Dubai: Mirroring pre-election survey results in Manila, the tandem of Senators Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino and Manuel "Mar" Roxas of the Liberal Party was the runaway winner in the mock elections conducted recently among Filipino expatriates in Dubai.
The survey conducted from March 1-14 by the San Beda Alumni Association – UAE chapter had 123 respondents in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and other parts of the UAE.
Aquino garnered 56.6 per cent of the 120 votes cast for president with former defence secretary Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro of Lakas-CMD and Nacionalista Party’s Manuel "Manny" Villar tying for second with 16.6 per cent each. Senator Richard Gordon of the Bagumbayan party ranked fourth with 8.33 per cent followed by former president Joseph Estrada who rated 1.67 per cent.
No votes were cast for the other candidates: Bro. Eddie Villanueva, Senator Jamby Madrigal, Nicanor Perlas, Olongapo City Councilor JC delos Reyes and Vitaliano Acosta.
In the vice presidential contest, Roxas garnered 61.48 per cent. Former Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando of the Bagumbayan party placed second with 14.75 per cent while Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay of PDP-Laban/Pwersa ng Masa ranked third with 10.66 per cent. Senator Loren Legarda and TV host Edu Manzano tied for fourth with 4.92 per cent while former SEC Chairman Perfecto Yasay of Bangon Pilipinas finished 5th with 3.28 per cent.
No votes were cast for radio-TV announcer Jay Sonza of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan and Dominador "Jun" Chipeco of the Ang Kapatiran Party.
Pulse Asia
In the most recent Pulse Asia survey – conducted from March 21 to 28 – Aquino enjoyed a 12 percentage point advantage over Villar.
Aquino got 37 per cent followed by Villar with 25 percent. Estrada placed third with 18 per cent followed by Teodoro with 7 per cent, Gordon with 2 per cent, and Villanueva with 3 per cent.
Perlas, Delos Reyes and Madrigal were chosen by less than 1 per cent of the respondents.
In the vice-presidential race, Roxas was ahead by 20 percentage point over Legarda. Roxas had 43 per cent while Legarda got 23 per cent.
Binay had 19 per cent followed by Fernando, 3 percent; Manzano, 2 per cent; Yasay, 1 per cent, Sonza, 0.5 per cent and Chipeco, 0.1 per cent.
The latest Pulse Asia survey was conducted among 3,000 respondents nationwide with a margin of error of plus/minus 2 per cent.
Like what was done by the San Beda Alumni Association in Dubai, the Pulse Asia survey used facsimiles of the official ballot that will be used in the automated elections.
