8 party-lists leading SWS survey

MANILA, Philippines — Eight party-list groups, mostly incumbents, are leading the latest survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The poll, conducted from Jan. 17 to 20 and commissioned by Stratbase Consultancy, found that 11.8 percent of the respondents would vote for 4Ps party-list if the elections were held during the survey period.

While still leading the poll, Stratbase noted that support for 4Ps slightly declined from 13.51 percent in a survey conducted by SWS in December 2024.

Following 4Ps were Duterte Youth (6.05 percent), ACT-CIS (5.41 percent), Senior Citizens (3.43 percent), Ako Bicol (3.27 percent), Tingog (2.75 percent), FPJ Panday Bayanihan (2.45 percent) and Kabataan (2.11 percent).

Out of the eight party-lists that obtained more than two percent of voter support, only FPJ Panday Bayanihan does not have an incumbent representative in the current Congress.

Trailing the eight party-lists were PBBM, 1Pacman, AGIMAT, Malasakit@Bayanihan, EduAKsyon, OFW, Uswag Ilonggo, ACT-Teachers and United Senior Citizens.

The SWS survey had 1,800 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus 2.31 percent.

ACT-CIS seen to win 3 seats

If the polls were held today, the ACT-CIS party-list will likely keep its three seats in Congress.

The group has three representatives in the lower chamber. They are House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo, who is a frontrunner in all surveys for the senatorial race, Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo, wife of Sen. Raffy Tulfo, and Rep. Edvic Yap.

Based on a survey conducted by Tangere, ACT-CIS received a 9.42 percent voter preference.

The party-list remains to be one of the most preferred groups among surveyed voters, despite a six percent drop from the previous survey.

Tangere said the decline in the group’s voter preference could be attributed to the citizenship issue hurled against Erwin Tulfo, whose ratings in the senatorial survey also decreased.

Five party-list groups are also likely to keep two seats: 4Ps led by House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan and Rep. JC Abalos, Ako Bicol headed by Rep. Zaldy Co, Tingog of Speaker Martin Romualdez’s wife Yedda Marie, Malasakit@Bayanihan and ACT Teachers.

About 40 other party-lists will be keeping one seat in Congress.

These include 1Rider (3.25 percent) of Reps. Rodge Gutierrez and Bonifacio Bosita, Duterte Youth (3 percent), 1Pacman (2.6 percent) led by Rep. Mikee Romero and Gabriela (2.6 percent).

Four newcomers may also be able to make it in the elections and join the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. led by Co: Solid North, Ang Bumbero ng Pilipinas, FPJ Panday Bayanihan and Partido sa Bagong Pilipino.

The survey was conducted from Jan. 8 to 11 using a mobile-based respondent application with a sample size of 2,400 participants.

It has a 1.96 percent plus/minus margin of error.

Up to 156 party-lists are running in the midterm elections in May.

Party-list representatives constitute 20 percent of the total number of members of the House of Representatives.

Under the party-list law, groups getting at least two percent of votes are guaranteed one seat, with a maximum of three seats allowed per party-list.–  Delon Porcalla