Incumbent officials in Pasay City dominated the latest Social Weather Stations survey for the city’s elections this May.
The survey, conducted from Jan. 25 to 28 with 600 validated voters as respondents, showed Pasay City Rep. Imelda “Emi” Calixto-Rubiano as the leading mayoralty choice with an 81 percent voter preference. Second was Chet Cuneta, son of the longtime Pasay mayor, with 14 percent, and former prosecutor Edward Togonon with 3 percent.
Calixto-Rubiano is on her third consecutive term as Pasay’s lawmaker in the House of Representatives.
Leading the race for Pasay’s lone congressional seat is incumbent Mayor Antonino Calixto, chosen by 86 percent of the respondents. Second was Efren Alas at 6 percent, and former city prosecutor Elmer Mitra was third with 3 percent.
Vice Mayor Noel del Rosario also topped the survey for the same position, receiving 66 percent voter preference over former city councilor Richard Advincula, who received 26 percent.
Some factors that affected the results of the survey, according to SWS, is the unfamiliarity of the respondents with some of the candidates, and the public perception that those running for Congress and Mayor are not legitimate residents of the city.
Adding to the confidence of the respondents to the leadership of the incumbent officials are the economic programs of the city and the expanded social services of the local government to its constituents.
The survey had 600 validated voters as respondents with 300 from each of Pasay’s districts. It bears a 95 percent confidence level with a margin of error of plus-minus 4 percent for the entire City and plus-minus 6 percent for each of the two electoral districts.
The SWS conducted the “Survey on Voter Preferences and Voting Attitudes in Pasay City” utilizing face-to-face interviews with 600 validated voters using a structured questionnaire with visuals.
