SWS: Duterte still on top; Bongbong, Leni tied

MANILA, Philippines - Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte remained the favorite candidate for president, according to the latest BusinessWorld-Social Weather Stations (SWS) pre-election survey.

The poll, conducted from May 1 to 3, showed 33 percent of respondents picking Duterte as the country’s next president. His rating though remained unchanged from his previous rating in the BusinessWorld-SWS poll, taken from April 18 to 20.

Independent candidate Sen. Grace Poe stayed in second place with 22 percent, down two points from her previous score.

Administration candidate Manuel Roxas II came in third with 20 percent, up a point from his previous score of 19 percent. 

United Nationalist Alliance standard-bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay ranked fourth with 13 percent, lower than his previous rating of 14 percent.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago remained at a flat two percent.

The survey showed that four percent of respondents remained undecided, up from three percent previously.

Meanwhile, respondents who dropped in ballots with invalid markings increased to six percent from five percent, it said.

The BusinessWorld-SWS used face-to-face interviews of 4,500 validated voters nationwide – 300 in Metro Manila, 950 in North Luzon, 750 in South Luzon, 1,000 in the Visayas and 750 each in North Mindanao and South Mindanao.

It has a sampling error margin of plus or minus one percentage point for national percentages.

The April 18-20 BusinessWorld-SWS poll had 1,800 respondents, who were also validated voters.

BusinessWorld is a sister publication of The STAR.

Tie in VP race

The vice presidential race remains neck-and-neck between Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredro.

 Marcos, son and namesake of the late strongman, obtained 29 percent of votes of 4,500 validated voter-respondents based on the poll conducted from May 1 to 3.

 He is statistically tied with Liberal Party’s Robrero, who obtained 28 percent.

 Both Marcos and Robredo experienced gains in their scores — four points and two points, respectively — from the previous BusinessWorld-SWS poll, taken from April 18 to 20.

 Following them is Sen. Francis Escudero, who suffered a three-point drop in his rating to 15 percent.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano obtained 13 percent, also down by three points from his previous score.

Sen. Gregorio Honasan received three percent from two percent, followed by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who also got three percent from five percent.

About five percent of the respondents remained undecided, the survey showed.

 Four percent of the respondents, meanwhile, dropped in ballots with invalid markings.

 Drilon tops Senate list

In the senatorial race, LP candidates continue to dominate, with Senate President Franklin Drilon topping the list with voter preference of 42 percent.

Sen. Vicente Sotto III of the Nationalist People’s Coalition came in second with 39 percent.

Sharing the third to fourth slots were former senator Francis Pangilinan (LP) and world boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao of the United Nationalist Alliance with 34 percent each.

Former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros occupied fifth spot with 33 percent. Hontiveros is running under the LP-led Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid.

Former senator Panfilo Lacson (independent), Sen. Sergio Osmeña III (independent) and former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority head Joel Villanueva (LP) occupied the sixth to eight slots with 31 percent each.

Former senator Richard Gordon (independent) and Sen. Ralph Recto (LP) were ranked ninth to 10th places, receiving 30 percent each.

The last two slots are still being contested by former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri (independent) and former justice secretary Leila de Lima (LP), who obtained 29 percent each; and Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian (NPC), who got 27 percent.

With intended votes of at least four points below the 12th place are Sen. Teofisto Guingona III (LP) with 23 percent, former Metro Manila Development Authority chair Francis Tolentino (independent) with 22 percent, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (Lakas) with 21 percent, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino) with 20 percent, former Pampanga governor Mark Lapid (Aksyon) with 17 percent, former energy secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla (LP) with 14 percent, actor Edu Manzano (independent) with 13 percent and Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares (MKBYN) with 11 percent.