Poe still tops presidential polls despite drop in ratings - Pulse

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Grace Poe still topped the list of preferred presidential candidates for the 2016 national elections, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey released on Thursday night.

Poe scored 27 percent, a three-point decrease from her previous rating of 30 percent in the same survey.

Meanwhile, Vice President Jejomar Binay garnered 21 percent, a slight drop from his 22 percent rating in the previous quarter.

Former Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II jumped to the third spot with 18 percent, a significant increase from his previous rating of 10 percent.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte scored 15 percent, followed by Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, both with 5 percent.

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago garnered 4 percent while Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and former Sen. Panfilo Lacson both got a rating of 1 percent.

Poe also topped the vice presidential survey with 26 percent while Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero scored 25 percent, an increase from his previous 12 percent rating.

Both Cayetano and Marcos scored 7 percent in the vice presidential survey while Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos and President Benigno Aquino III both scored 6 percent.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Lacson both garnered 5 percent, followed by Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo with 2 percent. Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares scored 0.4 percent.

The survey was conducted in partnership with ABS-CBN from August 23 to September 3 among 1,200 respondents nationwide.

Among the preferred vice presidential bets, only Escudero has declared his bid for the 2016 elections. Escudero and Poe will run as a team in the upcoming polls.

On the other hand, Binay will be the presidential candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance while Roxas will be the Liberal Party's standard-bearer.