By Gil Alfredo B. Severino

A former member of the Philippine Assembly during the Marcos administration and mother of presidentiable Gilberto "Gibo" C. Teodoro, "Mommy" Ditas Teodoro explained to a multi-sectoral gathering last night that the presidency of his son is a job of one person but a consolidation of all efforts for the country to move on.

This is why, "Mommy" Teodoro said, GIBO means "hard work" in the Bicol language as relayed to her by Rep. Edcel Lagman during the proclamation of Teodoro as Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential standard bearer last year.

A multi-sectoral gathering was held last night at the residence of Dr. Suzette Agustin, president of West Negros University, where more than a hundred attended, a totally different crowd from that of last February 3 when the Negros-based "G1b0 Na Ta" volunteers hosted a dinner for Mrs. Teodoro.

In a recorded proclamation speech delivered by Teodoro shown last night at the Agustin residence, he stressed that the achievement of "economic social liberty, it would demand from all of us savings more than spending, it will demand from us work ethic that will ensure prosperity, it will demand from us positive attitude."

Indeed as what Mrs. Teodoro said, the GIBO Teodoro presidency is a demand for all Filipinos to exert hardest work true to what his name stands for in the Bicol language.

Meanwhile, Dr. Agustin for her part said, that Atty. Gilbert Teodoro is a "preferred" candidate for her and not an "alternative" candidate.

If GIBO is an "alternative," then there is a presidential candidate who has an equal talent and competence the same as Teodoro.

According to Agustin, however, GIBO is a "preferred" candidate, meaning no one equally as competent and talented as he is therefore she is voting for him.

She opened her home for such gathering because of her belief and conviction that GIBO is the right man for the position and which he had long known when they were together at the National Defense College.

Using the essential marketing principle of product knowledge, Agustin said she will not "sell" a product whose qualities are unknown to her.

She urged all attendees to the multi-sectoral gathering "to help her sell the product" which she has proven and tested herself as a true leader.

Agustin organized a special singing group that rapped an original GIBO Hiligaynon jingle which will be replicated in sorties all over the province.*