Old-timers dominate Senate race in new survey

Re-electionists and former senators dominate the latest national survey by Pulse Asia on senatorial candidates ahead of the May 9 elections.

Of the 14 candidates likely to end up in the Top 12, five are re-electionists, four are former senators, three are first-time candidates and one is a returning candidate.

Based on the Pulse Asia survey commissioned by ABS-CBN, Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto, a re-electionist, ranked No. 1 with 50.6 percent of the 5,200 respondents saying they will vote for him if the elections were held during the survey period.

Other re-electionists in the Top 14 are Senate President Franklin Drilon (46.5 percent, ranked 2-4), Sen. Ralph Recto (43.5 percent, 4-5), Sen. Sergio Osmeña III (36.3 percent, 4-5) and Sen. TG Guingona (28.2 percent, 12-14).

Meanwhile, former senators in the Top 14 who want another crack at the Senate are Francis Pangilinan (47.2 percent, 2-4), Panfilo Lacson (44.9 percent, 2-5), Migz Zubiri (39.4 percent, 6) and Richard Gordon (34.9 percent, 7-11).

Former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, now on her third time in seeking a Senate seat, is ranked 8-11 with 33.1 percent of the respondents saying they will vote for her.

First-time senatorial candidates in the Top 14 are former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima (35.1 percent, 7-11), Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao (33.2 percent, 8-11), former TESDA chief Joel Villanueva (28.5 percent, 12-14), and Valenzuela City Rep. Win Gatchalian (26.1 percent, 12-14).

The survey was conducted from February 16-27 through face-to-face interviews, with a multistage probability sample of 5,200 voters aged 18 and above with registered biometrics.

Aside from the top candidates in the upcoming May 2016 elections, the Pulse Asia Research, Inc. also discussed the current issues which preoccupy Filipinos, including several election-related developments such as the decision of the Commission on Elections to cut voting time by two hours as a result of the reduction of the number of voters assigned per precinct from 1,000 to 800, as well as the discussions as regards the printing of vote receipts by the vote-counting machines during the May elections. —Bianca Rose Dabu/KBK, GMA News