Online health personality Dr. Willie Ong and former President Rodrigo Duterte topped the list of potential senatorial candidates in the latest Publicus Asia survey results released on Tuesday, April 2.
Publicus Asia conducted the “Pahayag 2024 First Quarter Survey” from March 14 to 18, where it asked 1,500 individuals to choose their preferred senatorial candidates for the 2025 midterm elections.
The respondents were allowed to name up to 12 personalities from a list of 54 names.
“Out of 54 names in the list, Rodrigo Duterte drops a third time in voting disposition within five quarters, allowing Doc Willie Ong to overtake, though still statistically tied in first place,” Publicus Asia said in its report.
Ong received 41 percent of the vote in the first quarter of 2024, which barely moved from 43 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Meanwhile, Duterte received 38 percent of voter support in the latest survey, which is significantly lower than 48 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Given the +/-3 percent margin of error for the national estimates, Ong and Duterte are tied for first place.
Publicus Asia also pointed out that a number of other contenders experienced drops as well, leveling the playing field for other possible contenders in the top 12.
Trailing behind was ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo with 37 percent voter preference in March 2024, down from 44 percent in December 2023.
Senator Bong Go and former Senators Vicente Sotto III and Panfilo Lacson each received 32 percent of the vote.
Among the three, Go experienced a significant drop in voter preference, from 40 percent in December 2023.
Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa (36 percent in December 2023 to 28 percent in March 2024), Senator Imee Marcos (38 percent to 27 percent), and former Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (31 percent to 27 percent) also saw a decrease in voter support.
Former Vice President Leni Robredo (27 percent), Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro (26 percent), and Senator Pia Cayetano (23 percent) rounded out the top 12.
Other notable figures included former Senator Francis Pangilinan (22 percent), human rights lawyer Chel Diokno (21 percent), former Senator Manny Pacquiao (21 percent), broadcaster Ben Tulfo (21 percent), and Senator Francis Tolentino (20 percent).