NINE VOTES made the difference.
Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro beat survey frontrunner Noynoy Aquino in Blue Vote, the mock elections for Ateneans conducted by the Sanggunian and Ateneo Commission on Elections.
Teodoro received 598 votes while Aquino received 589.
Blue Vote also polled Ateneans on vice presidential bets, senatoriables, pertinent issues, and the number of registered voters.
A surprise win
Close call. In an election where nearly 2,000 people voted, is a nine-vote discrepancy enough for Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro to win the presidential elections? Photo by Kevin C. Tatco
Sanggu Secretary-General and Blue Vote overseer Kacci Morales said that the results of Blue Vote surprised her, since she expected Aquino to win.
“I know that majority of the Ateneans are for Noynoy,” she said. “[Teodoro’s] smart, but I don’t think he’s the person that we need [right] now,” she added, mentioning the mishaps and discrepancies Teodoro faced during typhoon Ondoy.
However, Blue Vote co-Project Head and Course Representative Robert Lance Chua found the surprise to be pleasant since he is rooting for Teodoro.
“Knowing Ateneans, they support Aquino because of his parents and the legacy that they brought,” he said, adding that Aquino has a better image because of the “moral force he’s brining to the country.” However, he remains a Teodoro supporter.
“I believe in [Gibo’s] stand, even if he’s GMA’s puppet,” said Chua.
For Morales, what matters though is who is reported the victor in the mock polls. “Even if I argue in my head that the winner should’ve been Noynoy… at the end of the day, the results that would show that Gibo Teodoro won, possibly with the detail that he won by nine votes,” she said.
A loss of urgency?
Despite managing to get results, the Blue Vote team was disappointed with the voter turnout. According to Comelec, only 1,721 out of 7,758 students voted.
Comelec Commissioner and Blue Vote co-Project Head Jessica Gail Lazaro said that a factor that contributed to the low voter turnout might have been the eight-day period allotted for Blue Vote.
“The hype dies down. They [the Sanggu Central Board (CB)] decided to stretch the voting period to eight days without even consulting us,” she said.
Morales said that the Sanggu initially decided Blue Vote to be a two-day event, but the CB feared the 20% quota will not be reached. The eight-day duration was brought about by major adjustments from the original Blue Vote proposal.
“There was no sense of urgency because of the long voting period,” Lazaro said.
The Blue Vote team also lacked time for promotions so some students were unaware of the project and were consequently unable to vote.
Apathy still?
Chua, however, was disappointed with Ateneans and attributes the turnout to apathy.
“There are around 7,000 students [in] Ateneo, right? But [less than] 2,000 voted. What are the other 5,000 doing? It says a lot about the Ateneo students themselves,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Chua understands that Blue Vote was held the week before Christmas break and that there were many academic requirements. But the process wouldn’t have taken much of one’s time.
“It’ll only take 10 minutes to make a stand and to let [their] voice be heard, tapos ikaw [ayaw mo pang bumoto] (but you still refuse to vote),” he added.
Senior Jaru Hermano was unable to vote because he did not have time. “I [had] other affairs [because] I’m a fourth year [student],” he said.
However, some Ateneans, like Michelle Faith Chan, still managed to visit Blue Vote booths. “I’m going to vote in real life, too, so [Blue Vote is] practice,” she said.
Chan added, however, that she wasn’t sure if it was helpful. “I really didn’t get much [information].”
Round 2
According to Chua and Morales, Sanggu is planning to hold another mock election. This time, however, it will be for the whole Loyola Schools (LS), including non-teaching staff, the LS faculty, administrators, among others.
A different Blue Vote team will organize the next election.
*With reports from Joan C. Medalla
So we will not believe then that SWS survey is not accurate since the respondents are only 2,000 versus 50 million voters that Noynoy leads..Therefore the 1,700 Atenean respondents did not represent well of the true sentiments of the schools populace…Ahhh..ok. Your Noynoy wins..No problem with us Gibonians..Thank you for your efforts.
it just shows that blue, green and maroons can unite!! go gibo!!
Why? is it imperative for Ateneo population to vote for noynoy even if he’s running on a sheer “mama & papa” platflorm? OMG, I thought Ateneo was a thinking student group..hindi pala and am so disappointed. If noynoy won, i wouldn’t just be disappointed, i will be disgruntled.
I wonder why people ALWAYS think that those who support Noynoy do so SOLELY because of his parents, given that most in our generation were not even born or conscious during their time. It’s a factor, yes. Not everyone is fortunate to be raised and taught by heroic parents, after all. 😉 But, maybe we should also consider that they may actually believe in what Noynoy stands for.
