Tulfo, Go still top Senate preferences

MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Erwin Tulfo of ACT-CIS party-list and Sen. Bong Go are still the most preferred among potential candidates for the Senate in the 2025 midterm elections, a recent survey conducted by the OCTA Research group showed.

The Dec. 10 to 14 survey, conducted less than a year before the filing of the certificate of candidacy in October, showed that 76 percent of respondents would likely vote for Tulfo if elections were held during the polling period.

Tulfo, a former media personality, is the brother of Sen. Raffy Tulfo, who ranked third in the 2022 polls.

He was initially appointed by President Marcos as social welfare secretary, but he was not reappointed after he was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments twice.

He later joined Congress as a replacement nominee for ACT-CIS.

Meanwhile, some 53 percent said they would vote for Go, aide of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is eligible to run for a second term.

In a statement, Go thanked Filipinos who continue to support him.

“My focus right now is to help and serve the poor and the needy,” he said.

“I will not waste this trust given to me,” he added.

Go noted that his consistent and strong placement in election surveys is a result of his hard work and sincerity.

Tulfo and Go were followed by former Senate president Vicente Sotto III (48 percent), Sen. Ronald dela Rosa (47 percent), Sen. Imee Marcos (42 percent), Sen. Bong Revilla (35 percent), Sen. Francis Tolentino (33 percent), former Manila mayor Isko Moreno (32 percent), former senator Panfilo Lacson (32 percent), Sen. Pia Cayetano (30 percent), former senator Manny Pacquiao (26 percent) and former vice president Jejomar Binay (25 percent).

Meanwhile, outside the so-called “Magic 12” but within statistical chances of winning was Sen. Lito Lapid (20 percent).

Like Go, also eligible to run for a second term are Marcos, Dela Rosa, Cayetano, Revilla, Tolentino and Lapid.

Trailing them are Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. (19 percent), former senator Gregorio Honasan II (18 percent), Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos (18 percent), television host Willie Revillame (18 percent), doctor Willie Ong (17 percent) and former vice president Leni Robredo (17 percent).

They were followed by former senator Francis Pangilinan (17 percent), former senator and Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto (15 percent), former senator and interior secretary Mar Roxas (15 percent), former senator Richard Gordon (14 percent), Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte (14 percent), former senator Bam Aquino (12 percent), former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista (12 percent), former Senate president Franklin Drilon (12 percent) and former vice president Noli de Castro (12 percent).

Other names on the list were Ormoc Mayor Richard Gomez, former senator Sonny Trillanes, Makati Mayor Abby Binay, former party-list representative Neri Colmenares, former presidential spokesman Harry Roque, lawyer Chel Diokno, former party-list representative Mike Defensor and former senator Leila de Lima.

Former president Duterte was not among those on the list of potential senatorial candidates.