5 new faces in Pulse Asia senatorial survey

MANILA – Five people who have never been elected to the Senate have a chance of making it if the polls were held around 3 weeks before election day, according to a new Pulse Asia survey.

The five are Rep. Manny Paquiao, former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, Rep. Win Gatchalian, former TESDA chief Joel Villanueva, and former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

The regular Pulse Asia ''Pulso ng Bayan'' survey, conducted from April 16 to 20, showed incumbent Senator Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) at the top spot (rank 1-2) with 53.8 percent.

Sotto is followed by Senate President Franklin Drilon of the Liberal Party (LP) with 49.2 percent (rank 1-3) and party mate Francis Pangilinan with 46.4 percent (rank 2-3).

Completing the list of probable winners are:

• Panfilo Lacon (Independent) – 39.1 percent (rank 4-9)
• Juan Miguel Zubiri (Independent) – 39 percent (rank 4-9)
• Manny Pacquiao (United Nationalist Alliance) – 38.5 percent (rank 4-10)
• Sergio Osmeña III (Independent) – 37.9 percent (rank 4-12)
• Risa Hontiveros (Akbayan) – 36.3 percent (rank 4-13)
• Ralph Recto (Liberal Party) – 34.9 (rank 4-13)
• Richard Gordon (Independent) – 34.1 percent (rank 6-13)
• Win Gatchalian (Nationalist People's Coalition) – 33.8 percent (rank 7-13)
• Joel Villanueva (Liberal Party) – 33.7 percent (rank 7-13)
• Leila de Lima (Liberal Party) – 32.3 percent (rank 8-13)

Pulse Asia, meanwhile, said Filipino registered voters are identifying a mean of 8 and a median of 8 of the candidates they are electing to the Senate.

Less than four 4 in 10 registered voters (38%) have a complete senatorial slate for the May 9 elections, Pulse Asia said.