Padilla, Tulfo, Cayetano lead Senate survey

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Robin Padilla emerged as the most preferred candidate for the Senate in the 2028 elections, according to the latest pre-election survey by OCTA Research.

The survey, conducted from July 4 to 11, found that 59 percent of the respondents said they would support Padilla if the 2028 elections were held during the survey period.

He was followed by Sen. Raffy Tulfo with 47.4 percent, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano with 45.4 percent, former senator Grace Poe with 44.5 percent, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto with 42 percent and Sen. Loren Legarda with 39 percent.

Other leading contenders were former senator Manny Pacquiao with 34.5 percent, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte with 34.3 percent, broadcaster Ben Tulfo with 31 percent, former Makati mayor Abby Binay with 26.1 percent, detained Sen. Jinggoy Estrada with 25.5 percent and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority chief Mark Lapid with 25 percent.

Outside the “Magic 12” but within statistical chances of winning were impeachment court presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero with 23.2 percent, former senator Koko Pimentel with 21.2 percent, Sen. Mark Villar with 19.5 percent and Education Secretary Sonny Angara with 19.2 percent.

Trailing them were former presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo with 18.4 percent; Sen. JV Ejercito, 18.1 percent; former senator Gregorio Honasan, 16.9 percent; actor Philip Salvador, 16.3 percent; Metropolitan Manila Development Authority general manager Nicolas Torre, 15.5 percent, and television host Willie Revillame with 15.1 percent.

Among the incumbent senators, those who are eligible to run for reelection are Padilla, Raffy Tulfo, Cayetano, Legarda, Estrada, Escudero and Ejercito.

“The survey captures voter preferences under a specific hypothetical list during the July 4 to 11 fieldwork period. Some names were removed from the list at their request, and prospective candidates receiving one percent or less were omitted from the published results,” OCTA said.

“The findings therefore should not be read as a complete candidate lineup, a prediction of who will file a candidacy or a forecast of the 2028 senatorial election,” it added.

Meanwhile, all 318 members of the House of Representatives received a very high approval rating of almost 86 percent – or nearly nine in 10 Filipinos – as shown in the July 13 to 16 inaugural survey of newbie local pollster National Momentum Survey.

Positive ratings were highest in the rest of Luzon at 87.3 percent, followed closely by the Visayas at 87 percent. Mindanao recorded an 83.3 percent favorable rating, while Metro Manila posted 82.6 percent.

“The results indicate that district representatives are maintaining public trust by remaining visible, responsive and closely engaged with the needs of their constituents,” House Deputy Speaker Jay Khonghun said. –  Delon Porcalla

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