SENATORS Francis Escudero and Loren Legarda are the strongest contenders for the vice presidency if elections were held today, Pulse Asia said Wednesday.
Nearly the same percentages of Filipinos expressed support for Escudero (24 percent) and Legarda (21 percent), according to Pulse Asia’s May 4-17 survey which has a margin of error of ± 3 percent.
Almost one in five (17 percent) are inclined to reelect Vice President Noli de Castro and one in 10 would vote for Makati City Mayor Jejomar C. Binay. Slightly behind Binay is Sen. Francis Pangilinan (9 percent), who has announced he would run for vice president as an independent. All three, however, gained 3, 4 and 1 point respectively from Pulse Asia’s February survey.
Both Escudero and Legarda have said they will run for president. Escudero and De Castro topped the Pulse Asia survey for presidential contenders.
Pulse Asia said 14 of the 65 personalities it included in the survey have a statistical chance of winning if elections were held today.
They are Sen. Mar Roxas (49.5 percent), Sen. Jinggoy Estrada (46 percent), Sen. Pia S. Cayetano (43.5 percent), Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago (43.1 percent), Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. (41.4 percent), Sen. Jamby A.S. Madrigal (40.9 percent), former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon (38.7 percent), National Economic and Development Authority Secretary-General Ralph G. Recto (36.2 percent), lawyer Aquilino L. Pimentel (31.9 percent), Binay (30.5 percent), Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman Vicente C. Sotto III (29.8 percent), former Sen. Sergio Osmeña III (29.4 percent), Sen. Richard Gordon (25.4 percent) and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (25.1 percent).
Close of half of the 1,200 adults surveyed already have a full senatorial ticket in mind, identifying 12 names for the 12 available Senate positions, Pulse Asia said.