Tulfos are top senatorial bets for 2025 polls

By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter

BROTHERS Erwin and Bienvenido “Ben” T. Tulfo are the top senatorial bets of Filipinos for the 2025 midterm elections, an October survey, conducted after the filing of certificate of candidacy (CoC), found.

Market research firm Acquisition Apps, Inc. reported that ACT-CIS Rep. Tulfo maintained his lead with 62.33% of respondents saying they would vote for him, up from 58% in September.

His brother, Ben, who is a broadcaster and media executive, tailed Rep. Tulfo in the overall ranking with 49% voter preference after he filed his CoC, up from 42.96%.

“The Tulfo brothers have this image that they will fight for you,” President and Chief Executive Officer Martin Xavier D. Peñaflor told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of the survey launch in Makati City.

He noted the brothers have a strongman personality close to former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, which makes them appealing to voters. Filipino voters, he said, still look for such personality in potential leaders.

The Tulfo brothers are also “relatable” and “pro-people,” as exemplified by their social media presence, Mr. Peñaflor said, which added to their appeal.

Former Senate President Vicente “Tito” C. Sotto III ranked third with 46.50% this month, a slight increase from 44% last month; while reealectionist senators Pilar Juliana S. Cayetano and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, with 46.08% and 45.50%.

Mr. Peñaflor said the former Duterte aide Mr. Go has detached himself from the shadow of the former president and is now known for his Malasakit Centers. This allowed him to boost his popularity among voters despite his former boss facing scrutiny over his deadly drug war.

Boxing icon turned lawmaker Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao placed sixth with 42.21%, followed by former Senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson with 38.92%. Both politicians ran in the 2022 national elections as presidents but lost.

Also among the Top 12 were Makati Mayor Mar-len Abigail “Abby” S. Binay (36.17%), former Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. (33.42%), SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante D. Marcoleta (31.88%), reelectionists Senator Manuel “Lito” M. Lapid (31.67%), and Senator Francis N. Tolentino (31.46%).

DARK HORSE
Mr. Peñaflor said there are three possible “dark horses” in the tight senate race, particularly former senator Francis Pancratius “Kiko” N. Pangilinan (28.29%), Las Piñas Rep. Camille A. Villar (24.92%), and former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” C. Singson (14.67%).

He said Mr. Pangilinan, who is leveraging TikTok, shows a strong social media standing. The survey also showed that Ms. Villar is among the biggest gainers after climbing 8-points to 24.92% from only 16% in September.   

Mr. Singson, meanwhile, is considered an “outlier,” Mr. Peñaflor said.

On Senator Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos’ ranking, Mr. Peñaflor said her supporters, especially from her bailiwick in Northern Philippines felt betrayed when she exited from her brother, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s senatorial slate.

“They feel betrayed by her aligning with the Vice President…That’s the reason why she went independent and that’s the reason why she’s number 18,” he told BusinessWorld.

“When we started monitoring this, Senator Imee Marcos was in the top 8…So, we were really surprised that she came down, and it’s related to our current events.”

The survey was administered between Oct. 10-12 via a mobile-based respondent application with a sample size of 2,400 registered voters.