Aquino, Roxas No. 1 in latest SWS survey

The Liberal Party’s crusade for reforms and good governance continues to make its impact on the public as the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) pre-election survey put LP standard bearers Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manuel “Mar” Roxas still the number one choice to become President and Vice-President in the May 10 national elections.

In the survey conducted by the SWS for the BusinessWorld from January 21 to 24 among 2,100 respondents, 42% of Filipino voters would vote for Aquino for President while 49% would vote for Roxas for Vice President if elections were held today.

This is the fifth pre-election survey conducted by the SWS, one of the country’s most credible polling firms, where the Aquino-Roxas tandem led Filipinos’ choices to become the next President and Vice-President.

In the survey’s presidential race, Nacionalista presidential bet Manuel Villar occupied the second slot with a rating of 35%. The 7% difference between Aquino’s and Villar’s ratings would amount to about 3 million votes if all 49 million Filipino will vote on May 10.

Former president Joseph Estrada placed third with a rating of 13% while former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro grabbed the fourth slot, with a rating of 4%, followed by Sen. Richard Gordon and evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva, who both got a 2% rating.

In the vice presidential race, Roxas broadened further his lead over his closest rival, with a high 49% of respondents choosing him over second runner-up Sen. Loren Legarda who got a mere 28% rating – a huge 21% lead that is equivalent to 9 million votes if all 49 million registered voters will vote in May 10.

Third-placer Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay got a 16%, followed by former MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando and former Optical Media Board head and actor Edu Manzano, who each got 2%.

In the last December 27-28, 2009 SWS survey commissioned by Nacionalista ally Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, Roxas was chosen by 47% of the respondents, followed by Legarda with 31%, Jejomar Binay, 14 %; Fernando, 3%; and Manzano, 2%.

The Aquino-Roxas tandem has been enjoying huge leads in all pre-election surveys conducted by credible polling firms in the country, including university mock polls done in various schools nationwide.