Reelectionist Sen. Cynthia A. Villar topped the final Pulse Asia senatorial survey released yesterday or two days before the mid-term elections Monday, breaking a statistical tie with Sen. Grace Poe in the previous survey conducted last April 10 to 14.
In the nationwide survey conducted from May 3 to 6 among 1,800 respondents, Pulse Asia found out that 15 out of the 62 official candidates for senator would have a “statistical” chance of winning.
Most of the probable winners are either current or former members of Congress.
Among those with a statistical chance of winning, 11 belong to the Hugpong ng Pagbabago coalition, one is running as an independent candidate, and the Nationalist People’s Coalition, United Nationalist Alliance, and Liberal Party have one candidate each in the winners’ circle.
Villar is in first place, whose reelection bid has the support of 55.9 percent of Filipino registered voters who are likely to vote on May 13.
Poe, another reelectionist, is now in second to third places with an overall voter preference of 47.7 percent.
Close behind Poe is Taguig City Rep. Pia Cayetano who has the support of 45 percent of registered voters and a statistical ranking of second to fourth places, an improvement from third to fifth places previously.
Former Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go landed in third to seventh places (from fourth to eighth places last April) with a voter preference of 42 percent.
The return to the Senate of former Sen. Ramon “Bong” B. Revilla Jr. is backed by 39.5 percent of registered voters and this gives him a statistical ranking of fourth to eighth places, improving from fifth to ninth places last month.
Sharing fourth to ninth places are former Sen. Lito Lapid (38.5 percent) and former Bureau of Corrections and Philippine National Police chief Ronald M. dela Rosa (37.9 percent).
Last month, Lapid ranked third to fourth, while Dela Rosa placed fifth to ninth.
Incumbent Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, who ranked fifth to 10th, enjoyed the support of 36.3 percent of registered voters. He placed fourth to ninth previously.
Completing the list of probable winners are Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos (34.1 percent, sixth to 14th places), Sen. Maria Lourdes “Nancy” Binay (32.8 percent, eighth to 15th places), Sen. Koko Pimentel III (31.7 percent, ninth to 15th places), Sen. JV Ejercito (31.2 percent, ninth to 15th places), former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada (30.8 percent, ninth to 15th places), Sen. Bam Aquino (30.6 percent, ninth to 15th places), and former Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Francis Tolentino (28.9 percent, 10th to 15th places). (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)
