Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte still led the presidential and vice presidential races, respectively, in the final pre-election Pulse Asia survey results released a week before the May 9 polls.

The results of the nationwide survey conducted from April 16 to 21 with 2,400 respondents have shown that Marcos was the most preferred presidential candidate, with 56 percent of the voter preference.

He registered majority voting figures in most geographic areas—54 percent to 67 percent, and all socio-economic classes—56 percent to 57 percent, while 47 percent expressed support for his presidential bid.

“These figures are virtually the same as those recorded by the latter in March 2022,” Pulse Asia said.

In 2nd place was Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, with 23 percent of those backing her candidacy.

Pulse Asia noted that although there is a nine-percentage point increase in Robredo’s voter preference in Metro Manila and a six-percentage point decline in her voting figure in the rest of Luzon from March 2022 to April 2022, “these movements fall short of being significant given the relevant error margins for these subgroupings.”

In 3rd, 4th, and 5th places were Senator Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso with 7 percent, 4 percent, and 2 percent, respectively.

The voter preferences of the other presidential candidates were 1 percent or lower—former Palace spokesperson Ernesto Abella (1 percent), businessman Faisal Mangondato (1 percent), labor leader Leody De Guzman (0.3 percent), Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales (0.1 percent), and lawyer Jose Montemayor Jr. (0.1 percent).

Meanwhile, 5 percent of likely voters did not fill up the sample ballot while 1 percent did not indicate their preferred candidate for president on the ballot.

Sara is still top VP choice

During the same survey period, Marcos’ tandem, Duterte remained the top choice of 55 percent of likely voters to replace Robredo.

Pulse Asia noted that Duterte’s April 2022 voter preferences hardly differed from those recorded a month prior.

“Even the 12-percentage point drop in the level of support for the latter’s candidacy in Class ABC falls within the relevant error margin for the said socio-economic class,” Pulse Asia said.

Sharing the 2nd spot were Senate President Vicente Sotto III (18 percent) and Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan (16 percent ).

Across areas, the voting figures of these lawmakers range from 6 percent to 25 percent for Sotto and from 8 percent to 29 percent for Pangilinan.

In terms of classes, the former’s voter preferences varied from 15 percent to 18 percent, while the latter’s levels of support were from 15 percent to 25 percent.

“Between March 2022 and April 2022, support for Senate President Sotto eases in the Visayas (-12 percentage points) while preference for Senator Pangilinan becomes more pronounced (+10 percentage points),” Pulse Asia said.

Meanwhile, the levels of electoral support for the other candidates for vice president range from 0.1 percent for Rizalito David to 3 percent for Dr. Willie Ong.

Of those with valid responses in terms of their choice for vice president, 5 percent did not fill up the sample ballot.

In addition, 1 percent did not express support for any vice-presidential candidate.