Poe leads list of possible candidates in May 2019 senatorial elections —Pulse Asia

Senator Grace Poe topped the list of individuals who are likely to be voted into office in the May 2019 senatorial elections, according to the results of a Pulse Asia survey released on Saturday.

The list also included Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, and former National Police chief and current Bureau of Corrections director Ronald dela Rosa.

The following names have a "statistical chance of winning" if the May 2019 elections were held during the survey period of September 1-7, 2018, according to Pulse Asia:

1. Poe, Grace
2. Villar, Cynthia
3. Cayetano, Pia
4. Binay, Nancy
5. Duterte Carpio, Sara
6. Angara, Edgardo "sonny" Jr.
7. Estrada, Jinggoy
8. Marcos, Imee
9. Pimentel, Aquilino Martin "Koko" III
10. Lapid, Lito
11. Osmeña, Sergio "Serge"
12. Roxas, Manuel "Mar"
13. Padilla, Robin
14. Revilla, Ramon "Bong" Jr.
15. Tulfo, Mon
16. Dela Rosa, Ronald "Bato"
17. Ejercito, JV

The 17 were among the 66 individuals included in Pulse Asia Research’s September 2018 electoral probe. Thirteen are either incumbent or former members of Congress among the 17 probable winners, said the polling body.

Poe had a voter preference of 70.1 percent which landed her on the top spot, followed by Senator Cynthia Villar (57.7 percent) in second to third places and Taguig City Representative Pia Cayetano (54.4 percent) to second to fourth places.

Senator Nancy Binay is close behind them with 50.6 percent voter preference, landing in third to fourth places.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio had 39.5 percent, landing on the fifth to sixth places; Senator Edgardo "Sonny" Angara Jr. had 37.1 percent in fifth to seventh places; and former Senator Jinggoy Estrada had 34.6 percent in sixth to 10th places.

Ilocos Governor Imee Marcos (32.6 percent), Senator Aquilino Martin "Koko" Pimentel III (32.4 percent), and former Senator Lito Lapid (32.2 percent) all shared seventh to 11th places.

Former Senator Sergio Osmeña landed in eighth to 17th places with 29.8%.

Former Senator Manuel Roxas (27.7 percent), actor Robin Padilla (27.4 percent), former Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. (27.4 percent), journalist Ramon Tulfo (27.0 percent), Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Ronald dela Rosa (27.0 percent), and Senator JV Ejercito (26.7 percent) are all tied for the 11th to 17th places.

Pulse Asia also revealed that nearly half of Filipinos (49 percent) already have a complete slate for the Senate, or have identified the 12 senators they are inclined to vote for, a month before the filing of certificates of candidacy.

The survey found out that most of those in Class D (51 percent), Metro Manila (53 percent), and Mindanao (58 percent) are naming 12 of their preferred senatorial candidates for May 2019 while big pluralities to near majorities in Class E (43 percent), Class ABC (44 percent), the rest of Luzon (44 percent), and the Visayas (48 percent) are doing the same.

In a radio dwIZ interview, Senator Sonny Angara, president of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, on Saturday said the survey reflected the situation in the Filipino home where the woman takes the lead.

"Parang repleksyon din ng mga tahanan natin, mga babae rin ang namumuno," he said.

Angara added that he is grateful to be included on the list.

"But we are very grateful seriously sa patuloy na tiwala ng ating mga kababayan at ito ay magsisilbing gabay at inspirasyon sa atin sa darating na panahon para magsipag pa. 'Pag may pagkukulang ay sana matugunan natin," he said.

Angara said he is not aiming to be number one on the list.

"'Di na natin inaambisyon 'yun dahil kung titignan niyo po, napakalaki ng agwat. So tayo po ay nasisiyahan na medyo komportable ang ating lugar. There is room for improvement. Pupunan natin, dahil kaya pa natin. Lagi natin ina-assess ang performance, may interaction sa publiko kung ano ang kulang at ano ang dapat gawin. Gusto natin pagandahin ang performance," he added.

Pulse Asia noted that while the survey was being conducted, major events in the country happened, including the revoking of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV's amnesty by President Rodrigo Duterte; calls for the abolition of the National Food Authority (NFA) and the resignation of NFA Administrator Jason Aquino; blasts in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat; and Duterte's visits to Israel and Jordan.

The survey was conducted among 1,800 adults aged at least 18 years old.

Error margins were +2 percent at the 95 percent confidence level, +6 percent for Metro Manila, +3 percent for the rest of Luzon and +5 percent for Visayas and Mindanao. —Jamil Santos/KG, GMA News