Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday presents a copy of the Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry (BOI) report and discusses the findings of the Senate committee on public order that she heads. Poe affirmed most of the BOI’s findings and stressed President Aquino’s responsibility on the incident. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) — Senator Grace Poe has overtaken Vice-President Jejomar Binay in the latest Social Weather Stations survey on possible presidential contenders, backing similar results from the latest Pulse Asia survey.
The survey conducted last June 5 to 8 and first published on BusinessWorld showed 42% of Filipino voters picking Poe as the best leader to succeed President Aquino.
This is 11 percentage points higher than the 31% she got in the March 2015 survey, and 21 percentage points higher than her 21% rating in December 2014.
On the other hand, Vice-President Binay dropped to second place with 34% of respondents choosing him as their preferred candidate, two percentage points lower than the 36% he got in March.
Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas was third on the list with 21%, up from 15% in 2015.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte ranked fourth on the list with 20%, higher than the 15% in March.
Manila Mayor and former president Joseph Estrada ranked fifth on the list with 7%, down from the 11% recorded in March.
“The top five presidential contenders were followed by former senator and former Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo M. Lacson who got 7%, Senators Francis Joseph ‘Chiz’ G. Escudero and Miriam Defensor-Santiago who both received 4%, Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos, Jr. who received 3%, and Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano who got 2%,” the report said.
The June survey involved face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide.
Respondents were not given a list and had the option to give up to three names of good leaders to succeed Mr. Aquino. The sampling error margins used were 3% for national and 6% for area percentages.
The SWS survey mirrored results of the latest Pulse Asia survey, which showed Poe enjoying the lead in the May 2016 presidential race with 30 percent of voters saying they would vote for her.
Four other probable candidates, including Vice-President Binay (22%), also have double-digit presidential voter preferences .
COMING INTO HER OWN
Dr. Ana Maria Tabunda, research director of Pulse Asia Research, earlier said Poe may not just be tapping the old constituency of her father, as she may have come into her own after her recent public actions on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and tackling issues and questions about her experience.
“Baka rin meron na siyang dalang sarili niya… To be sure meron siyang good will from those who supported FPJ but that cannot be the sole basis.”
She also said Poe’s being a fresh face in a field of old politicians may have also worked in her favor.
“Ang isang anggulong tinitingnan ng mga political analyst ay naghahanap [ang mga tao] ng bago-bagong mukha, bagong pulitiko, bagong dugo. Maaari kasi doon sa mga nakakasama niya, mas matagal na yung nasa larangan. Siya talaga ang pinakabago,” she said.
She said Poe and the other politicians in the survey may have also benefited from Binay’s losses.
Binay’s numbers have been headed south even while he was still ahead in previous surveys amid the steady stream of negative news from the corruption allegations against him.
Political analyst Prof. Edmund Tayao said the attacks of the United Nationalist Alliance against Poe over her foundling status actually helped her.
He described the attacks as a major political blunder.
“Ang nangyari yung public nag-emphatize with the senator being a foundling. Ang Pilipino madaling naantig ang puso niyan. Imbes na ang focus ay sa kanyang qualifications, napunta ang atensyon sa pagiging ampon,” he said.
‘MASA’ SHIFTING FROM BINAY TO POE
University of the Philippines (UP) political science professor Temario Rivera, meanwhile, said Poe’s 11-percentage point lead over Binay in class D in the Pulse Asia survey shows that the poor are also not satisfied with the vice president’s responses to the allegations of corruption and ill-gotten wealth against him and his family.
This, despite his projection of himself as “makamasa” or “pro-poor.”
“Kahit itong mahihirap na botante ay lumalabas na parang hindi rin nasisiyahan sa eksplanasyon ng vice president tungkol sa mga alegasyon ng korupsyon sa kanya,” said Rivera.
Binay has refused to attend the hearings conducted by the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee, saying all accusations against him are politically motivated and meant to destroy his chances in the 2016 presidential elections.
“Pag ganun lang ang explanation mo, maraming mga tao ang hindi masisiyahan talaga. Kulang eh,” Rivera said.
“Ang nakakabahala diyan kasi ang imaheng gustong ipalaganap ni vice president ay pro-poor siya, yung makamahirap. Pero yung response ng class D at class E kung saan nandiyan yung pinakamalaking bulk ng ating mahihirap ay hindi pabor kay vice president,” he added.
Poe has said she is grateful and humbled to earn the trust of the public, adding that she was surprised with the survey results.
Despite her number 1 ranking, the senator said she remains undecided on her political future.
“Buong mapagkumbaba akong nagpapasalamat sa patuloy na tiwala ng ating mga kababayan. Kasama naman kasi nila ako sa paghahangad na magkaroon tayong lahat ng pantay-pantay na oportunidad,” she said.
“Binabalik ko lang naman ito sa alaala ng tatay ko dahil alam naman nating lahat hindi ko maaabot kung anuman ang aking naabot na pagtulong sa ating mga kababayan kundi dahil sa kanya… Ang sabi ng nanay ko sa akin, ‘Ang hindi kinalimutan ng tatay mo ay ang pagiging mahirap,’” she added.