LESS than a week before the elections, independent pollster Pulse Asia on Tuesday said it was impossible for Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo to stage an upset against former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. or BBM who got 56 percent in the firm's latest and last presidential election survey.
Ana Maria Tabunda, research director of Pulse Asia, said the majority of the 65 million registered voters have already decided at this time and no amount of convincing could make them change their minds about their preferred bets.
Tabunda also said she believes that the result of the survey could also be the result in the May 9, 2022 elections.
"Magbago man kaunti lang hindi na magkakaroon ng upset. Mahihirapan na talaga 'yung ibang contenders na makahabol (If ever there will be a slight change, there won't be an upset. It will be hard for other contenders to catch up)," she said during an interview with radio DZRH.
When asked if the voting population has already decided, Tabunda said, "Parang ganun na nga po (Yes, it seems like that)."
Results of the poll conducted from April 16 to 21 released on Monday, May 2, showed no movement in their figures compared to last month's.
The survey covered 2,400 respondents nationwide.
Marcos, running mate of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, maintained a 56 percent voter preference score against his closest rival, Robredo, who got 23 percent.
The former senator dominated in all geographic areas, including Metro Manila where he scored 57 percent, Balance Luzon with 54 percent, the Visayas with 47 percent and Mindanao where he scored highest with 67 percent.
Robredo came in second with 26 percent in Metro Manila, 24 percent for Balance Luzon, 34 percent in the Visayas and 11 percent in Mindanao.
Tabunda said of the 56 percent voter preference for Marcos, majority of them claimed that they will not change their decision until the May 9 elections.
"Eighty percent ang nagsasabi na hindi na magpapalit ang boto nila para kay BBM. Sa tingin ko hindi (na lilipat). That's why 'yun pa rin ang number niya," she explained, referring to the no movement of survey numbers of the candidates for President.
Tabunda earlier revealed that converting the 56 percent of Marcos into votes is equivalent to about 36.5 million of the total 65 million registered voters in the country.
She said Marcos' consistently high numbers are historic since it was the first time since they started conducting pre-election surveys that a candidate for president has been able to maintain his 50-plus percentage voter preference for the duration of the race.
"Marcos was leading by 33 percent margin points and if it is converted into votes, it could be around 19.5 million, which was even higher than the more than 16 million votes President Rodrigo Duterte obtained in the 2016 presidential polls," Tabunda said.
While "confident" of victory, Victor Rodriguez, spokesman for Marcos, said their camp is taking the latest Pulse Asia survey with "guarded optimism."
"We are optimistic. We are confident, but we are never complacent. We are always on a guarded optimism," Rodriguez said in a television interview.
In a statement issued following the release of the survey, he also said the strong showing of Marcos and Duterte-Carpio only proved that the tandem's message of unity reverberated among a great majority of Filipinos.
"The message and call for unity have reverberated all over the land among a great majority of Filipinos who responded by continuously embracing the tandem of BBM-Sara," Rodriguez added.
He urged supporters of the tandem to vote and remain vigilant on Election Day.
"For all of us in the UniTeam, the most important survey is Election Day itself, thus, we call upon our countrymen to be vigilant and let us make sure that the true and genuine will of the people shall be heard, be counted and prevail," Rodriguez said.
"These elections are all about our future, as Filipinos of one race and as one nation. Please go out and vote on May 9," he added.
Meanwhile, the last Kalye Survey summaries indicated a super majority victory for Marcos and Duterte-Carpio.
Based on the data gathered by Splat Communications from Kalye Surveys conducted nationwide from April 11 to 30, Marcos and Duterte-Carpio will be runaway winners, garnering voter preference shares of 68.3 percent and 68.2 percent, respectively.
Marcos was followed by Robredo, who was far second with her preference shares of 14 percent.
Aspirant for vice president Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto 3rd, on the other hand, has preference shares of 15.6 percent, which is way off from frontrunner Duterte-Carpio's.
For third place in the race to the Palace, Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao outpaced Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso, with 5.8 percent preference shares as against the latter's 4.6 percent.
There were 10,091 respondents for the presidential survey with the undecided pegged at 6 percent; while there were 6,881 respondents for the vice presidential survey, with 7.9 percent undecided.
"The data show a tandem super majority victory for the UniTeam of Mayor Inday Sara Duterte and former senator Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. This is already inevitable at this point... It's just a matter of time before these formalities are realized," Splat Communications said.
The information and data provider also pointed out that no challenges for debate will ever change the outcome.
