SWS: Race narrows down to Villar, Noli, Mar

MANILA, Philippines – The race for the 2010 presidency is narrowing down to three choices, with Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. now taking the lead from Vice President Noli de Castro, a survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

Sen. Manuel Roxas II followed Villar and De Castro in the third slot in the survey conducted from April 16 to May 6.

Interviewers 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? You may give up to three names.”

Twenty-nine percent of the 7,000 respondents named Villar, 21 percent chose De Castro, and 18 percent wanted Roxas as president.

Villar’s ranking jumped from 18 percent in September 2007 to 25 percent in June 2008 and 26 percent in February this year, an increase of 11 percent from Sept. 7, 2007.

De Castro dropped from 27 percent last February, while Roxas climbed from 15 percent to 18 percent.

Sen. Francis Escudero ranked fourth with 15 percent from 23 percent while Sen. Loren Legarda got 14 percent from 25 percent in the same period.

The other top 10 choices are former President Joseph Estrada, 13 percent; Sen. Panfilo Lacson, 12 percent; Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, two percent; and President Arroyo, two percent.

Twenty percent could not give an answer and nine percent had no one to recommend.

The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 7,000 +/-1.2 percent, the SWS said. — Christina Mendez, Philippine Star