UniTeam senatorial candidate Herbert “Bistek” Bautista, a former three-term mayor of Quezon City, appear to be improving his chances of landing in the so-called "Magic 12" in the Senate race.
According to a survey conducted from May 2 to 5 by polling firm Publicus Asia, Bautista moved up from his previous ranking of 11th to 12th place to 10th place with a respondent base of 1,500.
This shows an increased chance of winning in the Senate race.
Bautista expressed thanks to his supporters and asked them to go out and vote and reaffirm the survey numbers through their ballots.
“I am very grateful to those who share my dreams for the country,” said Bautista, who is running on a platform of Internet reform, Livelihood for all and Youth development, or ILY, and Pagkain para sa Pamillyang Pilipino.
Bautista had broken into the winners' circle of the senatorial contest when he landed 11th to 12th place in a recent survey by Pulse Asia.
Two more surveys—another by Pulse and one by Publicus—confirmed Bautista’s hold on the Magic 12 alongside incumbent senators running for reelection, known government officials and other showbiz personalities.
Bautista made a name in the entertainment industry as a comedian and transitioned to politics to serve for more than 30 years as legislator, vice mayor and mayor of Quezon City, the country’s biggest city in terms of area.
In a previous statement, Bautista said the lessons he learned from his nationwide campaign were far more educating than those he drew from at least two masters’ degrees—one from the University of the Philippines and another from the National Defense College.