Marcos enjoys wide lead over Robredo
Sotto is top 2 choice for vice president

MANILA (UPDATE) — Former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his 2022 running-mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio emerged as the most preferred contenders for the two highest posts in next year's elections in the latest Pulse Asia survey released Wednesday.

Of 2,400 respondents polled on Dec. 1 to 6, more than half or 53 percent said they would vote Marcos for president, while 20 percent said they would vote for his rival Vice President Leni Robredo.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso and Sen. Manny Pacquiao each got the support of 8 percent of respondents, followed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson with 6 percent.

Ret. Gen. Antonio Parlade obtained 0.01 percent, while labor leader Leody De Guzman had 0.004 percent.

In the vice presidential race, 45 percent of respondents said they would vote for Duterte-Carpio, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, while 31 percent supported her rival Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

Robredo's running-mate Sen. Kiko Pangilinan placed third with the backing of 12 percent of respondents.

Dr. Willie Ong followed with 6 percent, Deputy House Speaker Lito Atienza with 1 percent, and former lawmaker Walden Bello with 0.01 percent.

Pulse Asia said that 97 percent of the 2,400 respondents are registered voters in the May 2022 elections.

BREAKDOWN

The latest Pulse Asia survey showed that Marcos enjoys the support of majority in Metro Manila (61 percent), the rest of Luzon (51 percent), Mindanao (64 percent), socio-economic class ABS (53 percent) and class D (54 percent).

A big plurality in the Visayas (42 percent) and a near majority in the class E (49 percent) also back him, the poll showed.

In the Sept. 6-11 survey of Pulse Asia or a month before the official filing of candidacies, Marcos got 15 percent of support, followed by Domagoso with 13 percent, Pacquiao with 12 percent, Sen. Grace Poe with 9 percent, Robredo with 8 percent, and Lacson with 6 percent.

Duterte-Carpio topped that survey despite her pronouncements during the period that she is not running for president next year.

• Pulse Asia: Duterte-Carpio tops bets for 2022 polls; Sotto overtakes Duterte for VP

Pulse Asia said it asked respondents in its latest survey to pick a second choice in case their initial bet ends up not pursuing his or her presidential bid.

Domagoso emerged as the most preferred second choice, with 23 percent of votes, followed by Lacson with 17 percent, Robredo with 14 percent, and then Pacquiao and Marcos with 11 percent each.

For the vice presidency, Duterte-Carpio is the most preferred aspirant in Metro Manila (45 percent), Mindanao (82 percent), and in all three socio-economic classes (47 percent of ABC, 44 percent of D, and 48 percent of E).

Sotto topped in the Balance Luzon (36 percent) and in the Visayas (39 percent).

In the September survey, Sotto dominated nationwide with 24 percent, followed by Duterte with 14 percent, Domagoso and Marcos with 12 percent each, and Pacquiao with 7 percent.

A separate survey conducted in October by Social Weather Stations also showed Marcos emerging as top choice for President next year, with 47 percent of support among respondents, followed by Robredo, who got 18 percent.

Domagoso came in next with 13 percent, then Pacquiao with 9 percent, while Lacson and then presidential aspirant Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa got 5 percent each. Dela Rosa withdrew his candidacy in November.

De Guzman was not included in that survey.

• Isko, Ping, Leody camps unbothered by poll showing Bongbong as top choice for President

For the vice presidency, Sotto was No. 1 choice, getting the support of 44 percent of respondents, while Duterte-Carpio was next with 25 percent.

Pangilinan and Ong each got 13 percent.

MARCOS DEFIES DUTERTE TIRADES

Prior to Pulse Asia's September survey, Duterte-Carpio also led its previous other polls for the presidency. She was widely tipped to vie as the successor of her father before she registered as a substitute candidate for vice president in November.

The Duterte patriarch had said he was displeased with her bid for the No. 2 job, and even threatened to challenge her in the vice presidential race. He ended up running for senator, but withdrew his candidacy this month.

Duterte called Marcos a "weak leader", while praising his aide Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go, who has since withdrawn his presidential bid, as "honest."

His tirades came about two weeks before Pulse Asia conducted its presidential survey.

Political observers said Go's withdrawal from the presidential race would likely benefit the Bongbong-Sara ticket as it would consolidate the Dutertes' voter base behind the 43-year-old Davao mayor and that support could extend to Marcos.

"There is no more confusion in terms of administration support," Aries Arugay, visiting fellow at the ISEAS Yusof-Ishak Institute and political science professor at the University of the Philippines, earlier said.

Marcos' candidacy is being challenged at the Commission on Elections over his nearly 3-decade old conviction for tax evasion.

Analysts say it is crucial for a loyal successor to replace Duterte and shield him from possible legal action, including the International Criminal Court's paused inquiry into his war on drugs.

SENATE RACE

As for the Senate race, Pulse Asia said out of 14 possible winners, 9 are either current or former members of Congress.

The pollster said Taguig City-Pateros Rep. Alan Cayetano was the leading senatorial pick of Filipino voters, with 64.1 percent including him in their list of preferred candidates.

Broadcaster Raffy Tulfo and Antique Rep. Loren Legarda share the second to third places with 60.0 percent and 58.7 percent, respectively, said Pulse Asia.

Sorsogon Governor Francis Escudero has the support of 53.9 percent of voters, which equates to a statistical ranking of 4th to 5th places, it added.

Former DPWH Sec. Mark Villar (51.3 percent, 4th to 6th places) and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri (49.5 percent, 5th to 6th places) complete the top half of probable winners.

The following candidates are in the "bottom half of those with a statistical chance of winning," said Pulse Asia.

- former Vice President Jejomar Binay
- Sen. Joel Villanueva
- Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian
- President Rodrigo Duterte (who withdrew from the race only last week)
- Actor Robin Padilla
- Sen. Risa Hontiveros
- former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada
- former Sen. JV Ejercito

The Comelec has yet to release the final list of the candidates for the May 9, 2022 elections.

— With a report from Reuters

RELATED VIDEO

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv