The nationwide survey showed that 37% of the respondents believed that Jejomar Binay is the best leader to succeed President Benigno Aquino when he steps down in 2016.

 

By Fernan Marasigan & Jefferson Antiporda/Manila Times

Vice President Jejomar Binay remains the people’s top choice to succeed President Benigno Aquino, edging out Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas and Sen. Grace Poe by a wide margin, a new survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

The nationwide survey conducted from November 27 to December 1, showed that 37% of the respondents believed that Binay is the best leader to succeed Aquino when he steps down in 2016. Poe got 21% and Roxas, 19%.

The poll asked the 1,800 respondents the question: “According to the Constitution, the term of President Noynoy (the incumbent leader’s nickname) Aquino is up to 2016 only, and there will be an election for a new president in May 2016. Who do you think are the good leaders who should succeed Aquino as president? You may give up to three names.”

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago got 10%; Sen. Francis Escudero and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada each got 9%; Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, 5%; Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr, 3%; former senator Manuel Villar Jr, Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr and Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson each got 2%.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, Sen. Loren Legarda, Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernisation Francis Pangilinan and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao each got 1%.

The survey has sampling error margins of ±2% for national percentages; ±6% each for Metro Manila, “Balance Luzon” and Mindanao; and ±3% for the Visayas.

The vice president’s ardent detractors — senators Antonio Trillanes  and Alan Peter Cayetano — got 5% and 3%, respectively.

The SWS conducted the survey using face-to-face interviews of adult respondents. No lists were provided to the respondents who were asked to name three of their favourite leaders who are likely to succeed President Aquino.

There were 300 respondents in Metro Manila, 900 in the Visayas and 600 in Luzon and Mindanao.

According to Binay, he is honoured and humbled by results of the SWS poll. “I am grateful for the kind recognition of my worthiness to assume the country’s highest public office. To my fellow Filipinos, thank you very much for this warm Christmas greeting,” the vice president said in a statement.

He added that the poll results are an important guide and an inspiration to further improve his work in governance “despite the efforts of some quarters to distract me from fulfilling my mandate and my promise to serve our people.”

“Public service is after all a never-ending profession. We must persevere in fulfilling our mission to promote the welfare and provide comfort to the greatest number of Filipinos,” Binay pointed out.

“In this joyous season of harmony and compassion, I urge all my colleagues in government to renew our resolve in staying the course of good and effective governance. We owe it to ourselves, to our families, to our people, and to the country we all love and cherish,” the vice president said.

In an earlier survey conducted by Pulse Asia, Binay remained the top choice for president despite a 5% drop in his rating.

The vice president was recently investigated by the senate on accusations of wrongdoings, which Binay’s camp described as investigation “in aid of demolition.”

Binay has said the attacks against him and his family are meant to pull down his high survey ratings and destroy and eventually weaken the opposition party United Nationalist Alliance. Poe also expressed her appreciation to the trust given to her by the people but noted that she is more interested in her legislative duty than the 2016 elections.

Top notcher of the 2013 senatorial race, she said she would rather focus on crafting laws that will benefit the public than her personal political ambition.

The senator has declared that she has no plans to seek higher office, noting that those who aspire to be president must not only be prepared to face challenges but also be capable of addressing problems of the country.

“I took my oath as a member of the senate and I believe that I’m doing my job as lawmaker properly. It will not be proper for me put my personal ambition first than doing my job as a legislator,” Poe said in an earlier interview.

 

 

 

 

 

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