Pacquiao ignores surveys: ‘Si Duterte nga dati pangatlo, pang-apat lang’

FILE PHOTO: Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao meets supporters in Davao del Norte after a  successful sortie in Davao Oriental in Mindanao. Contributed photo

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday said he does not let his dismal rating in surveys dampen his spirits, noting that even President Rodrigo Duterte trailed in surveys when he ran in 2016.

Pacquiao issued the statement as he placed fourth in the latest OCTA Research’s Tugon ng Masa survey on preferred presidential candidates, following behind Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remained in the top spot while Vice President Leni Robredo came second.

“Sa dalawang dekadang lumipas, pakitaan mo ako ng tumama na survey sa bawat eleksyon. Maniniwala tayo kung nagkamali sa isang eleksyon o dalawang eleksyon, eh sunud-sunod eh, wala namang natama,” the senator said in an interview in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

(In the two elections that have passed, show me a survey that correctly predicted the election results. Let’s believe it if the surveys missed predictions in one or two elections but it is consistent. Nothing came out right.)

“Si Duterte, ni-review ko eh, tiningnan ko ang survey, pangatlo lang siya. Sa February 2016, pang-apat pa siya, March pangatlo siya, April pangatlo pa rin siya,” he added.

(I reviewed Duterte’s ratings in the surveys, he was only third. In February 2016, he placed fourth, in March, third, April, still third.)

READ: Marcos Jr.’s wide lead can be overcome, analysts say

Duterte won the 2016 presidential race, garnering 16 million votes.

Pacquiao said he believes that while surveys can affect the decision-making process of voters, poor people who need help would still vote for the candidate they think are sincere in helping them.

“Ang taong mahirap na nangangailangan, nanghihingi ng tulong, hindi sumasabay doon sa survey. ‘Yung mga nahihirapan sa buhay, mga nagugutom, hindi sumasabay sa survey kasi hinahanap nila ‘yung talagang ramdam nila na gustong tumulong sa kanila. ‘Yung tunay na nagmamahal at naniniwala sila na may totoong pagbabago na mangyayari,” Pacquiao said.

(People who are suffering and are begging for help do not follow surveys because they are looking for the candidate that they feel is sincere in helping them — the candidate that truly loves them and they believe that will bring about true change.)

Pacquiao earlier said he is aspiring to reach Filipinos in class D and E to further firm up support for his candidacy as he continues to trail in election surveys.

He has noted that people under class D and E are not equally represented in the surveys when they have the most number in the Philippine population.

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