MANILA, Philippines—Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is the top choice for president in the May 2010 election even in the administration-dominated House of Representatives.

Cebu Representative Antonio Cuenco said this was the result of an “informal survey” that he had personally conducted among his colleagues in the chamber for about two weeks.

After talking to them during breaks at the lounge, he said the Liberal Party’s presidential aspirant emerged as the number one choice of about 100 congressmen, some 50 went for Senator Manuel Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP), and another 50 said they are for the preferred standard-bearer of the administration party’s Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.

Interviewed after the Serye forum in Quezon City Thursday, Cuenco said Senator Francis Escudero was rarely mentioned by the congressmen because he has yet to announce his candidacy.

“I think this is more accurate kasi galing ito sa puso nila (this is from the heart),” Cuenco, a member of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, described his initiative.

He said that many congressmen do not have a firm choice yet on who to support in next year’s election.

“We are all independent-minded, we’re still trying to size up the candidates…the situation is still very fluid,” he said in the forum.