MANILA, Philippines – Will sticking to “Daang Matuwid” (the straight and narrow path) prove to be a surefire way to Malacañang in 2016? 

Barely two months after Liberal Party (LP) stalwarts credited Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II’s rise in presidential preference surveys to “sticking to Daang Matuwid,” the presumed LP standard bearer skidded from a distant second to an even farther 6th, based on the latest poll by Pulse Asia. 

In Pulse Asia’s November nationwide survey on the May 2016 elections, only 6% of respondents said they would vote for Roxas as president. 

It’s a sharp decline from the 13% who said the same in the same survey held mid-September. The latest survey, held from November 14-20, has an error margin of 3 percentage points. 

The 6% register from the latest survey puts Roxas back to where he was in the June survey, where only 7% of respondents said they would vote for him. 

Across the board losses 

Roxas lost support in all locations and classes, except for the ABC class, where he “gained” a statistically insignificant 2 points. 

The DILG chief lost 5 percentage points in the National Capital Region, 3 percentage points in Balance Luzon, and 6 percentage points from voters in the socioeconomic class D. 

He lost the most points from the Visayas (11 percentage points), Mindanao (11 percentage points), and socioeconomic class E (14 percentage points). 

Despite dismal showing in surveys, members of the LP have been adamant that Roxas would be the party’s bet for president in the coming presidential elections. (READ: How do you solve a problem like Mar Roxas?)

They’re also banking on President Benigno Aquino III’s endorsement as a sure-fire way to boost Roxas’ numbers in time for the elections. 

Roxas himself, however, has kept mum on his plans for 2016, saying he would rather focus on his work in the Cabinet. 

Memories of Yolanda?   

The survey was held roughly a week after the country commemorated the first anniversary of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), which devastated the Eastern Visayas region and nearby areas. Government response to Yolanda was – and continues – to be heavily criticised by many. 

Roxas, who was among the Cabinet secretaries tasked to lead relief and disaster response in the region, also drew criticism over a word-war with Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez.

Romualdez accused the national government then of refusing to help the city unless they first pass an ordinance to allow it. 

Later, an “edited” video of a meeting between Roxas and Romualdez leaked online, where Roxas infamously told the mayor they needed to be cautious because “you are a Romualdez and the President is an Aquino.” 

Romualdez comes from the clan of former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, whose husband, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, put the President’s father in jail. Aquino’s father, Benigno Jr, was assassinated under the Marcos regime.

Roxas and Romualdez have since settled their differences – at least in public. 

A year later, Roxas again drew flak after Esquire Philippines featured him in the cover of their commemorative issue on Yolanda. Online, people criticized both Esquire and Roxas for what many saw as a “distasteful” way to remember the victims of Yolanda. 

When the survey was released to the public, Roxas was in Eastern Samar as part of national government’s “frontline team” in the preparation and post-disaster assesment of Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit). (READ: Roxas on viral motorcycle-riding photo: ‘I did my job’)

Roxas’ presumed 2016 rival, Vice President Jejomar Binay, still led the November survey with 26% saying they would vote for him. Binay’s numbers, however, have been slowly declining since the filing of plunder raps and the launch of a Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee probe into corruption allegations against him. 

Those who did better than Roxas in the survey include neophyte Senator Grace Poe, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, ousted president and now incumbent Manila Mayor Erap Estrada, and Senator Francis Escudero. (READ: Chiz, Mar ‘renew friendship’)

The November survey had 1,200 respondents who had to choose from a list of 14 potential presidential candidates. In contrast, the September survey had 15 names. – Rappler.com