Sorsogon Gov. Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Senator Joel Villanueva continued to post a strong showing at a recent polling of senatorial bets in an otherwise projected tight race in the 2022 national elections.
Escudero, who completed two consecutive terms in the Senate that ended in 2019, established his lead in the latest WR Numero survey, topping its Dec. 2-7 polling with 73.6 percent of the 5,000 survey respondents. In the same survey conducted last month, Escudero registered 73.2 percent in the polls, way ahead of the pack.
Villanueva surged to the second spot with 57.4 percent, continuing to gain momentum after placing fourth in the same senatorial preference survey conducted last month, where he garnered 52.1 percent. The Bulakenyo lawmaker has been aggressively pushing for tech-voc education and workers’ welfare, particularly for displaced workers.
Villanueva, who catapulted to national consciousness by his performance as director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, remained mum about his political plans, although he is eligible to gun for a second consecutive term in the next general elections in 2022 after posting a strong finish in the 2016 elections. He placed second in a likewise tight field of candidates, garnering 18,459,222 votes.
Trailing Villanueva, who is popularly nicknamed as “TESDAMan,” are Senator Sherwin Gatchalian (3rd, 55.4 percent) and Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri (4th, 55.2percent).
Rounding up the top 12 senatorial aspirants are Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez (5th, 54.8 percent), Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto (6th, 50.2percent), Anak-Kalusugan party list Rep. Michael Defensor (7th, 49.2percent), Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (8th, 48.5percent), Dr. Willie Ong (9th, 46.7 percent), Senator Risa Hontiveros (10th, 44.5 percent), Antique Rep. Loren Legarda (11th, 40.9 percent), and Senator Francis Pangilinan (12th, 36.7 percent).
The survey firm said the potential administration bets continued to be laggards in the polling, a consistent trend established since the polling’s last run in November.
In the December survey, WR Numero said Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque placed 14th (35.8 percent), while Communications Secretary Martin Andanar dropped to 20th (30.7 percent), followed by Public Works Secretary Mark Villar (21st, 30.3 percent), Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gringo Honasan (23rd, 28.3 percent), and presidential chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo (26th, 20 percent).
The Other personalities in the survey were Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza (13th, 36.1 percent), Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla (15th, 35.7 percent), actress Angel Locsin (16th, 35.6 percent), Senator Richard Gordon (17th, 33.9 percent), actor Dingdong Dantes (18th, 33.6 percent), and former Senator Bam Aquino (19th, 31.2 percent).