The way things are shaping up, the newly-merged ruling party has two choices for presidential candidate: it's either the survey frontliner, Noli de Castro, or the cellar dweller, Gilbert Teodoro.

But party members we talked to don't like the vice-president, despite his enormous popularity. First, VP de Castro doesn't reach out to the politicians. He doesn't talk to them, he's not interested in getting to know them. Second, he doesn't say much. Or, more accurately, he doesn't say anything.

"We can't get much from him," says a grizzled politico, veteran of many elections. After having dinner with de Castro more than once, this sharp politician says he can't figure out where Noli stands on issues.

Oh, there's a third reason. It's common knowledge in political circles that Noli de Castro does not like to spend a single cent from his own coffers for an election campaign. He has to be lavished on, from start to finish.

The other choice for Lakas-Kampi is the young defense secretary, Gilbert Teodoro. Obviously, he's a hardsell, with his popularity rating at 1 percent. Who knows him beyond Tarlac? Well, recently, he has become known to the soldiers.

The pols like him, though, because he is accessible and smart. Actually, he has miminal leadership experience--the DND is his first CEO post. But he's a nice guy, someone you'd like to travel with, easy to be with and sometimes he can be fun.

So, who will it be for the ruling party? We may be in for a surprise.

The Inside Track is Newsbreak's intelligencer section. It features the latest buzz on juicy political and business goings on.

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