Pulse Asia Survey Shows Sara Duterte As ‘Most Preferred’ Presidential Bet In 2022

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte emerged as the most preferred presidential bet in a non-commissioned early preference poll conducted by Pulse Asia.

Twenty-six percent or 2,400 respondents of Pulse Asia’s November 2020 Ulat ng Bayan survey said they would support the presidential bid of Duterte if the elections were held during the survey period last Nov. 23 to Dec. 2.

The same survey also showed that 16 percent of the respondents will support the presidential daughter should she run for vice president, one point behind Manila Mayor Isko Moreno who led the most preferred bets for the second highest post in the land with 17 percent.

Following Duterte on the most preferred presidential bet are former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sen. Grace Poe, who both received support from 14 percent of the respondents.

Moreno is the fourth most preferred presidential bet with 12 percent, followed by Vice President Leni Robredo (eight percent), Sen. Panfilo Lacson (four percent). Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go (four percent) and former speaker and Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (three percent).

Sen. Richard Gordon and former Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio received less than one percent of support from the respondents.

On the vice presidential race, statistically tied with Moreno and Duterte were Senate President Vicente Sotto III with 14 percent. They were followed by Marcos (11 percent), Pacquiao (11 percent), Go (nine percent), Sorsogon Gov. Francis Escudero (six percent) and Cayetano (five percent).

Sen. Sonny Angara, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar and human rights lawyer Chel Diokno all received two percent of support among the respondents.

 The survey has a margin of error of +/- two percent at 95 percent confidence level. Pulse Asia said it undertakes Ulat ng Bayan surveys on its own without any party singularly commissioning its research effort.

 “In keeping with our academic nature, no religious, political, economic or partisan group influenced any of these processes,” it added.

 The respondents were asked to choose from a list provided who will they vote if the elections were held at the time of the survey period. They were also allowed to mention others not included in the list.

 Based on the survey, Duterte’s potential presidential bid received 58 percent of support among respondents in Mindanao, followed by 29 percent in Visayas, 16 percent in Metro Manila and 12 percent in the rest of Luzon.

 Marcos received the highest support among respondents from Metro Manila with 20 percent, while Poe and Moreno received the highest support among respondents from the rest of Luzon with 17 percent each.

 Duterte secured the highest support among respondents across different socio-economic classes: 27 percent among those in Class ABC, 26 percent among those in Class D and 23 percent among those in Class E.

 In the vice presidential race, Moreno obtained the highest support among residents in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, while Duterte received the most support among those in Visayas and Mindanao.

 Preferred senators

 The same survey also asked the respondents to select up to 12 personalities whom they prefer to vote for senator if the 2022 elections were held during the survey period.

 Pacquiao, who is eligible to run for a second term as senator, emerged as the most preferred with 62.1 percent, followed by broadcaster Raffy Tulfo (54.3 percent), Duterte (50.9 percent) and Moreno (48.4 percent).

 They were followed by former senators Escudero (46.7 percent), Cayetano (46 percent) and Loren Legarda (45.6 percent), who is currently serving as Antique representative and deputy speaker at the lower House.

 On eighth spot is Marcos (41.8 percent), also a former senator whose sister Imee is currently serving in the Senate. He was followed by Lacson (38.2 percent), Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri (35.7 percent), Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian (28.1 percent) and former senator Jinggoy Estrada (28 percent).

 Outside the so-called “Magic 12” but within the margin of error were Sen. Francis Pangilinan (27.9 percent), Sen. Risa Hontiveros (27 percent), Gordon (26.9 percent) and Villar (25 percent).

 Following them were former senator JV Ejercito (22.8 percent), former senator and current Information and Communication Technology Secretary Gregorio Honasan (22.5 percent), Davao City Rep. and presidential son Paolo Duterte (21.9 percent), Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos (21.9 percent), former Pampanga governor Mark Lapid (20.4 percent), former senator Bam Aquino (19.9 percent), former senator Mar Roxas (18.5 percent) and presidential spokesperson Harry Roque (18.4 percent).

 Both Sen. Joel Villanueva and Leila De Lima, who are eligible to run for a second term, trail in the survey with 14.3 percent and six percent, respectively.

 Villanueva ranked second in the 2016 polls while De Lima ranked 12th.