Duterte and Marcos continue to top ratings in pre-poll surveys

Manila: Tough-talking Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City, southern Philippines, and Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos continued their consistent lead in Pulse Asia’s sixth pre-election surveys for presidential and vice-presidential candidates, respectively, which they gained from early March to late April, Pulse Asia said.

Duterte of Philippine Democratic Party’s-People’s Power (PDP-Laban) received 33 per cent preference rating in a survey of 4,000 respondents from April 19 to 24, said PA’s executive director Ana Tabunda. He lost two per cent from his rating in April 16-20 survey and one per cent from the rating in April 12-17 survey, but gained one per cent from his rating in April 5-10 survey, three per cent from his rating in March 29-April 3 survey, and eight per cent from his rating in March 8-12 survey.

Eleven points separated Duterte from former front-runner Senator Grace Poe, independent presidential candidate, who was second with 22 per cent preference rating in PA’s April 18-24 survey, said Tabunda. She had 23 per cent preference rating in PA’s April 16-20 survey, 25 per cent in April 5-10 survey, 25 per cent in March 29-April 3 survey, and 26 per cent in March 8-12 survey.

Gaining ground but not enough to reach Duterte, Mar Roxas of the ruling Liberal Party statistically tied with Poe with 20 per cent preferential rating in PA’s April 18-24 survey, said Tabunda. Roxas had 17 per cent rating in PA’s April 16-20 survey, 18 per cent in April 12-17 survey, 18 per cent in April 5-10 survey, and 19 per cent in March 29-April 3 survey.

Vice-President Jejomar Binay of United Nationalist Alliance dropped third but is also statistically tied with Roxas — with 18 per cent preference rating in PA’s April 18-24 survey. Binay had 16 per cent rating in April 16-20 survey, 19 per cent in April 12-17 survey, 20 per cent in PA’s April 5-10 survey, 20 per cent in March 29-April 3 survey, and 22 per cent in March 8-12 survey.

Remaining a top vice-presidential choice, Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Nationalista Party, received 31 per cent preferential rating in PA’s April 18-24 survey. he had 29 per cent rating in PA’s April 16-20 survey, 27 per cent in April 5-10 survey, 28 per cent in March 29-April 3 survey, and 25 per cent in March 8-12 survey.

But Marcos led only by five per cent over Congresswoman Leni Robredo of the ruling LP, who received 26 per cent preference rating in PA’s April 18-24 survey, said Tabunda. Robredo had 24 per cent rating in April 16-20 survey, 21 per cent in April 12-17 survey, 21 per cent in April 5-10 survey, 22 per cent in March 20-April 3 survey, and 20 per cent in March 8 -12 survey.

Former front-runner and independent candidate Senator Chiz Escudero landed third with 18 per cent preference rating in PA’s April 18-24 survey.

Senator Alan Peter Cayateno of PDP Laban received 15 per cent preference rating in April 18-24 survey, one per cent lower than his rating in April 16-20 survey,

Both Senators Antonio Trillanes and Gregorio Honasan received low preference ratings of three per cent and two per cent, respectively.