Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and running mate Amado Bagatsing continue to top different pre-election surveys ahead of the May 13 polls, as both remained favored choices for Manila’s top posts.
“If the trend remains unchanged, incumbent Mayor Joseph Estrada will serve his third and last term while Manila will have a new vice mayor,” according to the latest survey conducted by the Filipino-Chinese Independent Business Coalition.
In its April 24-27 field work survey using face-to-face interviews, the FCIBC said Estrada garnered 51.8% voter’s preference, considered the highest score among several field works since January 2019.
At least 1,800 respondents were asked about the candidates they want to lead Manila in the next three years, with Estrada still the best choice, the survey noted.
The non-commissioned survey revealed that Estrada’s closest rival, former vice mayor Isko Moreno, got a 34.8% voter preference, while former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim received 13%.
For vice mayor, former congressman Bagatsing received 54.5 percent voter preference compared to Moreno’s running mate, incumbent Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, who earned 45 percent.
Marvin Manhit, FCIBC Chief research analyst, said that based on their study, Estrada “possesses a ‘magnetic’ political appeal to Manilenos, which is considered a plus factor against the tandem of Moreno-Lacuna.”
“If you will notice, both Isko and Lacuna served as vice mayors under Estrada’s leadership. Based on our assessment, anybody who will be the running mate of Mayor Estrada will win, and it looks like Amado Bagatsing, who is also a veteran politician, has the advantage over the incumbent,” Manhit said.
The FCIBC is the same private firm that released a study in 2016, which confirmed the slim chance of Estrada’s victory in winning the elections against Lim.
After the 2016 elections, Estrada received 283,149 votes, just over 2,000 than Lim’s 280,464 tally.
“This time, we can foresee a commanding lead by Estrada against his opponent if the trend will continue, and we also expect landslide victory,” Manhit said.
Earlier, the Laylo Research Strategies and Media Trend Setter surveys showed Estrada is the most preferred mayoralty bet over his political opponents for Manila’s top post.
