
MANILA, Philippines – While the public has yet to hear official declarations about senatorial candidacies for the 2016 elections, more than 80 possible names have already been floated through surveys.
Since last year, pollster Pulse Asia has already revealed 89 names of preferred senatorial candidates from 5 separate surveys it conducted for the 2016 senatorial elections.
Not all names consistently appeared in all survey results, though. Out of the 89 names, only 26 have appeared in all of the 5 surveys conducted by the polling firm. At least 19 appeared only once.
As of the latest survey (the March 2015 edition), there are 52 personalities preferred by respondents to join the elections in 2016.
(On the table below, click on either PERCENTAGE or RANKING to see values for each.)
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Leading the pack are the following reelectionist and returning senators, whose rankings in the surveys have never dropped from the top 20:
- Vicente Sotto
- Ferdinand Marcos Jr
- Franklin Drilon
- Ralph Recto
- Sergio Osmeña III
- TG Guingona
- Panfilo Lacson (former senator)
- Francis Pangilinan (former senator)
- Richard Gordon (former senator)
- Miguel Zubiri (former senator)
- Jamby Madrigal (former senator)
Some personalities who lost in recent senatorial elections have resurrected and made an appearance in the surveys. Those who are part of at least the top 25 are:
- Risa Hontiveros (lost in 2013 and 2010)
- Dick Gordon (lost in 2013)
- Migz Zubiri (lost in 2013)
- Jamby Madrigal (lost in 2013)
- Mitos Magsaysay (lost in 2013)
- Ruffy Biazon (lost in 2010)
Other personalities – who will likely be fresh faces in the senatorial race – and who are in the top 25 are:
- Justice Secretary Leila de Lima
- Taguig City Representative Lino Cayetano
- boxer and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao
- Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) chief operating officer and former Pampanga governor Mark Lapid
- Buhay partylist Representative and former Manila City mayor Lito Atienza
- Manila City Vice Mayor Isko Moreno
- Cavite 2nd district Representative Lani Mercado-Revilla
Both Interior and Local Secretary Mar Roxas and Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista were enjoying high rankings in the initial run of surveys, with Roxas in top 10 and Bautista in top 20.
However, Bautista’s name suddenly disappeared from the list after the 2nd survey, and Roxas’ name was gone after the 3rd survey.
Who are the rest who appear in the surveys? They are past losing senatorial candidates, incumbent members of the House of Representatives, prominent local and appointed officials, and some TV personalities.
Hints
Various officials and analysts have already hinted at who might be part of next year’s senatorial race. Most of the names revealed have already been included in survey results.
In April, Caloocan Representative Edgar Erice said that 19 names are short-listed for the senatorial slate of the Liberal Party. Among the 19 individuals, only one was not mentioned in the surveys: Las Piñas Representative Mark Villar.
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Erice is himself included in one survey result – ranking 44-57 in the September 2014 survey.
One of the 19 shortlisted LP candidates, Energy Secretary Carlos Petilla, had already filed his resignation in April, but had been requested to stay on until his replacement is found. He, however, hasn’t decided what post he would seek in the May 2016 elections.
In June, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) revealed a set of possible senatorial candidates that enlisted 14 personalities. Among them, only Quirino wasn’t mentioned in the surveys.
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Meanwhile, a Philippine Star report in 2014 said that at least 16 incumbent members of the House of Representatives eyed a possible senatorial candidacy in 2016.
Not all of them, however, appear in the results of the senatorial surveys. But as far as these results are concerned, there are at least 20 incumbent congressmen preferred to join the senatorial race.
As to who will constitute the official line-up of senatorial candidates, the public will have to wait. – Rappler.com
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