Vice President Sara Duterte is the top choice for president in the opinion poll conducted by Oculum Research and Analytics in the first quarter of 2024.
Duterte had a more than 2-to-1 advantage against the second-ranked choice, Sen. Raffy Tulfo, based on the poll of 3,000 respondents aged 18 and above, randomly selected nationwide, said Dr. Racidon P. Bernarte, Oculum Research Head and Managing Director of the Asia-Pacific Consortium of Researchers and Educators Inc. (APCoRE).
The vice president obtained the support of 42% of the survey respondents, well ahead of Tulfo’s 17%. Former vice president Leni Robredo was the choice of 10% of respondents, ranking third.
“The leading candidate, Inday Sara Duterte, commands a significant proportion of the vote at 42%, placing her firmly at the top regarding public preference. This percentage indicates a substantial lead over other candidates and suggests a strong support base,” said Dr. Joseph Mercado, Oculum Chief Statistician.
Tied for fourth to sixth places – given the margin of error of ± 2 percentage points – are former Manila mayor Isko Moreno, Sen. Imee Marcos, and former senator Manny Pacquiao.
Sen. Robin Padilla ranked seventh with 2% support while House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez placed eighth with 0.4%.
For the presidential poll, which was commissioned, respondents were shown a showcard containing the names of the eight personalities mentioned above, plus an explicit option not to make any choice (“wala pang pasya”).
The “Undecideds” accounted for 14% of the respondents.
Dr. Joseph Mercado, Oculum Chief Statistician, said the considerable proportion of undecideds showed that a “significant portion of the electorate remains uncertain about their choice,” with the 2028 presidential election still four years away.
“This figure is important as it represents potential shifts in voter preference that could impact the election’s outcome. The fluidity in this demographic means that campaigns could influence these undecided voters, potentially altering the current rankings,” he said.
The 2024 first-quarter national survey was conducted from February 21 to 29, 2024 by Oculum Research and Analytics in partnership with APCoRE, a professional organization of academics and researchers, and Areopagus Communications Inc.
A total of 3,000 respondents, aged 18 years old and above, were interviewed face-to-face. The respondents were distributed as follows: 335 from the National Capital Region, 645 from Northern and Central Luzon, 690 from Southern Luzon, 615 from the Visayas and 715 Mindanao, ensuring representation. With a margin of error of ± 2 percentage points and a high confidence level of 97%, Oculum’s survey presents a reliable and in-depth perspective of the current state of public opinion in the Philippines.