Months before the filing of certificates of candidacy for next year's
elections, Senator Grace Poe has pulled ahead of Vice President Jejomar Binay
in the latest Pulse Asia survey on preferred presidential candidates,
surpassing Binay's rating by eight percentage points.
In the Pulse Asia survey results released Thursday, Poe registered a 30
percent support from Filipinos while Binay got 22 percent.
In third place was Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte with 15 percent,
followed by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and former President and incumbent
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada with 10 percent each.
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, meanwhile, got 6 percent while
Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and former Senator Panfilo Lacson both
received 2 percent.
The survey was conducted from May 30 to June 5 using face-to-face
interviews with 1,200 respondents. It has an error margin of ± 3 percent at the
95 percent confidence level.
Binay’s ratings went down from 29 percent in March, while Poe’s soared
from 14 to 30 percent.
The ratings of administration’s presumptive bet, Interior Secretary
Roxas, also went up by 6 percentage points from March’s 4 percent.
Even Duterte’s ratings also increased by 3 percentage points from
March’s 12 percent while Estrada went down by 2 percentage points.
Grateful and humbled
In a statement, Poe said she was thankful and humbled by the Filipinos'
trust in her.
“Muli, ako ay mapagpakumbabang nagpapasalamat sa tiwalang
ipinagkakaloob ng ating mga kababayan,” Poe said, adding that she is one with
them in hoping for a country where there is equal opportunity for every
Filipino.
“Kasama po nila akong naghahangad ng isang bansang makapamumuhay ang
bawat Pilipino nang may patas na oportunidad at pagkakataong umunlad. Ang tinig
ng ating mga kababayan ay mahalaga sa akin,” she said.
Wake-up call
Until the latest result, Binay had been leading popularity surveys on
possible presidential candidates.
Sought for his comments on this development, Binay told reporters
during a sortie in Rizal province that his slip from the top was "a
wake-up call."
"That is a wake-up call and it gives me an opportunity doon sa
nagbigay ng tulong at sumusuporta sa akin na magpasalamat. Maraming salamat po
sa inyong continued support," Binay said after visiting public markets in
Cainta and Taytay.
The filing of certificates of candidacy will be on the second week of
October but the campaign period will start in February 2016.
Vice presidential survey
Meanwhile, the same Pulse Asia survey result showed Poe is also the
preferred candidate for vice president with 41 percent of the people supporting
her.
Next to her were Escudero and Cayetano with 15 percent and 12 percent,
respectively.
Tied at fourth place were Duterte and Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 9
percent, followed by Lacson (6 percent), Senator Antonio Trillanes IV (5
percent), and Rep. Leni Robredo (1 percent).
Among the prevailing news items at the time of the survey were:
- the report of the Ombudsman special panel of probers looking into the
alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building II;
- the freeze order issued by the Court of Appeals in the 242 bank
accounts of Binay, some of his family members, and colleagues; and
- continuation of the Senate hearing on the alleged corruption
activities of Binay.
Also during the time, the meeting between President Benigno Aquino III
and Poe and the alleged ineligibility of the latter to seek higher post was all
over the news, as well as the exchange of statements between Poe and Binay.
Binay earlier said he considered Poe to be his running mate although
the latter said she didn't see herself running alongside the Vice President.
Binay was also quoted as saying that the country needs experienced
leaders but Poe said what is more important is integrity and honesty. - GMA News
