Top 2010 bets keep places in new SWS survey

MANILA, Philippines—Vice President Noli de Castro and senators Manny Villar, Loren Legarda and Francis Escudero retained their positions as the “top recommended successors” to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the Social Weather Stations (SWS) Survey for the First Quarter of 2009.

The survey conducted from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23, asked the question, “Under the present Constitution, the term of President Arroyo is up to 2010 only, and there will be an election for a new President in May 2010. Who do you think are good leaders who should succeed President Arroyo as President? You may give up to three names.”

To that question, 27 percent named De Castro, 26 percent named Villar, 25 percent named Legarda, and 23 percent named Escudero.

The SWS said its survey has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Others mentioned were senators Manuel “Mar” Roxas II (15 percent) and Panfilo Lacson (14 percent), and former President Joseph Estrada (13 percent).

Also mentioned was Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago (4 percent). Senators Richard Gordon, Ramon Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada, Francis Pangilinan, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Bayani Fernando garnered about 1 percent each.

“Thirteen percent could not give an answer, and 7 percent had no one to recommend,” SWS said in a press statement.

Compared to a previous survey round in December 2008, there was a declining trend for De Castro (4 points), Legarda (3 points) and Villar (1 point), SWS added.

There was an increase in mentions for Roxas (5 points), Escudero (4 points), Santiago (3 points), and for Estrada (2 points), SWS noted.

“The question wording was exactly the same as in the past six quarterly surveys,” SWS said.

The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, Luzon outside Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao.–Philippine Daily Inquirer