ANGELES CITY, PAMPANGA— Barely four months prior election day, Vice-President Leni Gerona Robredo emerged as the top pick among the presidential candidates in the 2022 elections, based on Data Analysis & Research for Elections (D.A.R.E.) Survey conducted from December 27-31, 2021 to January 3-7, 2022 held in this thickly populated city with more than 200,000 registered voters.
The respondents were particularly asked, “Of the people on this list, whom would you vote for as President, Vice-President, Mayor, Vice-Mayor and City Councilors if the May 09, 2022 elections were held today and why?” COVID-19 response has been the most prominent issue for candidates such as the distribution of “ayuda”, medical assistance, cash aid, livelihood projects and more.
In the survey results it found 41 percent of Angelenos expressing support for the presidential bid of Robredo in the 2022 national elections. Coming in 2nd place, by a slim margin, was former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong Marcos with 38 percent of the voter preference. Meanwhile, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso was in 3rd place, with 15 percent of the voter preference. Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson came in 4th with 6 percent of the respondents. In the same survey, Robredo’s teammate Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan also emerged as the top pick among the vice-presidential candidates with 38.7 percent, followed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte with 30.6 percent, Senate President Tito Sotto placed 3rd with 22.4 percent and Dr. Willie Ong with 8.3 percent.
Reelectionists Mayor Lazatin, VM Vega-Cabigting Still Top Poll Choices
At the local level, reelectionist Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin is leading with 92 percent compared to 8 percent obtained by his lone rival City Councilor Amos Rivera – Aksyon Demokratiko. Reelectionist Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting obtained a whopping support of 97 percent of voters surveyed in the city compared to the 3 percent who said they support Dr. Pie Juan – Aksyon Demokratiko.
Top 5 Councilors: Lacson, Bonifacio, Suller, Mercado, Sangil
Meanwhile, the leading choices in the Sangguniang Panlungsod were reelectionists, former and independent candidates. Reelectionist City Councilor Dan Lacson lead the survey anew with 19.4 percent; (2) Bonifacio, Alfie – 15.3 percent; (3) Suller, Arvin – 12.9 percent; (4) Mercado, Alma – 11.5 percent; (5) Sangil, Jay – 9.2 percent; (6) Aguas, JC – 8.7 percent; Tied (7) Cortez, Cris and Banola, Niknok – 7.64 – 7.65 percent respectively; Tied (8) Pamintuan, Edu and Cauguiran, Alex – 6.82 – 6.83 percent; Tied (9) Mamac Jr., Rodelio and Del Rosario, Raco – 5.71 – 5.72 percent; and Tied (10) Pineda, Aaron and Indiongco, Alex – 2.93 – 2.94 percent respectively.
Respondents’ Common Preferences for City Council Reelectionists & Aspirants
LACSON – name recall, record holder 8-term local legislator, visibility, senior citizens welfare and benefits, public cemetery, COVID “ayuda”, Brigada Eskwela, Tolda Sa TODA;
BONIFACIO – name recall, dental missions, committee chairmanships in various public hearings, save Chevalier School issue, affiliation in various organizations, COVID “ayuda”, name recall;
SULLER – name recall, free notary, socialized housing for the urban poor sector, save Chevalier School issue, visibility, COVID ‘ayuda”, various affiliations;
MERCADO – barangay chairmanship, barangay frontliner, COVID “ayuda”, livelihood projects, medical assistance, scholarship programs, visibility, civic and religious affiliations, women’s and other NGOs support, name recall, ABC Support;
SANGIL – name recall, affiliation with Philippine Daily Inquirer, fraternity, name recall, COVID “ayuda”, boasts his winnability as “lone survivor” in the 2019 elections notwithstanding the lack of endorsement from an influential religious organization;
AGUAS – popularity as celebrity, name recall, COVID “ayuda”, social media sensation in Couple Power with 11,433 followers;
TIED: BANOLA – name recall, oplan “Tuli” and hypertension check ups, fraternity affiliations, visibility, COVID “ayuda”; CORTEZ – barangay chairmanship, frontliner, COVID “ayuda”, fraternity and religious affiliations, ABC Support;
TIED: CAUGUIRAN – name recall as former councilor, political/aviation track record, visibility, leadership and experience in local and national levels, affiliations with various organizations, his brainchild Partido Abe Kapampangan and “Tigtigan Terakan Keng Dalan”; PAMINTUAN – name recall as former councilor, son of ex-mayor now CDC chairman Ed Pamintuan, COVID “ayuda”, Partido Abe Kapampangan.
TIED: DEL ROSARIO – name recall, COVID “ayuda”, Brigada Eskwela, visibility; MAMAC – name recall, visibility, son of Balibago Barangay Chairman Tony Mamac, LTO drivers seminars, identified with the late DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo.
TIED: INDIONGCO – name recall as former councilor, visibility, Brigada Eskwela, COVID “ayuda”; PINEDA – name recall, Patrol Party List affiliation, visibility. One of the respondents commented: “Dapat si Mrs. In (Councilor Thelma Indiongco) na lang ang ulit tumakbo, maganda ang record niya sa city council; may two terms pa naman siya gaya ni Councilor JC Parker-Aguas.”
Mechanics & Criteria
The latest D.A.R.E. survey was conducted by five (5) teams using face-to-face interviews of respondents identified in random streets of the total 33 barangays, in various meetings and events during the holiday season from December 27-31, 2021 and January 3-7, 2022; however challenges were encountered in the last leg due to the implementation of stricter health protocols by the local government unit. It had interviewed 16,344 respondents, 18 years old – above, and Angeles City registered voters. It has a margin of error ranging from +/- 2.53 % to 3.36 percent.