MANILA - Presidential candidates Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and Manny Pacquiao are undaunted by the latest presidential preference survey by pollster Pulse Asia, they said Monday.

The poll conducted last month showed that Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s is still the most preferred presidential aspirant, with 60 percent of respondents saying they would vote for him.

• Bongbong Marcos still most preferred Halalan 2022 presidential bet: Pulse Asia survey

Pacquiao ranked third, tied with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, as they each got 8 percent, while Lacson placed fourth, with 4 percent. Vice President Leni Robredo came in second with 16 percent.

“To our BRAVE supporters: if you don’t see in the surveys the support that you feel on the ground, don’t get disheartened. Our fight to enlighten a benighted land shall continue in ways that are determined, decent, serious and honest," Lacson said on Twitter.

BRAVE stands for his Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment program.

"We will never give up for our country’s sake,” he added.

Lacson’s BRAVE advocacy aims to “shift the power of the purse away from the national government back to local government units” to help address the country’s problems.

"Hindi po tayo nababahala sa mga lumalabas na survey... Hindi po ako panghihinaan ng loob at ganun din ang aking mga supporters...," Pacquiao said for his part.

(We are not bothered by the surveys that are coming out... My supporters and I are not discouraged.)

"We remain very optimistic because we are seeing a snowballing of support in the Visayas and in Mindanao... Positibo rin ang pagtanggap sa atin ng mga kababayan natin sa Luzon," he added.

(We are also welcomed by our compatriots in Luzon.)

On Sunday, Robredo's camp said they believe that the Vice President's recent appearances in media interviews will turn the tide in the next surveys, and on election day.

"While the Pulse Asia survey was only released today, fieldwork for it was done from January 19-24, too early to capture the impact of the game-changing interviews with GMA, DZRH, and other media outfits," said Robredo spokesman Atty. Barry Gutierrez.

It will the same for Leody De Guzman, said his vice presidential running mate, Prof. Walden Bello.

"The latest survey was taken before Leody's breakthrough to voters in the KBP forum and before my breakthrough to public consciousness in the internet debate on the mandatory military training initiative of Sara Duterte. We have just begun to fight," Bello said.

The Marcos camp said "numbers don't lie" and took the results as an indication that "our message for national unity is resonating among the overwhelming majority of the Filipino people."

The official campaign period for national position candidates in the May 9 elections opened last Feb. 8.

Meanwhile, in a separate tweet, Lacson said a leader should be able to unite people by leading by example.

“Unity is best accomplished when a leader leads by example. We learned that in school, training and actual practice. A leader who practices what he preaches is the best unifying factor because he inspires and motivates his people. Shared integrity does not divide. It unifies,” Lacson said.

Unity is best accomplished when a leader leads by example. We learned that in school, training and actual practice. A leader who practices what he preaches is the best unifying factor because he inspires and motivates his people. Shared integrity does not divide. It unifies.

— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) February 14, 2022

• Lacson: PH gov't should prepare for effects of possible Russian invasion in Ukraine

- with report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv