Senator Manny Pacquiao topped Pulse Asia’s latest survey on the Filipinos’ preferred senatorial candidates for next year’s national elections.
The pollster released a report on April 22 about how prospective national candidates in the 2022 election are faring in public opinion.
Interestingly, Pacquiao is also among the second top choice for next President of the Philippines.
Pacquiao, a boxer-turned-politician, led the list of preferred candidates for senator with 58.9 percent backing among respondents.
He was followed by Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno with 53 percent.
Pulse Asia noted that among 57 individuals named in the survey conducted from February 22 to March 3 this year, 15 potential candidates for senator “would have a statistical chance of winning if the May 2022 elections coincided with the conduct of survey interviews.”
Most of the preferred to win the senatorial seat are either present or former members of Congress.
Among the strong contenders for the Senate seat are broadcaster Raffy Tulfo with 48.1 percent, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio with 47.5 percent, Sorsogon Gov. Francis Escudero with 46.6, and Deputy House Speaker Loren Legarda with 46.2 percent.
They all share the 3rd to 7th places, according to the survey.
Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano also had 44.4 percent backing (3rd to 8th places), followed by Bongbong Marcos Jr., with 40.7 percent (7th to 10th places), Senators Panfilo Lacson and Juan Miguel Zubiri with 38.1 each (8th to 11th places), and TV personality Willie Revillame with 34.1 percent (9th to 11 places).
In the same survey by Pulse Asia, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, ex-senator Bongbong Marcos, and Senator Grace Poe emerged as the top three names in terms of the people’s preference for the 2022 presidential elections.
According to Pulse Asia, the face-to-face surveys done from February 22 to March 3, 2021, indicate that Duterte-Carpio remains the most preferred candidate with 27 percent of the respondents voting for her if elections were held on the day they were interviewed.
Marcos came in second with 13 percent of the respondents picking him, while Poe and Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno both garnered 12 percent.
“If the May 2022 elections were held during the survey period (i.e., 22 February to 03 March 2021), Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte would be declared as the winner in the presidential race with a national voter preference of 27%,” Pulse Asia said in its report.
“Second place is shared by four (4) personalities who enjoy virtually the same levels of electoral support – former Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. (13%), Senator Grace Poe (12%), Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso (12%), and Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao (11%),” it added.
Coming in at 6th spot is Vice President Leni Robredo (7%), trailed by Senator Bong Go (5%), former Vice President Jejomar Binay (3 %), Senator Panfilo Lacson (two percent), and former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano (2%).
For vice presidential preference, 16 percent gives their nod to Moreno while Pacquiao and Duterte-Carpio are close at second place, with both scoring 15 percent.
“Out of 12 possible candidates for vice-president in the May 2022 elections, Manila Mayor Domagoso (16%), Senator Pacquiao (15%), and Davao City Mayor Duterte (15%) are statistically tied for the top spot as of February 2021,” Pulse Asia said.
“Behind them in second place are Senate President Vicente Sotto III (11%), ex-Senator Marcos (11%), Senator Go (9%), Taguig City-Pateros Representative Cayetano (7%), and Sorsogon Governor Francis Escudero (7%),” it added.