Source: Website: http://www.dnd.gov.ph

As emailed by Henry Bakker for posting


Profile: Early in life, Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gilbert” Cojuangco Teodoro, Jr., already showed the makings of a leader and public servant. In his youth, he was elected President of the then Kabataang Barangay for Central Luzon and later, member of the Sanguniang Panlalawigan of Tarlac from 1980 to 1986.

After completing his primary education at the Xavier School, he then pursued his secondary studies at the same school as he also dabbled his involvement in political offices and organizations.

Even with his hands full, Secretary Teodoro successfully completed his Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Financial Institutions at the De La Salle University in 1985.

Since then, he focused his sights on acquiring for himself further education and knowledge to aid him in his desire to pursue public service. In 1989, he completed his Law studies at the University of the Philippines where he was awarded the Dean’s Medal for Academic Excellence. In the same year, he topped the Philippine Bar exams.

For seven years, he honed his skills as a lawyer in the famed EP Mendoza Law firm. Armed with years of experience, he went to the Harvard Law School in Cambridge for his Master of Laws and completed it in 1997. He was also admitted to the State Bar of New York during the same year.

Secretary Teodoro holds memberships in the following— Integrated Bar of the Philippines, UP Alumni Association, UP Law Alumni Association, Harvard Alumni Association and the Harvard Law Alumni Association.

In 1998, Secretary Teodoro resumed his interrupted political pursuits when he ran and successfully won a seat in Congress. He was Congressman of the First District of Tarlac for three (3) consecutive terms. At the House, he was an Assistant Majority Leader (11th Congress), Head of the Nationalist People’s Coalition House members and a member of the House contingent to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.

It was during his three-year terms that he forged friendships and memberships with individuals and institutions, including military.

His desire to learn the intricacies involved in the military prompted him to take the Command and Staff Course Class at the Air Command and Staff College of the Philippine Air Force in 2001, where he was the Leadership and Seminar Academic Excellence Awardee. Two years later, he also completed his Joint and Combined Staff Officers Course at the Joint Command and Staff College where he, too, was bestowed the Leadership Award.

Secretary Teodoro, a licensed commercial pilot with a rating in Lear Jet 31, is a reserve colonel in the Philippine Air Force. He was also an assistant faculty member of the Command and General Staff Course and a lecturer at the Air Command Staff College.

Secretary Teodoro has also since been very supportive of various undertakings by the military and the police. As such, he holds the chairmanship of the Philippine National Police Foundation Inc. he is also an Honorary member of the PMA Alumni Association Sponsoring Class – ’76, Philippine Air Force Aviation Cadet Alumni Association Sponsoring Class – ’80, Association of Chiefs of Police of the Philippines, Inc., and a lifetime member of the Armor-Cavalry Association of the Philippines

Secretary Teodoro is also the recipient of numerous military awards, decorations and commendations such as—the Basic RASS Aeronautical Badge, Honorary Command Pilot, the Caliber .45 Pistol Expert Marksmanship Badge, M-16 Rifle Marksmanship Badge, Military Merit Medal, AFP General Staff Course Badge, Presidential Flight Crew Badge, Military Civic Action Medal (Plain), Military Civic Action Medal with Bronze Service Star, and the Military Civic Action Medal with Second Service Star.

Secretary Teodoro, son of the former SSS Administrator Gilberto, Sr., and Mercedes Cojuangco, has a string of accomplishments and notable achievements to his name. At 43, he serves as the youngest Secretary to hold the Defense portfolio.

Secretary Teodoro is married to Representative Monica Prieto-Teodoro; they have one son – Jaime Gilberto.

PLATFORM:

Gibo platform anchors on four concrete steps

(The Freeman) Updated July 22, 2009 12:00 AM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=489058

CEBU, Philippines - National Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro outlined his roadmap for the country’s sustained economic growth anchored on lasting peace specifically in southern Philippines.

Teodoro, who already signified his intention to run as President in the 2010 elections, cited four concrete steps to stimulate the economy and to sustain the efforts of the administration. These are good government, infrastructure and technology; better education, health and overall quality of life; and order in society throughout the country.

In a statement furnished to The FREEMAN, he said that good government would mean restructuring the central government as well as local government units; improving the compensation of public servants; invigorating the judicial system, and strengthening the civil service.