If you want Gibo, the man who stood by–and admittedly says he owes a lot to–the infamous reign of Gloria, or if you value merely intelligence over anything else, it is your choice. I just hope we do not underestimate the Atenean’s thinking capability.
We DO think. 😉 Thank you.
GO ATENEO !!!!
GO G1BO !!! Sulong !!!!!
meaning ateneo student used their commosense not EMOTIONS
May mga bobo parin pala sa ateneo choosing Noynoy…
Go GIBO!!!
weak ang personality yong mga pumili kay noynoy.
How about the other candidates? How many votes did they get?
““I believe in [Gibo’s] stand, even if he’s GMA’s puppet,” said Chua.”
How can you have your owns stand, if you are a puppet?
Even if a person is a “puppet” or loyal to the administration, I still believe that he has the capability of pushing our Nation towards Growth and Development.
An individual can still act on his own accord/ interest of the country.
I am an Atenean and am very proud at how the Ateneans voted. It shows that this is a school of thinkers rather than hysterical feelers who think that Noynoy should win at all cost because he is an Atenean. Noynoy was a schoolmate and did not show any spark of promise. Gibo a La Sallite is definitely smarter and better prepared candidate who is where he is because of his own abilities and not because of who his parents are. Just listen to him in all the debates will show that his has an agenda. Sorry but Noynoy being a son of Cory and Ninoy does not make him his parents. He has shown total lack-luster in Congress and much less in the Senate. That is why there is no dirt to dig up on this guy. The greatest thing Noynoy will have to offer will just be symbolism again just like his mother. She played her role well as a symbol of freedom after years of Marcos. Looking back, she did not achieve much at all.
It is obvious that in this country one can get voted in a position because of his pedigree rather than by capabilities. That is why our country is in a sorry mess it is in because of how the population votes out of pure emotion and not because of brains.
Unfortunately, the Ateneo and La Salle vote do not reflect the pulse of the majority non-thinking population. May the best man win and God bless us all and our country.
Well said. Let’s support Gibo.. I believe in him.. a principled man.. his specific program of gov’t for our country.. we need a guy like him, galing at talino.. who can lead R.P.
All of us must go beyond the color of our alma mater in choosing who is the most qualified and brilliant candidate to lead our country in the next 6 years. I am an Atenista but I believe in Gibo’s platform. We need someone who can lead and provide positive outcome.
Just wondering why Gordon is not supported by blue community? D ba alumni nyo rin sya? Then if you compare both Gibo and Noy Noy to Gordon walang wala. I know believe that ATENEANs does not know what tru life is!
Eto na ang mas dapat bigyan natin ng pansin hindi totoo yung mga balita tungkol sa survey, dapat i balita din nila yong mock polls na ginagawa dahil ang totoo si GIBO and NUMBER ONE. its unfair naman kasi kung si GIBO ang No. 1 wala siya sa headline ng mga balita, pero kapag yong iba kahit bulong lang ibinabalita kaagad. Pero di bale na… Basta dito sa amin sa Catbalogan City Samar, SULONG GIBO ! ! ! we believe in you and your presidency.
since when did 9 out of 1,721 become a significant margin to qualify a “triumph”?
and you pride yourselves for being the THINKING voter? sige, kayo na ang magagaling at matatalino. worse, someone like raul gonzales uses the triumph to repeat a lie http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21842:gibosurging-from-the-blind-side&catid=28:opinion&Itemid=64
we don’t need more of the same. puno is still behind lakas-kampi and will be behind gibo after benefitting from arroyo, estrada, etc.
well look at where we are. go for gibo and you get more of the same. only it sounds better and looks better. good luck.
Let us not be carried away with our emotions, popularity and the pedegree of Noynoy, I believe that Noy2x does not have what it takes to become a President of this country – his platform is every shallow. Unlike Gibo has the vision and very consistent in his platform of gov”t, It’s right we should not only vote becoz he is our alumnus but to choose leader according to his capabilities to lead. Go Gibo…
Is it noynoy’s platforms or you research on his platforms that is shallow? Do you know his 10-point plan for education? and that revision of erroneous high school text books is included in this? Do you know his plans on national security that other candidates fail to address? Ateneans may not be concerned of this, but do you know his vision for jobs and employment?
Excuse me! how can one be ‘bobo’ by supporting a candidate? Since when?
I vote for Noynoy because we are leaving a government that is so dirty. By replacing the presidency who has alliance (read: utang na loob kay ma’am) with the outgoing president, enunciate please how the country can move one.
