Incumbent Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who is seeking reelection, is leading in the latest poll survey against his two mayoralty rivals by a wide margin, raising his hopes of winning a third and last term as the capital city’s chief executive.
Estrada, who instituted various fiscal reforms and made Manila totally debt-free, garnered 46.3-percent votes compared to his closest rival, former Manila Vice Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, who received 31. Former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim got 9.6 percent in the survey, while 13.1% remained undecided.
This was based on a non-commissioned survey with 1,800 respondents done from April 12 to 15, almost a month before the May 13 midterm elections conducted by Media Trend Setter.
According to Rolando Luna, Executive Director of MTS, Estrada leads in all five districts of Manila, getting a high 56.8 percent in District III and 48.2 percent in District IV.
The former president, who inherited a bankrupt mayoral administration with P5 billion in unpaid debts in 2013, vows to continue to undertake infrastructure projects that would renew the city’s position as a prime financial, business and tourism hub before leaving the office.
With the positive news of the survey, Estrada said it would make it possible for him to move ahead with his programs that would help thousands of poor Manilenos, including senior citizens and poor but deserving students.
Estrada’s running mate, former Rep. Amado Bagatsing, is also leading in the same survey with 47 percent, against incumbent Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, who garnered 33 percent. Former police officer Elmer Jamias got 8 percent in the survey with 12 percent still undecided.
