Five out of 10 (52 percent) Filipinos will not vote for the presidential candidate endorsed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, while 40 percent will not choose anyone endorsed by former president Fidel Ramos, the latest Pulse Asia survey showed.
On the other hand, less than one in 10 Filipinos (4 percent to 5 percent) said they will vote the presidential bet endorsed by either Arroyo or Ramos, the survey, made public Wednesday, said.
Pulse Asia conducted the survey among 1,800 respondents interviewed face-to-face from January 22 to 26. The survey had a + – 2 percent margin of error.
In the same survey, Arroyo got her highest distrust rating since March 2001 of 68 percent.
Arroyo is backing the candidacy of Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro.
But presidential political adviser Prospero Pichay gave the survey results a positive spin, saying it could actually be “very good” for Teodoro.
“It’s very good for Gibo. That means he already has the vote of 48 percent. The 52 percent would be a toss among the other presidential candidates, so this is very good,” Pichay said in a phone interview when asked about the implication of the results on Teodoro’s bid.
Teodoro has remained in fourth place in various surveys behind Senators Benigno Aquino III, Manuel Villar, and former president Joseph Estrada.
While many sectors are impressed with his skills and track record, they have expressed wariness about going for him because of his ties to Arroyo, the most unpopular president in the country’s history.
But Pichay said people should give Teodoro a chance to show what he can do for the country.
Pichay also said that the remaining months of the campaign will “all boil down to campaign ads, especially television ads.”
“It’s delivering the right message to the people, it will be the key,” he said.
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