MANILA, Philippines -- It’s the presidency or nothing for Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., his wife, Tarlac Representative Monica Louise Prieto-Teodoro, said.

Mrs. Teodoro said “powerful people,” businessmen, and members of civil society had been talking to her husband and had pledged to back him up in his bid to become the country’s next president in the May 2010 elections.

“We’re not trying to get popular overnight by doing the Senate or running for VP [vice president]. We’re trying to do it right the first time around. If we can do it right the first time around [that’s] great, if not, no problem, you know, we’re business people anyway,” she said

“This is not a game to us. We’re not trying to get pogi [brownie] points here by getting more popular for the Senate or for VP. This is a something we talked about that we want to make a difference,” she told reporters in an interview at the House of Representatives.

She said the Defense chief had the credentials and was willing to make “sacrifices” for the country.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, secretary-general of the administration party Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats, had floated the possible tandem of Vice President Noli de Castro and Teodoro in 2010, without saying who among the two would be the presidential or vice presidential candidate.

On Thursday, Teodoro will attend ceremonies formalizing the merger of Lakas and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), where he is expected to join the unified party and seek its nomination.

“Kung hindi siya anointed sasabihin ko na sa inyo sa tooto lang madami nagba-back up kay Secretary Teodoro that are very powerful people [If he is not anointed, to tell you the truth, many very powerful people are backing him up]. There are a lot of bold statements that are being told to me to let people know that look if Gilbert is not the anointed one and somebody else is, then we will go behind Gilbert Teodoro,” Mrs. Teodoro said.

Earlier this year, Teodoro left the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), the party founded by his uncle, business tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco. In March, he announced his plans to run for president.