Also, Teodoro said that a comprehensive and participative health care system should be put in place, as well as the establishment of a student loan program wherein students can borrow money from the government, which they can pay through the GSIS or SSS once they find jobs after graduation. – Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/MEEV

His views:

Sourced from www.gibo.ph

Plan for the country

Q: And plan for your first 100 days, what will you do? Hit the ground running?

A: You have no choice but to continue with a lot of programs like the infrastructure programs that need to be continued and management day-to-day of the security situation. Number three, you have to plan your legislative agenda, the most important thing. Your first budget, your legislative agenda. That legislative agenda would include the constitutional convention law, the support for the new Philippine education road map because basic education must be reengineered. And I want to experiment also legislatively with universal participative health care, if it is feasible. Meaning to say, everybody participates. I mean, what's for a rich person to contribute 100 or 200 pesos per month to a participative delivers on health care so there's more for everybody, not merely in terms of buying medicine and providing care but for providing reimbursements for doctors and nurses, so there's an incentive to stay and participate in the system and I want also a legislative proposal for student loan program rather than scholarships. I want a revolving student loan program, probably five billion pesos, get that from the national treasury, park it in the SSS, not SSS funds but SSS facilities. Student wants to study, comes in, you give the student and SSS number which should be a GSIS number, too, and give him or her the loan. Once that SSS number comes out because he or she is employed, then you deduct and you have an incentive to study because you have to repay the loan and you can service more people. You give scholarships to those who are really deserving because of high aptitude and to those subjects that are not too popular but the country needs like international relations, public policy and planning.

Q: Why should we vote for you?

A: Because I provide a balance. Kasi po, ako'y nagtataglay ng balanse ng pagsulong sa reporma at pagsulong ng kinakailangang programa. Ako lang po siguro ang naghayag ng pangangailangan ng pagpapatawad, pagkakaisa, pag-uunawaan para sa kinabukasan at hindi pagbebengansa. At dahil po sa importansya ng kapayapaan sa ating bansa, na araw-araw ko pong nakikita, hindi po nadarama ng mga tao sa Luzon, Visayas at bilyun-bilyong na sanang pagkakabenepisyuhan ng ating bansa kung matahimik ang Pilipinas--hindi nila nararamdaman kasi na tahimik tayo dito. Pagka hindi po nasolbahan tong problema na to, hindi nasolba, napakalaking mawawala sa ating bansa at siguro sa eksperiensya ko na may mga desisyon din tayo na nagagawa or napupunta sa ating balikat na mangangahulugan na baka may mamatay o may mabuhay, napakalaking maturing experience po nito at ito po mga katangian na mabibigay ko sa ating bansa.

(Source: Probe Profiles)

The strong will to resist temptation

A good leader must be of strong character and integrity. More than anything else, he or she must embrace the true essence of public service as a calling. He should also have a clear grasp of the concept that he was elected to the Office which is an institution, and he, the one elected to that office. The ideals and obligations of the Office go beyond his personal self. As the one elected by the people, he must always be guided by what’s best for his country or constituents even if this entails great personal sacrifices on his part.

A true leader must accept the philosophy that he should serve without expecting anything in return.

In the end, his strength of character and integrity would give him the will to resist temptation. This strength of character and integrity does not come with the office – these traits are nurtured through years of public service.

Innovation is the key

To avoid a state of progress plateau, the country needs more innovative ideas to fuel the industry and the economy. The country has exhausted the era of copying and remodeling trends, it is time for something new in order for the country to become more globally competitive. The country needs to generate more ideas. The talents and minds of our countrymen is our greatest resource.

Debt

Lumiliit na ang bayad ng ating utang. At yan dahil sa increase ng ating GDP-GNP, that's one of the gains of this government. It's the 37 percent of GDP from seventy-something. Ito'y lumiliit kasi nababayaran natin.

Hindi naman tayo pwedeng mag repudiate ng utang na walang supisyenteng basehan. Pagkat hindi na tayo makakakuha ng magandang relationship sa ibang mga creditors. Lahat naman ng bansa may utang, at minsan mas mabuti pang utangin ito depending on financial conditions other than buwisan mo lalo ang mga tao. So, financial management yan, treasury management and financial management.

Source: The Probe Profiles

Student Loan Program

Exhaust all means to give everyone the proper college education--Aside from usual scholarships and state subsidies, creative solutions should also be implemented to give every Filipino the education that is rightfully his.

One specific example for this is a loan system for the less fortunate, but deserving students in the tertiary level. When a student applies for a loan, he will be given a Social Security System (SSS) number. Immediately after he gets his first paycheck, it will register that he is getting a salary and subsequent deductions could be made.