What we need is a clean presidency. When Noynoy fulfills his promise not to steal, it is a big thing already. This does not follow that everyone below him will not also, true. But a clean record will definitely suffice this.
My criticism for Noynoy though is he uses the name of his parents in his campaign ads. But come to think of it, Villar uses mahirap… and a lot other candidates! He must acknowledge however that we (allow me, the educated youth) are not the only target audience of these ads! We are just a segment of it- alongside with farmers, urban poor, contractual workers, vendors. To Noynoy, however, I expect ads without mama and papa.
On another note, Ateneans are shallow when they say “I will not vote for Villar because of his ads”. PATHETIC! I’d appreciate and understand it a lot if they’d say they will not vote for Villar because of his dirty record and the controversies and such. But because of the ads. You can definitely think better than that. More pathetic those Ateneans who stopped by Villar’s stop during the political fair and say ‘yuck’ and mock the candidates’ campaign material.
But of course, it is even more pathetic for people not to vote for Gordon because it is a toss between Villar and Noynoy. A loser action.
Pathetic even more those who are apathetic; MORE APATHETIC THOSE WHO ARE PROUDLY PATHETIC! 😉
too bad some ateneans think that the other ateneas who voted for gibo are the unintelligent ateneans. tsk. I wont give the link of the comment. but its all over facebook.
I for one being called stupid because of my choice to support gibo.
“All people who vote for Gibo specially debaters are insane/stupid”
quoting him.
I just cant accept the fact that the only thing NOYNOY fans can give are lowballs and mudslings.
good thing Gibo is smart enough to not result to those kind of propaganda.
go gibo!
Let’s hope that the extended voting time and poor advertisement of the mock poll attributes to Teodoro’s win.
““I believe in [Gibo’s] stand, even if he’s GMA’s puppet,” said Chua.”
That is one of the most irresponsible things I’ve ever heard a student say published. Mr. Chua, you should be making statements about how your project aimed for objectivity and neutrality, not one that openly expressed your preference.
How can we expect to believe these polls when you claim a side? Saying such things gives us reason to believe that your poll was not conducted fairly, or that your closer circle of friends contributed most of the vote, and that this does not in fact reflect the Atenean sentiment.
Furthermore, your belief of the fact that Teodoro will indeed become GMA’s puppet is condoning the fact that he will pardon GMA of all her corruption charges when she leaves office. Here we are trying to re-prop all the broken institutions that GMA left in her mad scramble to survive in her office, and you unaware of the damage she caused is infuriating.
Teodoro is also not a moral person. If you did your research and found out why he led the effort in trying to impeach former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, then you wouldn’t be so keen on defending his morals. Please, for the sake of the future of our country (you’re supposed to be ‘the best and the brightest’!), stop being so populist.
I believe in your instincts Aileen Cruz. Mr. Chua is not fair. He is subjective. And in addition, Teodoro has no moral at all. Why did he wanted to impeach Former CJ Davide? Now, tell me Mr. Great Robert Lance Chua. What is your stand about this? It’s an immoral manner I think to oust a justifiable man out of his position.
What the hell did gibo do? Make some laws of local applications while in congress? Benefit from the reforms started by his predecessors in the DND? Oh come on, thinkers? If you use your intellect more, you’d notice he’s just using the same failed policies of GMA. He just said he’ll decrease the corporate tax and income tax. Where will he get that lost revenue? In the e-vat? I use my head not like hysterical morons who are easily duped by sweet talking promises by gibo. he supported the rh bill, and then withdrew support. he promised dismantling private armies but promises not to lift a finger on civilian volunteer organizations. You can have gibo while other ateneans and filipinos who exist outside the loyola campus can have our choice.
Even if Gibo triumph the mock polls, I still believe that Noynoy will win the Presidency. Although Gibo has a good record in his public service, though, his achievements are not enough. We Ateneans are free to choose who are going to lead us after the election but think of how this man (Noynoy) can do. Corruption is the root of majority of problems we face day by day. Noynoy promised and i think, he will make his promise true, that he will fight corruption as Late President Cory Aquino did. Let’s make a glimpse on the history when Noynoy’s great Mom “is” in Malacanan Palace. After the historical people power brought her into power, Pro – Marcos people especially the militant groups are against her presidency even if the Marcoses and his cronies are truly corrupt and greedy in money and power. She received lots of threats on her life and family also! Coup d’ etat here and there! But look, she stood still. She had a good governance at all! Let’s not judge Noynoy Aquino. He can do it as her Great Mom did. Noynoy will fight and will triumph the Corruption, the root of all evil in the Philippines.