MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo and Sen. Francis Pangilinan emerged as the most preferred candidates for president and vice president, respectively, in mock polls conducted in various universities in the country.
The opposition tandem received the most votes in the recent mock polls conducted at the Ateneo de Manila University, Far Eastern University (FEU), National University (NU), University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman and University of Santo Tomas (UST).
In Ateneo, Robredo and Pangilinan received 3,197 and 2,909 votes, respectively, out of the total 3,343 votes cast by students, while they received 6,618 and 5,916 votes, respectively, out of the 7,345 total votes cast in the mock polls conducted by the FEU Central Organization.
The two candidates also received 1,972 and 1,840 votes, respectively, out of 2,194 votes in the mock polls conducted by the NU Student Government.
A majority of UP Diliman students who participated in the mock polls also showed preference for Robredo and Pangilinan, who are both alumni of the university. The Vice President obtained 4,870 of 5,106 votes, while Pangilinan got 4,328 student votes.
Nine in every 10 UST students who participated in the mock polls also prefer Robredo, who obtained 3,973 of the total 4,401 votes. Pangilinan was the choice of 3,630 Thomasian students.
During a press briefing on Saturday, the student councils of Ateneo, FEU, UP Diliman, UST and Adamson University formally endorsed Robredo and Pangilinan for president and vice president.
“The council recognizes the track record of the Leni-Kiko tandem and their vision for the safe reopening of classes, scientific and humanistic pandemic response, resumption of peace talks, genuine agrarian reform and assertion of Philippine sovereignty, among other stances on national issues,” the UP Diliman University Student Council said.
“Through their clean track record and proven years of service to the Filipino people, they have shown their character, knowledge on issues, proper governance and love of public service that our country needs,” added the Adamson University Student Government, which will conducted its mock polls from April 4 to 5.
In a resolution adopted by its central assembly, Ateneo’s Sanggunian ng Mag-Aaral described Robredo as the best candidate that would prioritize “economically wise, pro-people and pro-education policies” if elected president.
It also recognized Pangilinan’s platform to ensure food security, strengthen local production and revitalize the country’s fishing and agriculture sectors.
Robredo was also endorsed by the University of the East (UE) – Manila University Student Council, citing the results of the mock polls it conducted, where 10,800 out of 11,030 respondents said they prefer the Vice President.
The UE Manila University Student Council has not endorsed a vice presidential candidate for which it has yet to conduct mock polls.
Volunteer group Team Leni Robredo (TLR) said the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem also emerged as the preferred candidates in student-initiated surveys of at least 30 higher education institutions, including the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Saint Louis University and Philippine Normal University.
Ben Bernabe, TLR communications head, said the results of the mock polls highlighted the youth’s support for the platform of good governance of the opposition tandem.
Meanwhile, Pangilinan has called on Team Robredo-Pangilinan (TROPA) supporters to protect Robredo by rejecting other vice presidential bets being brokered by political operators.
“I hope they will make it, the Youth for Leni and Kiko,” Pangilinan told the 1,500-strong crowd who attended the Maasin City People’s Rally held at the Maasin City municipal grounds in Southern Layte last week.
“If other vice president would win, they might do something bad against the president,” Pangilinan said in a renewed counter-offensive against political brokers and operators undermining his vice presidential bid.
Robredo has said that she is standing by Pangilinan in her quest for the presidency.
Robredo, Pangilinan and Tropang Angat senatorial candidates have been pumping flesh and delivering speeches to swing voters in their favor.
Pangilinan stressed that only TROPA has the solid vision and platform of governance, plus the experience to rebuild the country after the disastrous pandemic response.
Franciscan friars for Robredo, Kiko
Priests belonging to the Order of Friar Minor (OFM) expressed their support for the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem.
In a statement, the friars urged people to reject candidates who “have been peddling revisionism and denialism of the unfortunate evils of the Marcos dictatorship.”
The OFM said they chose Robredo and Pangilinan who are known to have love for God, country, the poor, the environment, the embodiment of Gospel values, character, integrity, honesty, competence, pursuit of the common good, political love, experience, track record, leadership by example, servant-leadership, simplicity of lifestyle and decency. – Evelyn Macairan