Preparing our children for the future

Our children should be well equipped with the right skills and knowledge base to be globally competitive. Gibo pushes for academic excellence and a better curriculum, because he feels, the current curriculum is light in technical skills, mathematics, and English. By recommendation, a substantial and additional two years to the original six years of elementary is needed to prepare young Filipinos for four years of secondary education.

Peace in Mindanao

Kailangan pa rin dumami ang ating mga sundalo para masigurado na babalik ang kapayapaan. Ang Mindanao, ang dapat isipin natin, ano ba ang problema sa Mindanao? Hindi natin pwedeng i-solve ang root causes niyan kasi kahit sa Estados Unidos na napakayaman na bansa, napakadaming root causes na nagwawalay-walay sa mga sociedad. Ngunit ang pagkakaiba doon at dito, walang non-state na armadong grupo na nakikipag-barilan sa gobyerno o nakikipagbarilan sa isa't-isa na hindi natin masugpo.

Dapat itigil natin ang armadong pakikibaka at may isang paraan lang yan--pag-eenganyo or pag-eenforce ng batas. Pagka may baril ang isang tao, isang tao lang sa isang baranggay, nagkakaibang equation dun sa loob ng baranggay. At ang proliferation ng firearms sa Mindanao ang pinakaproblema. So, ang pwede nating gawin matigil natin ang putukan at ang barilan pero hindi natin pwede namang isipin overnight magmamahalan ang mga tao dun dahil napakalalalim ng problema. Yung mga solusyon ng problema na yun, palagay ko wala naman sa atin ang may 100 percent na solusyon dyan.

Ngunit ang magagawa natin, pwede nating i-channel ang galit magmula sa putukan sa debate, sa political struggle, political work. Ngayon kaalinsabay niyan, importante ang development. Talagang truism. Maglagay ka ng kalye sa isang lugar, fifty percent of the time, mababawasan ng insurgency. Tapos local government capacity building. Kailangan mong amendahan ang saligang batas para patatagin ang mga local government units. Pero tutol ako sa pagbibigay ng autonomy sa mga lugar na wala pang kakayahan. Magbigay ng autonomy sa mga lugar na may kakayahan, mababawasan mo na ang ayuda o tulong ng national government sa kanila, maganda ang gamit mo, yung tinutulong ng national government dun sa mga lugar na wala pang kakayahan. Palagay ko, pwede namang baguhin yung formula ng sharing, mapunta ito sa mga less fortunate na mga munisipyo.



Reproductive Health

Teodoro said that he favored population control but did not want religious restrictions legislated. He said, Filipinos should only have big families as long as they could afford to provide for their basic needs.

Population management is necessary thing. However the diverseness and the acrimony between pro and con will result in nothing happening. So once and for all, we must have an honest to goodness dialogue. The RH bill minus certain punitive provisions maybe a good law. I really believe though, I’ve put it clear that abortion is out the window. I don’t support abortion whatsoever. However the incidence of a mother in an evacuation center with 10 children, 9 children, who’s gonna take care of these people? We have to give information to people and give them the resources to apply what they believe in. I may not believe in contraception. You may not believe in contraception. But other people do. And we have to give them the freedom to choose. What they want to do with themselves in an informed manner. This is not to say that religious organizations do not have a role. They have a very powerful and strong role. But not through the state. Not through the law. But in our consciences, in our souls, and in the pulpit.



Q: Anong stand, stand mo sa population issue?

A: For reproductive health ako, ngunit tanggalin natin ang ibang punitive provisions. Medyo nakakatakot daw yung ibang punitive provisions, katulad nung pagkamag-express ng different opinion yata ang isang guro ito ay pwedeng makulong... Pero kailangan talaga, dahil nakikita ko araw-araw, as NDCC chairman, na kailangan natin ang resources para sa lahat, hindi na natin pwede palawakin ang ating populasyon. Hindi lumalaki ang ating lupain, lumiliit, umaakyat ng karagatan. At baka ang susunod na paglalabanan ay kakulangan pa ng tubig.

Q: Hindi ka takot sa simbahang Katoliko, na mawalan ka ng...?

