Feeling ‘pulse of the people’

EDITORIAL

It may be a bit too early to feel the pulse of the people with 10 more months to go before Election Day. But Pulse Asia tells us people are already sold on Sara as the next President with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and former Sen. Bongbong Marcos tied for second place, and with Senators Grace Poe and Senator Manny Pacquiao in third place.
    The Pulse Asia survey also finds that those interviewed would vote for the President if he were to run as vice president.
    The Pulse Asia survey says Isko and Bongbong are the preferred presidential candidates in Metro Manila, Sara is very popular among the ABC, D, and E categories of voters, Pacquiao, contrary to belief and Grace Poe are within the same bracket among the people and VP Leni Robredo got a very low rating.
    Based on the survey conducted with 2,400 respondents from June 7 to 16, Duterte-Carpio was the most preferred presidential candidate with 28 percent of the respondents saying they would vote for her if the elections were held on the day they were interviewed.
    She was followed by Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso at 14%, and former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, at 13%.
    President Duterte was the top choice for vice president with 18% of respondents saying they would vote for him. He was followed by Moreno at 14%.
    President Duterte earlier said he is “sold to the idea” of running as vice president in the 2022 polls, but believes that his future successor should be a “friend” who he can work with.
    He also said he can already be considered a candidate for vice president in the 2022 polls “to maintain equilibrium.”
    The President has also repeatedly said he is against the idea of his daughter, Duterte-Carpio, running for president.
Duterte-Carpio’s regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) earlier said she may not run for president should her father seek the vice presidency.
    Following the survey, Robredo said, “We should try to uncover why Filipinos are attracted to the kind of leadership offered by the Dutertes. She added that a study on the preference of Filipinos on direction must be looked into.
    The Vice President clarified that the survey results should not be dismissed as false or fake. Instead, it should be studied in a context on what a Filipino looks for in a leader. The vice president said the government should also be sensitive and take into account the public’s shift in preference.
    In the end, the Vice President said it important to understand the messages behind the survey results. By not dismissing it, she added, officials would be able to understand the needs of the Filipino public.
    This, as social media netizens lashed out at the Pulse Asia results. One said around 2,000 folks who were interviewed did not represent the 150 million people of this country and voting preference could still change in a year before the elections.     Another openly wondered: Were they imagining things?