Vice President Sara Duterte emerged as the preferred presidential candidate in the May 2028 elections, leading former Vice President and incumbent Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo by 23 percentage points in a six-way race, according to a Pulse Asia Research survey released on Wednesday, July 22.

The survey, conducted from June 28 to July 3, and July 6, showed that 49 percent of Filipino adults would vote for Duterte if the presidential race were held during the survey period.

Robredo placed second with 26 percent, followed by Senator Raffy Tulfo with 14 percent.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong each received 1 percent, while Metropolitan Manila Development Authority General Manager Nicolas D. Torre III registered 0.1 percent.

Four percent of respondents remained undecided, while another 4 percent said they would not vote for any of the candidates.

One percent refused to state their preference.

Duterte's strongest support came from Mindanao, where 87 percent of respondents said they would vote for her, followed by the Visayas at 53 percent.

She also led among Class E respondents at 59 percent, while she was preferred by 48 percent of Class D and 46 percent of Class ABC respondents.

The survey results showed the race was closer in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, where Duterte and Robredo posted nearly identical voter preferences.

In Metro Manila, 39 percent preferred Duterte and 38 percent chose Robredo, while both candidates received 31 percent in the rest of Luzon.

Duterte also led in five alternative presidential race scenarios tested by Pulse Asia.

In a three-way race against Robredo and Senator Raffy Tulfo, Duterte received 51 percent, compared with Robredo's 27 percent and Tulfo's 16 percent.

Meanwhile, Duterte's support rose to 56 percent in a race against Senator Erwin Tulfo and Senator Risa Hontiveros, who received 16 percent and 13 percent, respectively.

In another three-way contest involving Senator Erwin Tulfo and Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Duterte led with 57 percent, while Tulfo and Aquino received 16 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

In a one-on-one race against Robredo, Duterte was preferred by 52 percent of respondents, compared with Robredo's 39 percent.

Robredo, however, led Duterte in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, receiving 53 percent and 51 percent, respectively.

Duterte led in the Visayas, Mindanao, and Classes D and E.

Duterte also led Hontiveros in a hypothetical two-way race, 60 percent to 21 percent.

Pulse Asia said the nationwide survey was based on face-to-face interviews with 2,400 representative adults aged 18 and above.

It has a ±2 percentage point error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.

The survey's subnational estimates for Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao have a ±4 percentage point error margin at the same confidence level.

Pulse Asia Research said its “Ulat ng Bayan” surveys are conducted independently and are not commissioned by any political party.

It also said no religious, political, economic, or partisan group influenced the survey processes.