Villar jumps to 1st in Pulse Asia survey

MANILA – Former Senate President Manuel Villar jumped to first pick for president in the latest Pulse Asia survey on Filipinos’ preferences for the May 10, 2010 elections.

In its August 25 media release, Pulse Asia said one in four Filipinos (25%) would elect Villar as the country’s next president, based on the survey it conducted from July 28 to August 10, 2009.

Former President Joseph Estrada was second at 19%, or 6% behind Villar.

Vice-President Noli de Castro was third at 16%.

Senators Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero and Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas were statistically tied at fourth with 12% and 11%, respectively.

The survey has a margin of error of plus/minus 2%.

Biggest gainers, losers

The biggest gainers in the survey were Villar, who gained 11 points from the May 2009 Pulse Asia survey, and Estrada, who gained 4 points from May.

The biggest losers from the May survey were Escudero, who dropped 5 points, de Castro (2 points), and Roxas (2 points).

In the May 2009 Pulse Asia survey, Villar was in a statistical tie for second place with Estrada and Roxas.

In the July 28-August 10 survey, Senator Loren Legarda was fifth with 6%, while Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay was sixth at 4% support.

Tailenders

Except for Vice President Noli de Castro, all candidates with links to the administration continued to lag behind.

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Bayani Fernando got 1%, Senator Richard Gordon got 1%, while Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro registered 0.2% support from respondents.

Likewise, all so-called alternative bets, Pampanga Gov. Among Ed Panlilio (0.4%), John Carlos ‘J.C.’ de los Reyes (0.1%), and Nicanor ‘Nick’ Perlas (0%), were at the bottom of the pack.

Accomplishments and being pro-poor were the top two reasons for presidential preference of respondents.

"About one in four Filipinos (25%) is voting for his/her preferred presidential bet because of the candidate’s many accomplishments. On the other hand, one in five (20%) Filipinos rationalized their choice of candidate based on the preferred bet’s pro-poor orientation," Pulse Asia said.

The Pulse Asia survey had a sample of 1,800 representative adults (18 years old and above). It used face-to-face field interviews conducted from July 28 to August 10, 2009, with a nationwide margin of error of plus/minus 2%.

 

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