MANILA, Philippines—Facing a strong opposition challenge in 2010, the administration coalition has embarked on a makeover in a bid to shed its image of a traditional party.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Presidential Political Adviser Gabriel Claudio are quitting as officials to give way for younger, more dynamic members to lead the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

Claudio said this was “in keeping with the desire and direction of the party for a transformation of its projection as an organization.”

“We hope to be able to tap for these positions on Nov. 19, young, dynamic, but not necessarily more handsome leaders of the party to replace us,” Claudio said in jest, when he briefed reporters following a meeting of the party’s national executive committee Wednesday.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is also set to hand over the chairmanship of the party to its presumptive standard-bearer Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, though she will stay on as president-emeritus.

Not yet a powerhouse

Since the merger of the Lakas-CMD and the President’s party, Kampi (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino), in late May, the so-called “powerhouse” coalition has never gained momentum.

Its standard-bearer, Teodoro, has yet to climb out of his bottom-dweller ratings, which analysts have blamed for the failure to convince potentially “winnable” running mates, like Vice President Noli de Castro and Sen. Loren Legarda, to run with him.

But a press statement released by Teodoro’s office said the defense secretary has breached the two-digit mark in the surveys for the first time, registering 11 percent in the survey conducted by the Issues and Advocacy Center.

It cited the survey conducted Oct. 19-26 which showed Teodoro coming in fifth among the eight presidential aspirants. Topping the survey is Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III with 23 percent followed by Sen. Manny Villar (20 percent), Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero (16 percent) and Joseph Estrada (15 percent).

The statement quoted Ed Malay, director of the Center, as saying the figures show “a remarkable change in the perception of the public with regard to Teodoro.”

Still no VP

But with less than a month to go before the Dec. 1 deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy, Lakas-Kampi has yet to announce its vice presidential candidate.

The administration is ranged against the team-ups of Aquino and Sen. Manuel Roxas II and Estrada and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay.

Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. of the Nacionalista Party has yet to pick his running mate.

Claudio claimed the party has already picked Teodoro’s running mate, someone from Mindanao, but declined to name him or her until after the party convention on Nov. 19.

“If we want to be rash about it, we are already in a position to announce a name right now, but we’d rather not. The Executive Secretary already explained the necessity and wisdom in being thorough about this,” he said.

Ermita said the party preferred to be “deliberate” in choosing Teodoro’s running mate.

The name of Sen. Miguel Zubiri from Bukidnon was reportedly floated as a vice presidential candidate at the meeting, but party officials neither confirmed nor denied this.