11 Team PNoy, 5 UNA bets dominate latest Pulse Asia survey

MANILA, Philippines - Sixteen senatorial candidates have the probability to make it to the top 12 in the coming midterm elections, based on the latest survey of Pulse Asia.

Of the sixteen, 11 are from the administration coalition Team PNoy, while five are from the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). Re-electionist Senators Loren Legarda and Francis Escudero of Team PNoy maintained their lead in the newest senatorial survey with less than two weeks before the elections. 

Former Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chair Grace Poe, also of Team PNoy, rose to 3rd to 4th places based on the poll taken from April 20 to 22. 

Escudero got the support of 48.3 percent of 1, 800 respondents, and landed in the first to second slots. 

However, support for Escudero slightly dropped from 51.5 percent in March, Pulse Asia said. 

Escudero, who has been consistently in the top three, slid down to fifth place with 47 percent in the April 13-15 survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS). 

Poe, daughter of the late movie icon and presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr., was preferred by 42.4 percent of respondents, now taking the 3rd to 4th ranking from 4th to 10th spots in March. 

Despite retaining the top place, Legarda lost 3.8 points in the April survey from 55.3 percent to 51.5 percent. 

Pulse Asia noted a big drop in the rating of re-electionist Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano (Team PNoy) – from 48.7 percent (2nd to 3rd) to 40 percent (3rd to 7th). 

Landing in 4th to 9th places is former Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar (Team PNoy)  with 37.7 percent, down from 40.8 percent previously. 

Sharing 4th to 10th spots are other Team PNoy bets Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV (35.8 percent) and former National Youth Commission (NYC) chairman and presidential cousin Paolo Benigno Aquino IV (35.7 percent). 

UNA candidates San Juan City Rep. JV Ejercito (34.7 percent) and Nancy Binay (34.6 percent) landed in 5th to 11th places. 

They are followed by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III (32.7 percent, 6th to 12th places) and Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, both of Team PNoy, (31.2 percent, 8th to 14th places). 

Completing the list of probable winners are former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri (UNA, 29.7 percent, 10th to 16th places), Sen. Gregorio Honasan (UNA, 27.9 percent, 11th to 16th places), Cagayan Rep. Juan Ponce Enrile Jr. (UNA, 27.2 percent, 11th to 16th places), former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros (Team PNoy, 25.8 percent, 12th to 17th places) and former senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr. (Team PNoy, 25.6 percent, 12th to 17th places). 

Hontiveros was included in the probable winners after gaining 1.5 points to 25.8 percent from 24.3 percent in March (16th to 18th). 

During the period March to April 2013, levels of support for most of the 16 probable winners remain generally unchanged, according to Pulse Asia. – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Marvin Sy