A: Natatakot din naman. Natatakot din naman pero ang realidad, ang daming bata sa lansangan na walang mga magulang. Sinong mag-aalaga dito? At pangalawa, lumalaki ang populasyon natin, hindi lumalaki ang lupain natin. Lumiliit, 300 thousand square kilometers lang yan and going. Nagkakaroon tayo ng liquefactions sa Central Luzon o subsidence, ika nga. Nagkakaroon ng salination ang mga acquifers natin. At nag-geohazard mapping tayo. Let's say, Magallanes, Sorsogon. Bumagsak ang bundok dahil sa saturation ng ulan, constant rain. Ang mga safe na lugar based on new technologies, lumiliit, hindi one hundred percent ng lupa pwede mong tirahan. Kailangan sa bagong komunidad, yung piniling lugar lamang at makabagong disenyo ng kabahayan at lansangan, flood control projects, kailangan mong gawin. So lumiliit ang livable territory based on modern technological advances.

(Sources: Philippine Daily Inquirer, ANC's Face to Face forum, and Probe Profiles)

Q:As stipulated in our Local Government Code, the IRA sharing is 60-40; 40 goes to the LGU. If elected president, would you be willing to

raise the share of LGUs to 50%? Second, if you are amenable, what is your basis on the 10% increase for LGU?



Sec. Gilbert Teodoro: Right now, I’m really amenable to more resources for the local government. But changing the sharing immediately, I may have to study that more. I admit I know I will be asked that question but in conscience I cannot give you a promise right now…because I see also the needs of the national government where I sit. My department alone has an operating budget of 1.2 billion dollars - the smallest, one of the smallest per population in the whole per percentage of GDP in the whole of Southeast Asia. It’s in the education budget where we need to re-engineer. Basic education will cost a lot of resources. It’s not merely putting more school buildings, more teachers, but an increasingly technical curriculum for the basic education system.

Social services, the conditional cash transfers that we give, particularly in Zamboanga del Norte and other provinces, which have been proven by economist of whatever political color to be very, very effective, because this is also the money given in conditional cash transfers, spurs micro economic growth, micro credit facilities through out these provinces. There are needs. Now, perhaps as we evolve, for example, if we get in the soonest possible time, physical peace in Mindanao, probably we would be able to increase the formula. I know the conditions in your municipality...in your city itself, and we would really want to give you additional resources but every time there’s a problem in Lamitan. Can you realistically say you will not call on me to help you out even though I capacitate you with a 100% increase in your IRA? If there is trouble with the Abu Sayaf in your municipality…in your city, you will always call on us. And we will have to use these resource to go to you. The Marines and the social services that we have to give you. So this kind of balance has to be studied real well. And I don’t think an outright promise of a fixed percentage of sharing will work. As soon as possible we want to devolve all the basic services to local government units because there is no strong state in the world where basic services are done by the national government. But in certain areas, particularly in undeveloped or under developed areas, in areas within a state of conflict there is no other choice but for the national government to do it. And this needs a lot of resources.

Source: FACE TO FACE:100 Local Government Champions vs. 4 Presidential Contenders

Pork Barrel

Pork barrel is not the problem, but how it is managed and utilized. Competence in fund management is the solution--Reinforce the capability of the local government units to handle local funds and carry out intended projects.



Q: Good morning po, Mr. Secretary. As president of the republic in the future, will you continue the pork barrel system? And if you are to continue it, what reforms will you introduce so that it can become more accountable and participatory?

Sec. Gilbert Teodoro (addressing LGU leaders) : As I recall in my career in politics, there is only one president who tried to stop the pork barrel. That was President Estrada when he started and it ended up continuing. So I mean, let’s call a spade a spade. It ended up continuing. In my district, it is a good thing. Lahat ng aking CDF ay dumaan sa local government executives because we had political unity in the province. And sometimes it is an effective developmental tool that could be used. Just as long perhaps as, you have really a prioritized list of what and what should not be done. What should be done? Perhaps major infrastructure like markets, roads, and probably assistance in capacitating municipalities. Schools, if needed, water systems and the like. But I would be amenable in not allowing cementing of small roads or cementing of small courts…basketball courts. But you may have to change that, too, because right now, what does the incident…the typhoon Ondoy proved that we really need covered areas…cemented covered areas with adequate toilet facilities to be used as evacuation centers. And perhaps, I would be amenable to continuing the pork barrel if the local government units can identify potential evacuation centers with adequate sanitation facilities. And use the CDF to do that. So to me, practically thinking, I don’t think you can stop it. Nobody can. But we can guide the uses of the pork barrel. For disaster risk management, for agricultural productivity and for transportation and communications between and among major arteries, between and among towns, and between and among provinces.

