Noynoy tops new SWS poll

MANILA, Philippines – Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has again topped the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations on the preferred presidential candidates of Filipinos in the May 2010 elections.

Aquino’s candidacy for the highest position in the land was approved by 47 percent of 1,200 registered voters, surveyed from Nov. 4 to 8.

Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar came in second, attracting 20 percent of the voters surveyed, followed by Sen. Francis Escudero and former President Joseph Estrada, both approved by 12 percent of respondents.

Vice President Noli de Castro and former defense chief and Lakas-Kampi-CMD bet Gilbert Teodoro were supported by three percent of respondents.

Bangon Pilipinas presidential candidate Bro. Eduardo Villanueva and Bagumbayan Party vice presidential candidate former Metro Manila Development
Authority chair Bayani Fernando are both preferred by only one percent of respondents.

Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn commissioned the special national survey.

Bagumbayan Party standard-bearer Richard Gordon received 0.5 percent; Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, 0.4 percent; Hagedorn, 0.1 percent; and environmentalist Nicanor Perlas, 0.1 percent.

Former public works secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, who has backed out of the race for lack of campaign funds, received zero votes.

A percent of the respondents was undecided on the presidential race.

Meanwhile, the survey showed that LP vice presidential candidate Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II is the vice presidential choice of three out of 10 Filipino adults at 31 percent.

Sen. Loren Legarda came in second with an approval rating of 26 percent; followed by De Castro, 16 percent; Escudero, 14 percent; and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, nine percent.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Hagedorn received one percent each; and Villanueva, 0.4 percent.

A percent of the respondents was undecided among the vice presidential candidates.

Among the senatorial candidates, Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada was the most favored by 56 percent of respondents.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago follows with 49 percent; Former Senate president Franklin Drilon got the approval of 48 percent of respondents.

Senators Pia Cayetano and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. received 45 percent each.

Roxas received 40 percent of the votes; former National Economic and Development Authority director general Ralph Recto and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile got 35 percent each.

Lawyer Aquilino Pimentel III received 32 percent; Madrigal and former senator Vicente Sotto III received 31 percent each.

Former senator Serge Osmeña, Gordon and TV host Willie Revillame received 29 percent each.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD vice presidential candidate actor Edu Manzano received 23 percent and Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon received 22 percent.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and businessman Jose de Venecia III both attracted 21 percent of the voters surveyed.

The following are the standings of the rest of the senatorial aspirants.

Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto “TG” Guingona, 21 percent; Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, 17 percent; former presidential management staff chief Michael Defensor, 16 percent; Fernando, 15 percent; Makati City Rep. Teddy Boy Locsin; detained Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim; former Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla, 11; former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay, 11; Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, 10 percent; Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, Hagedorn, and Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, eight percent; Riza Hontiveros, eight percent; Parañaque City Rep. Roilo Golez, seven percent; Grace Poe, seven percent; Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, seven percent;

Health Secretary Francisco Duque, six percent; lawyer Adel Tamano, six percent; beauty columnist Cory Quirino, five percent; Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, five percent; Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, five percent; Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, five percent; Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap; House Speaker Prospero Nograles, four percent; detained Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, three percent;

Gabriela Rep. Liza Masa, three percent; Black and White Movement convenor Leah Navarro, three percent; Bukidnon Rep. Neric Acosta, three percent; former Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales, two percent; Agusan del Sur Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Plaza, two percent; and Naga City Mayor Jesse Reblado, one percent.

Two percent of the respondents were undecided among the candidates for a seat in the Senate.

The survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 registered voters divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, the balance of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

It has sampling error margins of plus or minus three percentage points for national percentages and plus or minus six percentage points for area percentages. –Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)