Villar inches closer in latest SWS poll

By ROLLY T. CARANDANG
December 13, 2009, 5:22pm







Original Story: http://mb.com.ph/node/233934/villar-inche


Nacionalista Party president and standard-bearer Senator Manuel “Manny” Villar is inching closer on frontrunner and Liberal Party presidential candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, according to the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations.

Based on the SWS national survey for November, Villar is fast catching up with a solid 45 percent of respondents favoring him to replace President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo through the May 2010 elections, narrowing the lead of perceived frontrunner Aquino who had a 59 percent rating.

The SWS survey conducted, from November 4 to 8 with 1,200 respondents, showed Villar gaining eight percentage points from his 37 percent rating in the September survey of the same polling agency.

The November SWS survey posed the question: “Sa ilalim ng kasalukuyang Konstitusyon ang termino ni Pangulong Arroyo ay hanggang sa taong 2010 lamang at magkakaroon ng halalan para sa pagka-pangulo sa Mayo 2010.

“Sinu-sino sa palagay ninyo ang mga magagaling na lider na dapat pumalit kay Pang. Arroyo bilang presidente?”

The latest SWS survey cut down the 23 percentage point lead once enjoyed by Aquino over Villar in the September “Best Leader” survey to only 14 percentage points in the November poll.

Political experts believe Villar is slowly moving up due to his well-organized party nationwide and clear pro-poor programs along with his running mate Sen. Loren Legarda whose main agenda is about climate change.

Coming in third was Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero who quit the presidential race even before the official filing of candidacy last December 1, scoring 27 percent from his 15 percent rating in September.

Former president Joseph Estrada, who previously occupied the third spot, slid to fourth place with 18 percent, unchanged from the same 18 percent he scored in the September survey.

Administration candidate former defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro is now the new fifth place occupant, with a rating of 8 percent from his previous rating of four percent.

Legarda got a four percent rating while fellow vice-presidential aspirant Sen. Manuel Roxas II fell to three percent from 12 percent last September.

Incumbent Vice President Noli de Castro, who decided not to join the presidential election next year, has a three percent rating from his September’s 8 percent.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, resigned MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando and evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva are tied with 1 percent each.


Original Story: http://mb.com.ph/node/233934/villar-inche