Duterte pa rin! Sara widens lead as top presidential bet as Bongbong, Pacquiao, Robredo trail behind
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte continues to be the candidate to beat in pre-election surveys despite her insistence that she won’t run in the 2022 elections.
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Results of Pulse Asia’s latest survey showed Duterte as the leading potential presidential candidate, with a popularity rating of 27%. Trailing behind her in a far second place is former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at 13%.
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Senator Grace Poe and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno are tied in third place at 12% while Senator Manny Pacquiao ranked fourth at 11%.
In fifth place is Vice President Leni Robredo, with a voter preference rating of 7%. She’s followed by Senator Bong Go with 5%, former Vice President Jejomar Binay with 3%, and Senator Panfilo Lacson and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, who each got 2%.
At the bottom of the survey were Senator Richard Gordon with a one percent voter preference rating, former Tarlac Rep. Gilbert Teodoro with .3% and retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio with .2%.
Across geographic areas, support for Duterte is strongest in Mindanao, where 60% chose her as the next president. She’s also the leading candidate in Visayas, with the support of 21% of Visayan voters.
The leading candidates in Metro Manila are Moreno (24%) and Marcos (18%). The former senator is also the top presidential choice in the rest of Luzon with a 19% voter preference rating.
Pulse Asia conducted the survey nationwide between February 22 and March 3, 2021. Respondents were asked who they would vote for president if the elections were held during the polling period.