There has been no straightforward expectation on the reported prospect of Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia as the running mate of Lakas Kampi-CMD’s presidential standard bearer Gilberto Teodoro Jr. but surely, it has created a certain mood of optimism.

And it is not only in consideration of what party strategists call “geographical combination” which is a potent fusion of the country’s more progressive regions but the fact that both Gibo and Gwen are comparatively young, sharp-set and honed both in the demands of politics and the realities of governance.

They are, no doubt, a charming combination.

But it appears the administration party is still in search of a broader scope well beyond the narrowness of man-woman team in politics.

This signifies a new trend away from the dominant concern for political extravaganza during the campaign but focused instead on the governmental and electoral processes, political communication, and political socialization.

Thus, there are those within the Arroyo government who are mentioning the name of Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, incidentally also from Cebu, as another prospect as Teodoro’s running mate.

Durano, a former congressman, is young, well-educated, and like Gwen, belongs to Cebu’s old political clans.

But some party leaders within Lakas may raise questions in view of Durano’s party affiliation: He is a member of the opposition Nationalist People’s Coalition, the same party represented by Teodoro as a House member. Teodoro was sworn in as Lakas Kampi-CMD member only recently.

Significantly, too, Durano has been mentioned as a possible vice presidential choice of party mate Chiz Escudero.

It may be noted that Batangas Governor Vilma Santos Recto had been mentioned much earlier as the vice presidential team mate of Teodoro but the idea was promptly dismissed by the Batangueños themselves claiming they needed her more as their governor.

“There are many prospects who want to be in tandem with Gibo,” Malacañang political adviser Gabriel Claudio said, but added that there has been no decision as yet. He added even the case of Gwen Garcia “is not yet a done deal” and so is the case of Ace Durano. There has not been formal initiative from the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, he explained.

Claudio, concurrently secretary-general of the merged Lakas-Kampi-CMD, has repeatedly denied having a hard time looking for the replacement of Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno as Teodoro’s running mate, assuring that the announcement will be made sooner at the party’s national convention early next month.

The hope is that, whatever is the decision, it is expected to provide the electorate with a choice in scope and dimension of a true leader as partner of the elected president.

So far, those who have already named their running mates are former President Joseph Estrada with Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, and Senator Benigno Aquino III of the Liberal Party teamed up with Senator Manuel Roxas II. Senator Chiz Escudero of the Nationalist People’s Coalition was silent about his vice presidential candidate at the launching of his own presidential bid yesterday although Acer Durano has been bruited about as a possibility.

It is too bad really that the office of the vice president is not given specific functions in government, unlike in other countries such as the United States where the second highest official of the land acts as the presiding officer of the Senate.

In the Philippines, the Constitution says, “The vice president may be appointed as a member of the Cabinet.” Probably as a courtesy, the Constitution specifies that “Such appointment requires no confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.”

The fact is, since most of American history, the office of the vice president has been regarded as an insignificant office and as a political graveyard to be avoided by promising politicians.

Originally in the United States, the method of selecting the vice president was made to balance the party ticket or to reward or appease party leaders.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

(zhern_218@yahoo.com)