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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 1st to 2nd places.
In 3rd to 4th 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 3rd to 7th places while landing in 4th to 9th places is former Las Piñas Representative Cynthia Villar (37.7%).
Sharing 4th to 10th 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 5th to 11th 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%, 6th to 12th places) and Aurora Province Representative Juan Edgardo Angara (31.2%, 8th to 14th places). Completing the list of probable winners are former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri (29.7%, 10th to 16th places), Senator Gregorio Honasan (27.9%, 11th to 16th places), Cagayan Province Representative Juan Ponce Enrile, Jr. (27.2%, 11th to 16th places), former Akbayan Party-List Representative Risa Hontiveros (25.8%, 12th to 17th places) and former Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. (25.6%, 12th to 17th 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).