USC survey inconclusive - PJ and Davide

CEBU, Philippines - Both gubernatorial candidates Rep. Pablo John Garcia and Hilario Davide III found the survey conducted by the University of San Carlos students as inconclusive.

The survey conducted last September showed Garcia of One Cebu party won over Davide of the Liberal Party with 47.2 percent and 45.43 percent, respectively.

“I cannot draw conclusion ana, inconclusive para nako ang survey,” Davide said.

Davide explained that the May 2013 election is still a long way ahead and a lot of things can still change.

Garcia on the other hand said that the survey is “too early and too close to call.”

“Ako ni gi-interpret as indication that we are going in the right direction,” Garcia said.

Garcia emphasized that he only made his decision to run for governor last May.

A week after he made the announcement, Garcia said they also conducted their own survey which showed he was left behind by Davide.

One reason Garcia cited was that he is not known to the other part of the Province of Cebu because he has been focusing on his being a congressman in the third district in the past five years.

Davide’s name has been publicly known that he is running again for governor after he lost to Garcia’s sister, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, in the 2010 elections.

“But our subsequent surveys also show nga my numbers are moving up,” Garcia said.

Garcia said that the survey conducted in September by the USC second year political science students under Cebuano politics class confirmed that “his numbers are going up and probably going in the right direction.”

“Di lang ko parehas sa pikas nga moingon dayun nga I can smell victory. He can have the smell, I’d like to get a taste of victory and I will try very hard,” Garcia said.

Meanwhile, President Benigno Aquino III will openly support all LP candidates in the Province of Cebu from governor up to the last councilor, said Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas in a statement.

Llamas made the clarification of reports that seemed to indicate that Cebu was being considered as a free zone by the Administration Coalition.

“The President will openly support all LP candidates in the Province of Cebu from Governor up to the last councilor.  I never said that Cebu is a free zone,” said Llamas.—(FREEMAN)