11 Team PNoy, 5 UNA bets in winners’ circle—Pulse Asia

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MANILA, Philippines—Eleven candidates from Team PNoy and five from the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) have a statistical chance of winning in the May 13 elections, according to the results of the latest survey conducted by Pulse Asia.

The pre-election survey done between March and April 2013 showed a few significant changes in these candidates’ voter preferences.

Most of the probable winners are either former or incumbent members of Congress, the survey showed. Leading the senatorial race are two re-electionists—Senators Loren Legarda and Francis Escudero (51.5% and 48.3%, respectively). Both lawmakers share 1^st to 2^nd places.

In 3^rd to 4^th place is former Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Chairperson Grace Poe whose senatorial bid has the support of 42.4% of registered voters. Another re-electionist – Senator Alan Peter Cayetano (40.0%) – occupies 3^rd to 7^th places while landing in 4^th to 9^th places is former Las Piñas Representative Cynthia Villar (37.7%).

Sharing 4^th to 10^th spots are Senator Antonio Trillanes IV (35.8%) and former National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairperson Paolo Benigno Aquino IV (35.7%). Two UNA senatorial candidates land in 5^th to 11^th places – San Juan City Representative JV Ejercito Estrada (34.7%) and UNA Deputy Secretary-General Nancy Binay (34.6%).

They are followed by two more candidates from Team PNoy – Senator Aquilino Pimentel III (32.7%, 6^th to 12^th places) and Aurora Province Representative Juan Edgardo Angara (31.2%, 8^th to 14^th places). Completing the list of probable winners are former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri (29.7%, 10^th to 16^th places), Senator Gregorio Honasan (27.9%, 11^th to 16^th places), Cagayan Province Representative Juan Ponce Enrile, Jr. (27.2%, 11^th to 16^th places), former Akbayan Party-List Representative Risa Hontiveros (25.8%, 12th to 17^th places) and former Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. (25.6%, 12^th to 17^th places).

The survey also showed five senatorial candidates experienced a decline in their respective national voter preferences – Binay (-5.0 percentage points), Enrile (-5.2 percentage points), Cayetano (-8.7 percentage points), Honasan (8.9 percentage points) and Pimentel (-9.0 percentage points).

Among those outside the probable winners’ circle, four candidates also registered a drop in voter preferences – former Senate President Ernesto Maceda (-5.0 percentage points), former Tarlac Governor Margarita Cojuangco (-5.4 percentage points), former Senator Jamby Madrigal (-6.9 percentage points) and former Senator Richard Gordon (-8.3 percentage

points).