Aquino says 8 polls show him winning big
By Michael Lim Ubac, Leila Salaverria, Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:06:00 09/15/2009
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Close this MANILA, Philippines—A recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, which shows that one of every two voters in Luzon would support him, may have limited coverage but it is indicative of the nation’s pulse, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy†Aquino III said Monday.
Aquino, standard-bearer of the Liberal Party (LP), said seven to eight separate surveys showed practically the same results.
“This proves that people want change,†said the only son of the late President Corazon Aquino and opposition Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., who was assassinated upon his return to the country in 1983.
In the SWS survey conducted on Sept. 5 and 6, Aquino obtained 50 percent, dislodging the previous front-runner, Sen. Manny Villar, who was a far second with 14 percent.
The survey covered 1,200 respondents in Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Central Luzon and Calabarzon—an area that is home to 40 percent of the country’s registered voters—and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
Similar margins
Aquino said results of the various surveys showed that he had similar margins over the other presidential hopefuls.
“We have been getting surveys … for specific places and it’s not just Luzon. I can’t say that they show the same numbers, but they’re (almost) the same,†he said.
Aquino, however, did not name the groups that conducted the opinion polls.
In the SWS survey, former President Joseph Estrada got 13 percent, Sen. Francis Escudero 12 percent, and Vice President Noli de Castro 7 percent.
Estrada unfazed
Estrada congratulated Aquino for his strong showing in the SWS survey but said he was unfazed by the latter’s popularity.
Asked if he was bothered by Aquino’s showing, Estrada said: “I don’t think so. It’s just a few provinces in Luzon.â€
Estrada said he had nothing against Aquino, whom he described as a qualified politician. “I congratulate him. I hope he would be able to maintain it,†he said.
Aquino said the results of two of the surveys were given to him before he announced on Sept. 9 that he would run for president, taking up Sen. Mar Roxas’ challenge for him to be the LP standard-bearer.
Aquino said he did not commission any of the surveys. “I don’t have that money to spend,†he said.
Protest vote
The SWS survey was commissioned by private individuals and businessmen and was conducted during the week before Aquino formally announced his decision to seek the highest post in the land, the TV network ABS-CBN reported on Sunday night.
Aquino told reporters Monday that just like in 2007, the “protest vote†would support his candidacy.
His party mate, Sen. Francis “Kiko†Pangilinan, said the latest SWS survey results confirmed that the country was starting to reject traditional politics.
“It is a rejection of the old ways of bankrupt politics that have not worked and a deep-seated yearning for an alternative candidate representing good governance,†Pangilinan said.
Aware that the survey only covered Luzon, he said the challenge now was to mobilize different sectors and the whole country, so that the public could stake their claim on their candidate of choice.
“We need to see the nationwide survey results to get a picture of the entire national sentiment,†said Pangilinan, who gave up his vice presidential bid to campaign for Aquino.
Roxas hasn’t made up mind
Before reporters could ask about his take on Aquino’s stellar rise in surveys, Roxas, the LP president who gave up his presidential ambition two weeks ago in favor of Aquino, suddenly danced Michael Jackson’s “moonwalk.â€
After doing the King of Pop’s famous dance move, Roxas told reporters that he had not made up his mind yet whether to team up with Aquino for the 2010 polls.
Aquino has already asked Roxas to be his running mate.
The two senators will meet on Tuesday to finalize their political plans.
Alternative running mate
Should Roxas opt to seek reelection, Aquino has a back-up plan. Aquino said the LP was talking with “alternative†candidates.
“This is a major change from the direction I am taking now, so I’m thinking this over. There is no reason to say no, but I want to think about it well,†Roxas said.
He said Aquino did not give him a deadline.
“What is important is that I’m pushing for the candidacy of Senator Noynoy. As I’ve said, we will never part ways. I am part of the movement for change in our country … the fight between good and evil,†Roxas said.
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