The front-page photo of Gibo Teodoro and Edu Manzano in last Saturday’s issue of this paper appeared like it was a dramatization of their expected victory at the polls in the 2010 presidential derby.

Their mien and happy faces were expressive of victorious self-congratulations: They looked like sure winners.

But that could only be an optical illusion.

The fact is, the Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas twosome is already in full throttle with torchbearers singing some nostalgic hymns that evoke national consciousness and probably some heroic deeds of certain past. The television screens are sizzling with it – hindi ka nag-iisa.

That’s premature campaigning, of course, but who is not doing it among the presidentiables? And who is complaining?

Not even the Comelec, I am sure.

For sure, Erap Estrada is launching a full-length movie openly intended as a political propaganda for his unending presidential ambition. What’s wrong with that?, he asks.

And then there is Manny Villar who has long been in the airwaves advocating his sipag at tiyaga apothegm.

This Thursday, when the Lakas, Kampi-CMD holds its national convention at the Philippine International Convention Center to make official the proclamation of Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Eduardo Manzano as its presidential and vice-presidential bets for next year’s polls, it will signal the unveiling of possibly the most variegated and kaleidoscopic array of candidates from various political parties for the presidential, vice presidential to the senatorial lineups.

The others following the administration party’s proclamation include Villar’s Nacionalista Party, Aquino’s Liberal Party, and Partido ng Masang Pilipino of Erap Estrada. Others such as the Nationalist People’s Coalition have yet to endorse their presidential aspirants.

There are some 12 political parties accredited by the Commission on Elections for the 2010 elections.

In making the announcement of its convention sometime this week, the Nacionalista Party assured the public of “very good and promising” lineup of its bets for president, vice president, and for senators.

As this is being written, I just read the Manila Bulletin headline, “Villar picks Legarda as VP,” which settles all the speculations who could it be.

Just a while back, Villar himself hinted it would be a sitting senator. Which meant the speculation that he would pick Noli de Castro was far off. Now they are talking about Senator Loren Legarda who, as everybody knows, belongs to the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

Incidentally, as has been observed, all three vice-presidential bets hail from the same island of Panay: Manzano is from Iloilo, Roxas from Capiz, and Legarda from Antique.

According to a report, both Loren and Mar Roxas have sent Edu good luck messages.

In explaining his choice of Loren, Villar said, “Our team-up is founded and solidified by our common advocacies such as poverty alleviation, climate change mitigation and environment rehabilitation, and protection of our migrant workers which we have been passionately pursuing.”

I am optimistic Edu Manzano has no illusions – optical or otherwise – as he confirmed that after meeting Gibo Teodoro he found out they could harmonize their ideas a lot, including their advocacies and platform.

I am joining Loren and Mar in their “good luck” messages.

(zhern_218@yahoo.com)