MANILA, Philippines – If former senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan’s appointment as Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization were a ploy to boost his ratings, then it is probably working.
The latest Pulse Asia survey on the upcoming elections showed that he would have become the number one senator, with 54.7 percent of respondents voting for him, if elections were held three weeks ago.
Following close behind were Senators Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Ralph Recto with 53.8 percent and 52.7 percent of votes, respectively.
Pangilinan and Recto had an awareness rating of 93 percent while Sotto had 95 percent.
Rounding up the top five were former senators Panfilo Lacson (47.1 percent) and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II (47 percent), who are both members of President Benigno Aquino III’s Cabinet.
Within the 4 to 9 rank were former senator and Philippine Red Cross chairman Dick Gordon (45.1 percent), Senate President Franklin Drilon (44.7 percent) and Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (43.8 percent).
They are followed by former senators Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri (42.2 percent), Jamby Madrigal (38.2 percent), and Senator Sergio Osmeña III (37.4 percent).
Possible candidates for the 12th and last spot were former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros (32.4 percent), Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista (32.3 percent) and Taguig Representative Lino Cayetano (32 percent).
Still within the 12 to 17 rank was Senator Teofisto “TG” Guingona III (30.8 percent). Making it to the 12 to 19 rank were Justice Secretary Leila De Lima (28.6 percent) and Cavite Representative Lani Mercado Revilla (28.4 percent).
The survey was conducted among 1,200 respondents and has a ± three percent margin of error.
Among the prevailing issues at the time of the poll were the filing of plunder charges against lawmakers involved in the pork barrel scam and the Supreme Court declaring parts of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) unconstitutional.
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