MANILA—Election surveys only show voter preference and do not usually determine who will win the elections, the executive director of Pulse Asia explained.

According to Dr. Ana Maria Tabunda, surveys do not accurately reflect election results.

"Kung susuriin natin 'yung mga nakaraang presidential elections, 'yung mga nangunguna noong mga maagang survey, hindi naman sila 'yung nananalo," she said, addressing concerns that poll surveys have a mind-conditioning effect on voters.

(If we look at previous presidential elections, those who top the early surveys did not win in the end.)

"Kung may mind-conditioning, 'yung nauna noong maaga pa lang siya na 'yung panalo."

(If there is mind conditioning, then those who top the surveys early on could have won.)

Tabunda said that during the period before the 2016 elections, Senator Grace Poe and former vice-president Jejomar Binay were leading surveys. President Rodrigo Duterte's name only topped the surveys a few months before the actual elections.

She also explained that election surveys only give the public an idea about voter preference, which can eventually help a voter make his or her own decision.

"Binibigyan nito ng ideya ang ating mga kababayan kung ano ang preference nung iba niyang kababayan, at binibigyan din siya ng ideya kung sino 'yung mga maaaring kumandidato. So maaari na siyang mag-aral, kung gusto niya, kung sino ang kaniyang iboboto," Tabunda said.

(This gives the public an idea about other people's preferences, and it also gives one an idea who might run in the elections. This way, a person may already look into who he or she will vote for.)

Tabunda said the results of the survey will surely change as the election nears, as current issues usually affect voter preference.

"Marami pang mga issues na lalabas sa darating na mga buwan na makaka-impluwensiya sa ating mga botante," she said.

(There will be a lot of issues that will surface in the coming months that can influence our voters.)

"Nagdedepende talaga 'yung resulta sa mga issues na umiiral, na lumalabas. Kaya hindi mo puwedeng sabihing tuloy-tuloy na 'yung pagiging No. 1, o tuloy-tuloy 'yung pagbaba."

(The results will really depend on the issues that will come out. So you cannot say that those who top the survey will remain in that spot, or if they will go down the list.)

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In a Pulse Asia survey released Wednesday, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio emerged as the most preferred presidential candidate among Filipinos for next year’s national elections, despite her announcement that she would no longer seek the presidency.

The latest Pulse Asia poll was conducted from September 6 to 11.

Duterte-Carpio topped similar Pulse Asia surveys in July, April, and December last year.

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

Broadcaster Raffy Tulfo, meanwhile, topped the list of Filipinos' preferred senatorial candidates for the 2022 national elections.

• Raffy Tulfo tops preferred 2022 senatorial bets in Pulse Asia survey