Robredo says latest Pulse Asia poll result not alarming, cites gains in visited areas

Vice President Leni Robredo is keeping her calm even if the latest Pulse Asia survey on preferences for presidential candidates showed her still at far second.

"Kami sineseryoso namin yung surveys. Sineseryoso namin, pero kung ang tanong nababahala ba kami, hindi. Coming from 2016, halos ganito yung trajectory na coming from 1-2%, pero pumalo talaga numbers ko late March and April already," Robredo told reporters at the sidelines of her campaign stop in North Cotabato.

(We take survey results seriously, but if the question is are we alarmed by the results, we are not. Compared with 2016, the trajectory of my numbers, coming from 1-2%, is almost the same. My numbers started to increase by late March and April already.)

Robredo made the remark after the latest Pulse Asia survey taken February 18 to 23 showed her losing a point at 15% from the previous 16%, while frontrunner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. maintained his 60% rating from last month.

"Kung babalikan natin yung surveys nung 2016, at this time of the campaign, iba pa 'yung ranking ng mga kandidato. In fact kahit si President Duterte, this time 6 years ago, hindi pa siya frontrunner. So 'yung experience talaga namin from 2016, 'yung pag-surge sa numbers nangyayari during the official campaign period," Robredo said.

(If we take a look at 2016 surveys, at this time of the campaign, the ranking of candidates was not the same. Even President Duterte was not a frontrunner during this time six years ago. Based on our experience, the increase in poll numbers really happens during the official campaign period.)

Robredo then touted that their internal surveys show significant gains in areas where she already barnstormed since the campaign period for national candidates started on February 8.

"Yung experience ko kasi, kailangan kong sipagan na mabisita as many places as possible dahil yung conversion sa aking pagbisita ay malaki. Meaning to say, kahit yung internal surveys namin, nagpapakita na 'yung mga lugar na napuntahan ko na, 'yung surge sa numbers, significant," she said.

(In my experience, I really have to be diligent in visiting as many places as possible because my conversion rate is huge. Our internal surveys show that in the areas where I already campaigned, the surge in my numbers are significant.)

"Ang kalaban lang talaga namin dito oras, so kung napapansin niyo, talagang yung schedules namin, talagang as many places as possible during the day. I wish we would have more time kasi mas gusto ko din mas babad sana para mas quality 'yung engagement. But we make do. Sa amin, walang maliit, walang malayo, walang balwa-balwarte. Whether nanalo kami, natalo kami during the last elections, yung pagpapakilala, yung pagpapahayag ng platform tsaka paniniwala, pareho pa rin," she added.

(We are just really racing against time, that is why if you  look at our schedules,  we go to as many places as possible within the day. I wish we would have more time so the engagement will be more deeply rooted, but we make do. We don't see places as small or big contributors, or whether we previously won or lost in that area. We just have to soldier on in informing the public of our competence, platform and principles, just like what we did before.)

Robredo's running mate, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, agreed with her that the poll results at this point do not mean that the race is finished.

"Hindi kung nasaan tayo ang mahalaga; kung saan tayo papunta. 'Yung trajectory. Mukhang 'yung ating momentum ay paakyat. Nakikita naman natin sa mga crowd na hindi natin masasabi na yan ay hinakot. Napaka energetic," Pangilinan, who ranked a far third among vice presidential candidates with an 11% rating, said.

"The survey captured precisely what it was a month ago. In politics, one week is a long time. And it's been one month," he added.

Pangilinan said that they remain confident in getting a significant number of votes in Mindanao even if it is the bailiwick of Davao City mayor and vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte, President Duterte's daughter.

"Akala namin balwarte yung Cagayan at Isabela. Eh dumagsa rin ang tao. So yung balwa-balwarte hindi na nangyayari o hindi na applicable sa nangyayaring buhos ng suporta sa amin," Pangilinan added.

(We thought Cagayan and Isabela were bailiwicks of our opponents, but a huge number of people came to our campaign rally. That is why I don't think bailiwick can still be applied here.)

Pangilinan was referring to their well attended campaign rally in Echague, Isabela, a province considered as bailiwick of Mayor Duterte's running mate, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., whose family hails from Ilocos Norte. —KBK, GMA News