Pulse Asia: Binay is top poll endorser

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay has emerged as the top endorser for the May 2013 senatorial elections, a recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia revealed.

The poll, taken from Feb. 26 to March 9, showed that seven out of 10 or 73 percent of respondents would vote for senatorial candidates endorsed by Binay.

Sixty-six percent said they would vote for candidates endorsed by President Aquino, while 51 percent would choose personalities supported by former President Joseph Estrada.

Only seven percent would elect candidates backed by former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

A majority or 82 percent of Filipinos are “probably not” or “surely not” voting for any senatorial bet endorsed by Arroyo.

Binay said the trust given to him by the President made him a top endorser for Senate bets.

“The trust of the President (in) me is very much clear in the work that he made me do,” Binay said.

Serving as presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers’ concerns and at the same time dealing with the housing problem are challenging tasks, Binay noted.

He is also concurrent chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

Pulse Asia said big pluralities to small majorities across geographic areas (43 to 57 percent) and socio-economic classes (43 to 56 percent) would probably support a senatorial aspirant endorsed by Aquino.

Near to sizeable majorities in every geographic area (47 to 63 percent) and small to considerable majorities in each socio-economic grouping (53 to 61 percent) express probable support for a senatorial bet backed by Binay.

A small majority in the rest of Luzon (53 percent) and big pluralities in Classes D and E (43 to 44 percent) are likely to elect a senatorial bet supported by Estrada.

However, a majority of Visayan respondents (43 percent) would likely not to do the same.

Around the same percentages of respondents in Metro Manila, Mindanao and those in Class ABC would probably either vote or not vote for a senatorial candidate endorsed by Estrada (32 to 38 percent versus 23 to 28 percent).

Meanwhile, the survey found big pluralities to bare majorities in the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao (47 to 50 percent) and Classes D and E (46 to 51 percent) are likely to elect the candidates chosen by their church or religious group.

In Metro Manila, nearly the same percentages would either probably vote or not vote for such a candidate (34 to 36 percent versus 26 to 28 percent).

As for Arroyo, near to big majorities across all geographic areas (47 to 70 percent) and socio-economic classes (59 to 72 percent) would certainly not back any senatorial bet she would endorse for the May 2013 elections.

In an interview with ABS-CBN’s Bandila, Pulse Asia’s chief researcher Ana Maria Tabunda said Binay emerging as top endorser for the May 2013 senatorial elections was not surprising considering that he obtained the highest approval and trust ratings among top government officials in different surveys, including Pulse Asia’s Ulat ng Bayan polls.

The Pulse Asia survey has a sample of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above. It utilized a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

Binay is UNA’s presidential bet in 2016 – Erap

Estrada on Monday said that Binay is the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA’s) one and only presidential bet in 2016.

UNA is the coalition forged by Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) and Binay’s PDP-Laban.

“He was my running mate in the 2010 elections. There is only one list for president in UNA, and that is Vice President Jejomar Binay,” Estrada said during the launching of the tribute book for him at the Enderun Colleges at The Fort in Taguig City.

Estrada also introduced Binay as the “future president” of the country during the event.

However, he said UNA has yet to convene its executive committee to choose its senatorial candidates for next year’s elections.

Estrada said that he is seriously considering the strong clamor for him to run for mayor of Manila.

“Right now, it’s 50-50. There are plenty of offers. I was born in Tondo, Manila. The people of Tondo were responsible for where I am right now, why my movies and FPJ’s (Fernando Poe Jr.) became blockbusters. But I have not decided yet. Not yet. I will still study it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Estrada welcomed the decision of boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao to move to PDP-Laban.

“That is good for the UNA alliance,” he said.

For his part, Binay also welcomed Pacquiao’s entry to PDP.

“I warmly welcome Congressman Manny Pacquiao to PDP-Laban. He is an inspiration and a source of pride for all Filipinos, especially the people of Sarangani,” he said.

“More than his stature as a sports icon, Manny has genuine concern for his province mates, and is sincere in his desire to serve,” Binay added. – With Jose Rodel Clapano