Sotto remains top contender in SWS senatorial survey

MANILA, Philippines – Incumbent Sen. Vicente Sotto III once again led the pre-election survey of BusinessWorld-Social Weather Stations (BW-SWS) for the senatorial race.

The candidates who made it to the top 12 include five candidates from the Liberal Party (LP), four independents, and one each from Akbayan, Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC)  and United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

Sotto of NPC garnered 52 percent in the February survey. He was joined by other incumbent and former senators in the top five.

Independent candidate former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson remained at the second spot with 49 percent, followed by LP’s Sen. Ralph Recto at 46 percent, former senator and food and security czar Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan at 42 percent and Senate President Franklin Drilon with 40 percent.

Pangilinan and Drilon both from LP dropped their scores by 4 and 3 percents, respectively.

Independent candidate former Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri ranked sixth with 38 percent, followed by independent candidate Sen. Sergio Osmeña III with 37 percent, UNA’s Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao with 35 percent. They were joined by LP’s former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima with 35 percent and Akbayan Rep. Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros with 27 percent.

LP’s Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III and independent candidate former Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon completed the 12 senatorial candidates with 26 percent scores.

The candidates who made it to the top 12 were closely followed by candidates Sherwin Gatchalian (NPC) with 23 percent and Joel Villanueva (LP) with 22 percent.

The BW-SWS survey was held from February 5 to 7 with 1,200 respondents in the face-to-face interviews.

The respondents were provided with the names of the candidates based on the January 27 official Commission on Elections (Comelec) list, in alphabetical order with nicknames as practiced by the Comelec. They were asked for candidates they prefer if the elections are to be held on the same day of the interview.

According to BW, only 25 percent of the respondents picked 12 names, with the average number of chosen names at 7.1.

The BW-SWS also conducted a survey for presidential and vice presidential bets.

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