Corruption

Transparency is the number one way of eradicating corruption. Pero sometimes, we look into the moral, solidly into the morality of corruption, but we do not look at the incentives given a person to remain honest.

For me, if a person remains honest, can you reward him with a bonus? No. Government? No. Do we pay our government officials adequately or decently when we align standards? No. So it goes both ways. You have to improve the standard of living also of government officials. You have to make rules more reasonable, you have to have transparency. And then probably, you can deal very strongly with the corruption. You have to have less a disincentive to corrupt and a lot of it is material, too.

Regional Autonomy

The Congress should determine how much autonomy they allow different regions. “So they have the power to realign internal revenue allotments to regions that can't. But I oppose in giving autonomy to regions which are not prepared, because merely of a military conflict.”

Revision and actual amendment of our Charter

" Ako po ay pabor sa Charter Change. Antemano pa, many years ago. Because I had the occasion to study when I was in law school the ’73 Constitution. Experienced when I was 2nd year the Freedom Constitution, and took the bar without studying the ’87 Constitution. And I’ve been given the blessing to compare the three. I think the ‘87 Constitution is a reactive constitution. It looked back. Because it had a purpose. The purpose was to remove all vestiges of a dictatorial regime.

But that is a transient goal and it has already performed that goal. And in so doing, looking back and erasing vestiges of the Marcos regime, it failed to look forward. It is so hamstrung…in our governmental institutions there is no synergy whatsoever now. So always check and balance but no synergy. So change needs to be had there. Perhaps a change in our structural political system to a more open, transparent and a more flexible one could be had. Maybe not necessarily a parliamentary system because people will really not accept a leader of a country that they do not elect. Perhaps a presidential unicameral or a fusion of both or perhaps members of the cabinet can be taken from the unicameral assembly or the congress for that matter.

Secondly, we need to change the economic provisions already. They’re overly restrictive. Not merely for foreign investment but for domestic investment. And I’ve been espousing that maybe for an ownership of land in certain types of land is acceptable. Like commercial, industrial, tourist land, and residential with a reverse cap that perhaps we can allow foreigners to own residential lands if they are above in value a certain amount, so that low cost housing does not suffer.

Thirdly, in terms of local government autonomy, what I want to do is to empower congress. You cannot put in a constitution a list of what should be done. Empower congress to determine what regions to be given enhanced autonomy, when and how. And that is a function also of the local government units now, taking political action with their congresspersons to give them that autonomy. And to what extent...maybe federalism would be an end. It would be an end but not at the present time. But what I am not in favor of is providing autonomy to areas which are not ready. Autonomy is only for areas which are ready and capable of a modicum governance for themselves... And not national government spoon feeding. How? Constitutional convention after the 2010 elections alone and let us not call that election a non- partisan election. It should be a partisan political election that everybody can participate in. Everybody can advocate because it is a political exercise. It is not a religious exercise. It is not an NGO exercise. It’s a political exercise that needs a lot of political will. And if they say it is expensive, I do not mind the expense because it is a capital investment. It is a building block investment for the foundations of our state in the future. Because if we keep on remedying our situation with piece meal legislation, it is not sustainable.

We need sustainable development, sustainable change, sustainable growth. And that can only be done with the revision and actual amendment of our constitution. "

Political Dynasty Bill

"...The best way to beat that dynasty, if that dynasty, is not deserving is to capacitate political parties to enable to adequately finance through realistic campaign finance reforms an able candidate and beat the dynasty. That is the best way because there will be no question whatsoever as to the will and the judgment of people. However, our campaign finance laws….they have this egalitarian principle of equality of all, then they have a spending limit on all. Now, to beat a dynasty, you have to pay more and finance a candidate who is new, with more resource . But since the limit is the same, how can you do that? You can’t. And political parties should be allowed with a transparent colatilla to get campaign resources. To get donations from donors just as long as you tell the public who has donated in order for it to have the resources to capacitate a willing and able candidate. A dynasty by definition is non-democratic. It’s non-electable. Because a dynasty …you get to your position by birth. That’s why you have a dynasty. It is aligned. It is an entitlement. But an election should not perpetuate the dynasty if such is not deserving. But how do you do that. It’s by capacitating your political party to enable it to address the issue to the people and with media. Right now, it’s freer, opener, faster but more expensive. But that’s the way, to capacitate a deserving candidate, beat the dynasty. That is the best way to settle a dynasty problem. Not through artificial laws which people can skirt left and right around."

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