MAYANTOC, Tarlac ? While remaining upbeat about winning the presidential race, administration candidate Gilbert Teodoro, said he was prepared to face defeat as well.

Supporters mobbed him here as he arrived at the Carabaoan-Caocaoayan Elementary School at around 9 a.m. to cast his vote. He was accompanied by wife Tarlac Representative Monica Louise "Nikki" Teodoro and son, Jaime Gilberto.

Asked if he was prepared for victory or defeat, he said, "Whatever. I'm prepared."

"Magaan ang loob ko kasi tingin ko at the end of the day, talagang gigising ang Pilipino [I feel light because I think at the end of the day, the Filipino will really wake up]," he added.

Teodoro, standard-bearer of the merged Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats party, said he believed that he ran a good campaign and that he learned a lot from it.

?I think that's the consensus of a lot of people,? he said.

He said he was able to deliver his platform to the people and raised the level of campaign in the three month period given to national candidates.

"In my case, it was," he said when asked if he was successful in raising the level of the campaign, "I don't know about the others."

Teodoro said he prayed for a peaceful and credible election and urged the people to be vigilant in guarding their votes.

"Kailangan maging mapagmasid sa proseso [We have to be vigilant about the process]," he said, adding that he will closely monitor the voting and canvassing.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD will be monitoring the counting and canvassing from its headquarters in Edsa.

Teodoro thanked the people for accepting him as a viable candidate in the presidential race.

"I want to thank everybody who helped, not only those who voted, but those who gave their love and sacrifices. I'm very thankful," he said.

The May elections, Teodoro added, would definitely not be the end of the journey for him.