Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas candidates at a February 18 press conference ahead of their sortie in Pasay City. RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — Rankings of eight senatorial candidates endorsed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under the administration Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate remain resilient in the Top 12 months ahead of the May 2025 elections, the Social Weather Stations said Wednesday. 

The pollster said ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo, a former broadcaster who is also the brother of Sen. Raffy Tulfo, is still leading its February senatorial survey with a 45 percent voter preference if elections were held during the survey period.

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2ND TO 12TH SPOT A 'TIGHT RACE'

But it is almost neck and neck for those candidates ranked in the 2nd to 12th position, the pollster said.

Sen. Bong Go of PDP Laban went up to 3rd place with 38 percent voter preference from 4th place with 37 percent in January.

SWS said Go was closely followed by Sen. Lito Lapid — an actor — who remained in the third spot with 36 percent support.

Former Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto III dropped to 4th to 5th place from 2nd after support for him declined to 34 percent this February from 38 percent in January. 

Sotto, the pollster said, shared the 4th to 5th spot with broadcaster Ben Tulfo, brother of Sen. Tulfo and Rep. Tulfo. 

Ben Tulfo moved up from 6th place in January with the same 34 percent preference.

REVILLA 'BIGGEST GAINER'

SWS said that Sen. Bong Revilla, also an actor, was the "biggest gainer" in the February poll. He is now enjoying a comfortable 6th to 7th position after being in the tail-end or 11th to 13th spot in January. 

The pollster said voter support for Revilla grew to 33 percent this month from 29 percent in January. 

Sen. Pia Cayetano meanwhile stayed in the same 6th to 7th spot with 33 percent support.

Former Sen. Panfilo Lacson dropped from 5th place in January with 35 percent preference to 8th to 9th place with 32 percent support in February. 

Lacson shares the 8th to 9th spot with Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, who went one notch higher after getting 32 percent support this February.

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BOTTOM OF 'MAGIC 12'

SWS also reported that voter preference for Sen. Manny Pacquiao and Makati Mayor Abby Binay went down from January to February. They are now ranked 10 to 12. 

TV host Willie Revillame is also at the bottom of the "Magic 12" after receiving 30 percent support this month.

"Alyansa" senatorial candidates Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar and Sen. Imee Marcos, sister of the President, are "not far behind the winning circle," SWS said.

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Villar went up to 13th place this month from 15th place in January with 29 percent preference while Imee Marcos still ranks 14th with 24 percent support.

Other "Alyansa" bets Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, who ranks 16th, and Sen. Francis Tolentino, at 18th spot, still failed to land the top 12, SWS said.

Filipinos will be electing 12 members of the 24-seat Senate in May.

KIKO, BAM

Former Sen. Kiko Pangilinan dropped to 15th place this February from 11th to 13th in January after support for him went down to 22 percent from 29 percent in a month, said SWS.

His ally, former Sen. Bam Aquino also went down by four percentage points this month but retained his spot in the 17th place.

"May fighting chance na," Sen. Risa Hontiveros said of the two candidates on Wednesday.

"Pero talagang paghihirapan namin ito dahil mabigat ang mga nasa ulunan nila sa mga surveys at very very well funded yung mga nasa paanan nila sa lahat ng mga surveys." 

SWS said also noted that "far behind the winning circle are the rest of the PDP-Laban senatorial bets, who are being supported by former President Rodrigo Duterte." 

The SWS face-to-face survey sponsored by Stratbase Consultancy was conducted from February 15 to 19, 2025, days after the official start of the national campaign period. 

It polled 1,800 registered voters nationwide. 

The survey has a ±2.31 percent margin of error. — with a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News