leadership?

We have often voted along this line.  We have often chosen the candidate that is able to talk to us in our own language, the one with the most mass appeal, and look where it got us.  Our economy is still struggling, and so are we.  Maybe it’s high time we looked at another way of going about it, of choosing our leaders, this time based on qualifications and actual capabilities, on honesty and sincerity.  Who knows, it just might be what the doctor ordered.