Former President Rodrigo Duterte remains the leading preferred candidate for the upcoming 2025 senatorial race, according to the latest PAHAYAG 2023-Q2 survey conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia, Inc.
Despite a slight drop in popularity to 51 percent from 55 percent in the previous quarter, Duterte was still the top choice among the voters, the pollster said.
The survey results also highlighted the strong performances of Doc Willie Ong and Erwin Tulfo, who were tied at the second and third spots with a significant support base of 44 percent each. Their consistent popularity demonstrates their strong appeal among the electorate, PUBLiCUS said.
In the fourth and fifth spots, the presence of incumbent senators seeking re-election is greatly evident, the survey firm said. Senator Christopher Go and Senator Maria Imelda ‘Imee’ Marcos garnered 39 percent support, positioning themselves as formidable contenders in the upcoming race.
Former Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto were tied at 36 percent, indicating their competitive standing in the race.
Similarly, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and former Senator Panfilo Lacson, along with Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, were at 35 percent and 31 percent, respectively. Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was at 25 percent, further emphasizing the diverse range of candidates vying for Senate seats, PUBLiCUS said.
Additionally, the survey revealed the emergence of former Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo and former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan in the coveted “Magic 12,” capturing 28 percent and 25 percent of the respondents’ support, respectively.
The survey results provide valuable insights into the current political landscape and reflect the preferences of the electorate at this stage, PUBLiCUS said.
The PAHAYAG 2023 Second Quarter Survey (PQ2) was an independent and non- commissioned survey conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. between 7-12 June 2023.
It is a nationwide purposive survey with 1,500 respondents randomly drawn from a market research panel of over 200,000 Filipinos maintained by PureSpectrum, a US-based panel marketplace with a multinational presence with respondents, and distributed across five geographical areas: National Capital Region (NCR), North Central Luzon (NCL), South Luzon (SL), Visayas (Vis), and Mindanao (Min).
Only registered Filipino voters were included in the sample, ensuring that the results accurately represent the sentiments of the voting population.