Grace Poe thankful but eager for more

Senator Grace Poe says she is grateful for topping presidential surveys but wants to see studies done after she proclaimed her intentions of running. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

While grateful for topping recent pre-election surveys, Senator Grace Poe said she was looking forward to the next surveys where respondents would already be aware of her intention to run for president in 2016.

“I thank our countrymen for their continued confidence in me and my performance and hopes for the country,” Poe said in a text message to reporters on Wednesday when asked about the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing her neck and neck with two other presidential hopefuls — Vice President Jejomar Binay and former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

“I’m looking forward to the proceeding surveys where the respondents are already aware of my intention to run and have also had a preview of the programs I wish to promote and support,” she added.

The SWS survey was conducted from September 2 to 5 or almost two weeks before Poe announced last September 16 that she would be running for president next year. In a speech, the senator presented a 20-point agenda should she get elected.

The results showed that in a 12-way fight, the contest would be a close fight among Poe with 26 percent, Binay with 24 percent and Roxas with 20 percent.

A total of 1,200 respondents were asked and the study had a margin of error of + or – 3 percent.

But Senator Serge Osmeña, who helped Poe when she first ran and won a Senate seat in 2013, said the survey with a list of 12 candidates for president was “unrealistic.”

Osmeña also believes that the three leading contenders were not statistically tied.

“It looks pretty close and I don’t think it’s that close,” he told reporters.

Meanwhile, Osmeña attributed Roxas’ rise in the survey to the media attention that he had been getting, and not because of the endorsement of President Benigno Aquino III.

“He’s getting a lot of media (attention) and that’s good for any candidate. I haven’t seen the details of the survey, mahirap mag-comment … but definitely the more positive media you get the higher your ranking will be. He’s been getting a lot of media attention,” the senator added.