MANILA, Philippines?The low ratings of presidential aspirant Gilbert Teodoro is not indicative that he will lose in the electoral race, according to Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno.

Puno, the former vice-chairman of the administration?s Lakas-Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino-Christian Muslim Democrats, told reporters that all ratings released prior to March should not be taken as is.

?I really believe that the ratings that matter start in the middle of March. I don?t believe in the surveys until the middle of March,? Puno said.

Teodoro ranked fourth among the presidential aspirants on the recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on December 2009. Teodoro?s five percent rating was far from the 46 percent rating of his second cousin, Senator Benigno ?Noynoy? Aquino III of the Liberal Party.

But Puno said that based on past elections since 1992, all ratings of electoral candidates released prior to March were ?wrong.?

?A lot of surveys released after March 15 was closer to reality,? Puno added.

Puno said he was confident that Teodoro will be one of the two candidates who will be fighting it out come election time.

He said that supporters and members of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD would help in rallying for Teodoro as elections draw closer.

?Lakas-Kampi-CMD has candidates everywhere so let?s look at the events come March when all the propaganda of the local officials will come out. The name of Gibo will be found in every streamer,? Puno said.