MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte ? The Lakas-Kampi-NUCD party executive committee will meet in March to evaluate their campaign strategies, should the survey ratings of the party standard bearer, former defense secretary Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro, fail to improve, Southern Leyte Representative Roger Mercado has said.

?We will have an emergency executive committee meeting to evaluate what will be our moves and plans in order to strengthen the support for our candidate,? Mercado said Tuesday when asked about the low ratings Teodoro was getting in the surveys.

In the Pulse Asia survey conducted in January, Teodoro ranked fourth with a rating of five percent, way below frontrunners Senators Benigno ?Noynoy? Aquino (37 percent) and Manuel Villar (35 percent). Former president Joseph Estrada was ranked third.

Mercado, however, expressed optimism that Teodoro?s survey ratings could still go up with the start of the campaign period, with the Class C and D learning more about his platform of government.

?We believe that in due time, Gibo?s rating would rise especially when the local campaign starts because almost half of the reelectionists are coming from the administration party,? according to Mercado, Region 8 party chairman.

He also belittled the results of the survey that showed Teodoro way below the frontrunners.

?The leaders of our party are in disbelief over the survey results considering that Gibo rated high in presidential forums and debates,? Mercado said.

He cited the good feedback Teodoro has been getting from the media, the youth, and the campuses.

But he urged Teodoro to work hard and reach out to all kinds of people.

Mercado also dismissed the insinuation that they would support Nacionalista Party candidate, Senator Manuel Villar Jr., for president if Teodoro?s survey ratings failed to improve.

?This is the handiwork of the opposition. This should not be given weight because these are all rumors,? he said.