‘43% voting for Marcos unlikely to change mind’

MANILA, Philippines — An overwhelming majority of those who said they would vote for presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. if elections were held now are unlikely to change their mind on election day on May 9.

Based on the results of the latest OCTA Research Group survey conducted from April 2 to 6 nationwide, 43 percent of the 57 percent who picked Marcos have no plans of voting for anybody else.

The group said 43 percent of those voting for Marcos are considered hard voters, three percent are soft voters and 11 percent have a 50-50 chance of changing their votes three weeks from now.

Specifically, the results showed that 52 percent of Marcos voters said they “will definitely not change” their minds while 23 percent said they “will likely not change” their minds.

Some 20 percent said they “may or may not change” their choice, with only four percent saying they “will likely change” their minds and none saying they “will definitely vote for another candidate.”

Those voting for Vice President Leni Robredo are also quite firm in saying they will stick to their choice until the elections.

Of the 22 percent who said they will be voting for her for president three weeks from now, 15 percent are considered hard voters, three percent are soft voters and five percent have a 50-50 chance of changing their minds.

Results also showed that 31 percent of those voting for Robredo said they “will definitely not change” their choice while 37 percent said they “will likely not change” their pick.

Some 23 percent said they “may or may not change” their current choice, nine percent said they “will likely change” their choice and zero said they “will definitely be voting for another candidate.”

Based on the survey, Marcos is still leading the presidential race with a voter preference score of 57 percent that showed him winning against other candidates in all areas nationwide across all socio-economic classes.

Robredo came in second, scoring 22 percent, followed by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno with nine percent, Sen. Manny Pacquiao with seven percent, Sen. Ping Lacson with four percent and former presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella, labor leader Leody de Guzman, former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales and Faisal Mangondato scoring one percent and below.

Cebu mayor backs BBM

Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama has reiterated his support for the tandem of Marcos and vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte-Carpio, saying that the two could bring “peace, prosperity and stability” for the country.

“We’ve been with BBM for so long a time. I know him, and having so much experience from his father, to his senatorship, governorship, put (them) all together, the element of experience is very important,” Rama said, referring to Marcos’ acronym.

Marcos is the son and namesake of the late dictator who was ousted through the EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986.

Rama said that should Marcos and Carpio get elected, he could see their tandem as the “curing administration.”

This, amid the issues of corruption, human rights abuses, unpaid taxes and historical revisionism, among others, hounding the Marcos family.

Rama, who is seeking re-election as chief executive of Cebu City, vowed to “work hard” to bring victory for the BBM-Sara UniTeam. – Elizabeth Marcelo