Bongbong maintains lead in latest Pulse Asia survey

A week before the May 2022 national and local elections, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. remained on top among presidential candidates, according to the latest Pulse Asia preferential survey.

Based on the results of the April 16 to 21, 2022, survey that were released on Monday, Marcos' rating was unchanged at 56% from the survey conducted on March 17 to 21, 2022.

Vice President Leni Robredo, on the other hand, remains at the second spot with 23%, down 1% from the previous survey.

Senator Manny Pacquiao, meanwhile, replaced Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on the third spot. From 6% in the March survey, Pacquiao’s rating increased to 7% while Moreno’s dropped from 8% to 4%.

Senator Panfilo Lacson’s rating was unchanged at 2%.

Lacson was followed by presidential candidates Ernie Abella (1%), Faisal Mangondato (1%), Leody de Guzman, (0.3%), Norberto Gonzales (0.1%), and Jose Montemayor Jr. (0.1%).

In a statement, Marcos' spokesperson, Atty. Vic Rodriguez, welcomed the former senator's lead in the presidential survey.

"Seven days to go before election day, the trajectory and the numbers of presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos and vice-presidential leader Sara Duterte are showing no signs of slowing down," Rodriguez said.

"The message and call for UNITY have reverberated all over the land among a great majority of Filipinos who responded by continuously embracing the tandem of BBM-SARA," he added.

Rodriguez, however, emphasized that the most important survey would be the election day.

"We call upon our countrymen to be vigilant and let us make sure that the true and genuine will of the people shall be heard, be counted and prevail," he said.

The latest Pulse Asia Survey was conducted among 2,400 respondents — all registered voters aging 18 years old and above — using face-to-face interviews. The margin of error is at ±2%.

According to Pulse Asia, the respondents were asked: "If the coming May 2022 elections were held today, whom would you vote for as president of the Philippines?"

Also on Monday, Pulse Asia released the results of its survey on vice presidential choices showing Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte — Marcos' running-mate — ahead of the pack with a rating of 55%, followed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III with 18%. 

Among the senatorial candidates,  broadcast journalist Raffy Tulfo and Antique Representative Loren Legarda were the most preferred, according to the Pulse Asia survey.

Surprise

For Aksyon Demokratiko chairman Ernest Ramel, Moreno’s election results will not reflect the pre-survey result of Pulse Asia.

“We are confident still that our standard bearer will pull off a surprise on May 9,” he said.

Citing a Tangere survey from April 20 to 22, Ramel said Moreno is the second top choice in the presidential race with 20%, behind Marcos’ 51%.

“The Pulse Asia survey results is a big departure from that of Tangere’s April 22 survey where Mayor Isko is at 20% and in 2nd place,” Ramel said in a Viber message to reporters.

For his part, Moreno on Tuesday questioned the validity of the survey, saying there must be “something wrong.”

“Well, they are entitled to their opinion. I don’t know how far is the truth. But there must be something wrong. Dalawang bagay lang ‘yan, kung totoo ‘yun or hindi,” Moreno said in an ambush interview in Manila.

“4 percent? Talaga? Good luck to me,” he added.

The Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer also said he did not regret the things he said during his joint Easter Sunday press conference where he received backlash for calling for the withdrawal of Robredo.

“No, I never regret saying anything. Basta ako, kapag sinabi ko na… napanghahawakan na ng tao. And that I believe. Kapag ako nagbukas na ng bibig, oh ‘yun pinaniniwalaan ko na ‘yun,” he said.

“And I may not be right all the time. I may not be an angel, but definitely, I’m not a devil,” he added.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Lacson said he would rather wait for the election results than speculate on the latest Pulse Asia survey results.

"Aside from the constant 2% survey results that they've been giving me for the past few months, now it is zero scores in both Visayas and Mindanao. Instead of speculating, it is best for me to just wait for the May 9 election results which is not too long a wait after all," Lacson said.

"That being said, I call on all my active and silent supporters and those who truly believe in good, honest, governance to go out on May 9 and cast their votes as it is the ultimate show of support that matters to Filipinos of the present and future generations," he added. —with reports from Anna Felicia Bajo, Mel Matthew Doctor and Joahna Lei Casilao/KBK/AOL/KG/RSJ, GMA News