MANILA, Philippines ? Dislodging Vice President Noli de Castro, Senator Manuel M. Villar topped the survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) last month on the leader who should succeed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2010.

De Castro fell to fourth place with only 19 percent of the 1,500 respondents polled nationwide rooting for him, down from 21 percent in May and 27 percent in February.

It was De Castro?s lowest rating since September 2007.

Conducted from June 19 to 22, the survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percent.

Villar obtained the nod of 33 percent of the respondents, up from 29 percent in May and 26 percent in February.

Respondents aged 18 and above were asked: "Under the present Constitution, the term of President Arroyo is up to 2010 only and there will be an election for a new President in May 2010. Who do you think are good leaders who should succeed President Arroyo as President?"

SWS did not provide a list, allowing respondents to name up to three candidates.

Closely trailing Villar was former president Joseph Estrada with 25 percent, almost double the 13 percent he got in May and February.

Senators Francis Escudero and Manuel Roxas II were tied at third place with 20 percent, while Senator Loren Legarda was at fifth place with 15 percent.

Escudero got 15 percent in May and 23 percent in February, while Roxas obtained 18 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

Legarda received 14 percent in May and 25 percent in February.

In an earlier interview, Legarda said the massive spending for radio and TV ads of her fellow presidential aspirants was the reason behind their rise in the surveys.

Legarda ran only one TV ad last year to celebrate Earth Day.

?I am really heartened by the support shown by the people in this survey. I thank the people for keeping the faith despite attempts to bring me down with unfounded allegations of wrongdoing,? Villar said in a statement.

It was Villar who commissioned the SWS survey in May that covered 7,000 respondents nationwide.

?This is heart-warming. It certainly invigorates me to work harder. A lot of our countrymen need our help here and around the world,? said Villar, president of the revived Nacionalista Party.

?While it is too early to say whether this trend will continue till the run-up to the May 2010 elections, I will do my best to live up to the trust and confidence given to me by our people,? he added.

The other perceived presidential aspirants got single digits:

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson scored seven percent (down from 12 percent in May and 14 percent in February) and Makati Mayor Jejomar C. Binay obtained four percent (up from two percent in May and one percent in February).

Senator Richard Gordon, Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Bayani Fernando and Arroyo scored one percent each.

The others scored below a percentage point ? Senator Francis N. Pangilinan, Jesus Is Lord leader Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva, Defense Secretary Gilbert C. Teodoro, Jr., detained Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV, Pampanga Governor Ed T. Panlilio, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, an unspecified "Estrada," and Senator Ramon B. Revilla Jr.