Alyansa bets make up 9 of ‘Magic 12’ in latest SWS poll
Senatorial candidates endorsed by President Marcos make up the majority of the “Magic 12” in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
The survey, which was conducted from March 15 to March 20, several days after the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, showed that nine of the top 12 senatorial candidates belong to the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition.
The nine are ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo; Senators Lito Lapid, Pia Cayetano and Bong Revilla; former Senators Ping Lacson, Tito Sotto, and Manny Pacquiao, Makati Mayor Abby Binay and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar.
Tulfo and Sen. Bong Go of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino were tied for the top spot, both receiving 42 percent. The figure reflected an increase of 4 percentage points for Go and a decrease of 3 percentage points for Tulfo from the SWS survey conducted in February.
Sotto tied with broadcaster Ben Tulfo, Erwin’s brother, for third and fourth place, with both candidates receiving 34 percent.
5th to 13th spot
Dropping two places from his previous spot in February was Lapid, who landed in the fifth place with 33-percent support, a 3-percentage-point decrease from his previous standing.
Still in sixth place was Revilla with 32-percent support, while Cayetano and Lacson shared the seventh and eighth spots with 31 percent each.
Down 2 percentage points from February was Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, the ninth placer with 30-percent support.
In 10th place was TV host Willie Revillame, who at 28 percent kept the same spot despite a slight dip from his previous 30-percent support.
Tied for the 11th to 13th spots were Binay, Pacquiao and Villar, who each had 27 percent.
Still outside
Former Senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino remain just outside the Top 12, coming in at 14th place with 24 percent and 15th with 21 percent, respectively.
Sen. Imee Marcos suffered one of the biggest declines—by 5-percentage points—with her 19-percent support putting her in 16th place.
According to Dindo Manhit, president of the think tank Stratbase Group which commissioned the survey, the Marcos endorsement remained the main factor behind the strong and consistent performance of the Alyansa candidates, on top of their individual popularity.
The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,800 registered voters nationwide, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.31 percent. —INQUIRER RESEARCH
Source: SWS
