Sixteen personalities are potential presidential candidates in the May  2022 national and local elections, sentiment analysis of research firm-BluPrint.PH and its Singapore-based partner on Data Mining and Artificial Intelligence of social networking site Facebook revealed.

They are Vice President Leni Robredo, Senators Manny Pacquiao, Risa Hontiveros, Bong Go, and Grace Poe, businessman Ramon Ang, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, former House Speaker Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, Senate President Tito Sotto, Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla, Sen. Pia Cayetano, former Senators Bongbong Marcos and Manny Villar, Leyte Rep.Lucy Torres-Gomez, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.

In a statement, BluPrint.PH said the sentiment analysis was based on social media data extracted from June 1, 2020 to Nov. 30, 2020 which scanned a total of 344,761,479 data points or Facebook engagement such as likes, shares, reactions, and comments.

“If we go by our big data metrics, about 16 names are frequently being mentioned on social media, particularly Facebook, as potential presidential candidates,” said Eero Brillantes, Chief Executive Officer of BluPrint.PH. 

He added: “All have paths to the presidency. Social media networking activities alone through Facebook can generate 22 percent to 35 percent of the votes in 2022.”

Brillantes said there are four components to a serious campaign -- ground game, the air war through mainstream media, network engineering (social media), and big data for decision support. 

He said the 16 names who have potential chances in presidential elections have at least one of these components, but none have all the four components.

“Social media will be a major battleground at 22 percent to 35 percent potential votes,” said Brillantes. 

The ground game and mainstream media through advertising and public relations will account for the 65 percent to 78 percent of vote generational potential. 

Big data will be crucial in determining the right messaging and priority spending across many segments of the electorate, he said.

Blueprint.PH also conducted tandem engagement analysis of potential presidential candidates based on the social media and traditional media of 16 personalities. 

According to the research firm, political personalities with the highest media coverage on traditional media and posted on Facebook are Robredo, followed by Pacquiao and Moreno.

Blueprint.PH said Moreno also ranked highest in the ability to engage social media influencers to promote ideas that could generate interest and potential votes, followed by Robredo, Go,  Pacquiao, Duterte, Marcos, Remulla, Hontiveros, Sotto,  Poe, Cayetano, Diokno, Gomez, Cayetano, Ang, and Villar.

Gomez, Ang, Remulla, and Hontiveros ranked highest in the list of candidates with most growth potential on social media. 

These personalities have small number of followers and influencers but indicates good potential, said the research firm.