By Carlito Pablo
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. isn’t closing the door on running again for president.
Teodoro ran and lost in the presidential election in 2010, but says he is open to another bid in 2028.
For now, he says he is focused on his job as defense chief of the Philippines.
“Bukas lahat ng oportunidad. Hindi ko isasara ‘yung pintuan sa kahit na anong humarap sa akin na oportunidad na ginawad ng Diyos, ginawad ng taumbayan sa atin,” Teodoro said in an interview with radio station DZRH on September 11, 2026.
[All opportunities are open. I will not close the door on any opportunity that will be presented to me by God and the people.]
Philippine President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr. is barred by the country’s Constitution from seeking a second term.
At an event with foreign journalists on August 14 this year, Marcos said that he will endorse a candidate to succeed him in 2028.
The Philippine president did not offer a name, and instead said, “The time will come.”
Teodoro is also allowing time to tell.
“Maybe there will come a time, kailangan kong magdesisyon sa susunod na pakay ng buhay ko,” Teodoro said in his DZRH interview.
[Maybe there will come a time that I will need to decide the next plan for my life.]
There is a page on Facebook titled “Filipinos for Gibo Teodoro 2028”.
Asked by DZRH if he would stop people from urging him to run for president, Teodoro replied: “Hindi ko paparahin kahit sino man.”
[I will not stop anyone.]
So far, surveys among potential presidential contenders have been dominated by Vice President Sara Duterte.
Duterte and Marcos ran as a ticket in 2022, but their alliance quickly unraveled after the election.
Duterte is currently facing impeachment trial before the Senate. If convicted, she will be perpetually disqualified from running for public office.
Teodoro lay low from politics after losing in the 2010 presidential race, which was won by cousin Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
In the lead-up to the 2022 national election, Teodoro expressed interest in running as the vice-presidential candidate of Sara Duterte, who was at the time considering a run for the presidency.
Duterte eventually decided to be the running mate of Marcos. In the same 2022 election, Teodoro ran for a seat in the Senate, but failed to crack the winning circle.
Teodoro is the first to hold the position of defense secretary twice. He served in the post from 2007 to 2009 under then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He was again appointed defense chief in 2023 by Marcos.
Teodoro came from an influential family in the province of Tarlac. The mother side of his family belongs to the Cojuangco clan. He was often described as the favourite nephew of the late businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., who was also an associate of Marcos’ late father and ex-president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Exposed to politics at a young age, Teodoro served as a member of the House of Representatives. A lawyer by training, he was educated at the University of the Philippines and Harvard.
One question facing Teodoro at present is whether he can build momentum to be considered as a serious contender for the presidency in 2028.
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CAPTION: Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. here in a photo on his personal website.
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