MANILA, Philippines--It may have been hounded with defections, but President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said Thursday that Lakas-Kampi-CMD members are "genuine leaders" unlike the "hakot" crowd of other political parties.

At the national convention of the merged party, Arroyo boasted of Lakas-Kampi-CMD's network of members all over the country that she said can lead the party to victory in the May 2010 election.

"Our party has been challenged many times before and has won. The presence of so many familiar faces, recognizable names, walang hinakot na kung saan-saan lang nanggaling (no one herded from just anywhere), all leaders, genuine leaders who are all here as many as it can fit in this room, kasi marami diyang mga leaders halal na hindi pa nga makahanap ng upuan dito (there are a lot of elected officials here who could not even be given a seat)," she said in her speech during the convention.

Arroyo continues, "So many leaders here from all over the country with a genuine mandate from their own people demonstrates that indeed our party is a party that can win."

Gilbert Teodoro and Eduardo Manzano were officially proclaimed candidates for president and vice president, respectively, at the gathering, attended by close to 3,000 members.

On the eve of the convention, more Lakas-Kampi members defected to either Liberal Party of Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III or to the Nacionalista Party of Senator Manuel Villar.

Lakas-Kampi executives said about 30 to 40 percent of its members have jumped to other parties.

Arroyo urged party members to work hard to deliver the win to Teodoro and Manzano.

"Let us get them elected, elected with as big a mandate as you our leaders in the countryside and urban centers can win from our people, so they can go beyond building on the gains of the programs of this administration and lead a new reform agenda on pro-people reforms, ever guided by the institutional ideology of our party," she said.

The party did not announce yet its senatorial slate.

Ray Roquero and Reggie Velasco, party deputy secretary general, said they are still finalizing the slate.