"That opportunity has sailed long ago," Splat said.
Splat reminded voters to go out and vote to give worth to the data gathered.
"All of these numbers are worthless if everyone will not vote on Election Day. So make sure your lists are ready and that you will vote," it said.
Splat also pointed out that the most successful tandem among all the aspirants is the one that complements one another.
"Indeed, the future of the Philippines looks bright. Unity is a positive force that paves the way for success. A nation united can never be conquered," it said.
INC endorsement
In Guimbal, Iloilo, the UniTeam welcomed the endorsement of religious group Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), saying it "seals what we expect to be the landslide victory" of Bongbong and Sara.
In a statement, House Majority Leader and Lakas-CMD party president Martin Romualdez thanked the INC for deciding to support Marcos and Duterte-Carpio.
"On behalf of Lakas-CMD, under which Mayor Sara is running for vice president, let me express our sincerest gratitude to the INC and its millions of members for supporting our candidates. There are no words to describe our appreciation for their decision, and we cannot thank them enough," Romualdez said.
"The INC is one of the biggest religious groups in the country. It is known to vote as a bloc. Its announcement today (Tuesday), together with the expressions of support for the BBM-Sara tandem of other religious and sectoral organizations and local officials, seals what we expect to be the landslide victory on Monday of our candidates," he added.
Romualdez, one of the campaign managers of Duterte, said Marcos and Duterte-Carpio spread and shared their message of hope, healing, unity and patriotism during the entire length of the election campaign.
"With broad support from our people, including INC members, it will be easier for our candidates, should they win the vote, to deliver on their promise of uniting the nation behind its new leaders and the difficult challenges it will face ahead," he also said.
The INC, known for its bloc-voting practice, is purportedly able to deliver over 2 million voters, which could be a factor in Monday's tightly contested electoral races.
INC members are expected to follow the church leaders' choice of candidates when they vote.
The UniTeam in February had its proclamation rally at the INC-owned Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
In 2016, the INC endorsed the candidacies of President Rodrigo Duterte and Marcos, who was then running for the vice presidency.
Since its establishment in 1914, the religious group has been active in national and local politics.
Reliable information from a source in the know, on Tuesday said Bongbong, Sara and other national candidates allied with the Marcos-Duterte-Carpio camp had been invited to a meeting with top church officials at the religious group's Quezon City Central Office to receive their respective "blessings" for their aspirations for higher office.
Meanwhile, local candidates had been requested to go to the INC's provincial or regional offices in the ecclesiastical districts.
The source said some local and national candidates had been told of their "selection" via video conference also last week.
The insider said "official announcement" of all the INC's picks will be made at worship services on Thursday, May 4.
Candidates for senator to be supposedly disclosed by the INC are No. 11 Jojo Binay, No. 14 Alan Peter Cayetano, No. 22 retired Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, No. 25 Francis "Chiz" Escudero, No. 27 Jinggoy Estrada, No. 30 Sherwin Gatchalian, No. 40 Loren Legarda, No. 49, Robin Padilla, No. 61 Joel Villanueva, No. 62 Mark Villar and No. 64 Miguel Zubiri.
In Nueva Ecija, incumbent Gov. Aurelio Umali and his brother Vice Gov. Anthony Umali had been called by the religious group, but the governor's wife Czarina Umali, who is eyeing the congressional seat in the third district, was supposedly not on the list of the INC.
Czarina's opponent, incumbent Third District Rep. Ria Vergara, was summoned by the church last week along with reelectionist provincial board member Eduardo "EJ" Joson and Jojo Matias (District 3).
Prominent political leaders the Vergaras in Cabanatuan City headed by Mayor Myca Vergara and her father, Vice Mayor Jay Vergara, and their whole ticket were called by the INC over the weekend.
In Talavera town, mayoral candidate Nerito "Jay R" Santos Jr. and his sister, Mayor Nerivi Santos Martinez who is targeting the vice mayor's seat, also last week were personally called by the district minister in the Cabanatuan District locale, while eight others aspiring for the municipal council were informed via videoconference also last week.
Summoned, too, were former mayor Ricardo Padilla (Bongabon town) and incumbents Imee de Guzman (Sto. Domingo), Eufemia Domingo (Licab), Gelo Vargas (Aliaga), Mario Salvador (San Jose City) and Myca Vergara (Cabanatuan City).
WITH REPORTS FROM FRANCO JOSE C. BAROÑA AND CELSO M. CAJUCOM