This is the time of political surveys and polls. The TIMES received results of a nationwide survey conducted by the Issues and Advocacy Center (The Center) on senatorial preferences which, according to them, was conducted on March 24 – 30, 2019 with some 1,800 respondents that cut across all demographic lines and has a confidence level of 98% and a margin of error of + 3%.The result is that four of the seven incumbent Senators bidding for reelection are sure to get reelected, with three former Senators who will make a comeback and three newcomers from the executive department.
At the top of the Senatorial race is Sen. Grace Poe who leads with 64%, Sen. Cynthia Villar in second spot with 57% and former Sen. Lito Lapid is at third with 51%. Sharing the fourth to fifth spots are Sen. Sonny Angara with 47% and Representative and former Sen. Pia Cayetano with 45%.
The 6th to 7th places are: former Special Assistant to the President Bong Go (44.7%) and Sen. Nancy Binay (43.4%), respectively. In the 8th to 11th places are: Former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada (36.3%), former Presidential Political Adviser Francis Tolentino (35.4%), former Philippine National Police Director General Bato dela Rosa (34.7%) and, former Sen. Mar Roxas (34.3%). The Center pointed out that if the voting pattern based on the preferences of those surveyed will hold as the election nears, it is safe to conclude that those in the 8th to 11th places have more than an even chance of getting elected.
Six other candidate who are in the 12th to 17th places will still have a chance of joining the winning bracket: The six candidates who share the 12th to 17th spots are: Former Sen. Bong Revilla (32.7%), Sen. Koko Pimentel (32%), Sen. Bam Aquino (31.4%), Gov. Imee Marcos (30.9%), Sen. JV Ejercito (29.4%) and former Sen. Serge Osmena (28.7%).
With this ranking 40 days before the polls, strategies will still shift and turn. It would be interesting to observe how the political tide will flow in the next few weeks.
