Aquino, Villar neck and neck in latest Pulse Asia survey

(Updated 11:48 a.m.) The C-5 controversy apparently has not shaken public opinion on Senator Manuel Villar Jr., who is fast catching up with Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III in preference ratings of presidential candidates, according to pollster Pulse Asia. From a 45-percent voting preference last December, Aquino’s ratings slipped to 37 percent in January 2010. Villar, who previously had 23 percent, increased by 12 percentage points to 35 percent, cutting Aquino's lead to 2 points, a survey conducted by Pulse Asia amid the C-5 controversy showed. Pulse Asia said Aquino and Villar have "virtually the same voter preference" since the survey had a ±2 margin of error. The survey was conducted on January 22 to 26, amidst the Senate debates on the ethics complaint against Villar, who is accused of enriching himself and his property companies from the C-5 road extension project. The report of the Senate Committee of the Whole seeking Villar's censure first made headlines on January 18. In the same survey, former President Joseph Estrada retained his third ranking with 12 percent, while administration candidate Gilberto Teodoro Jr.'s 5-percent rating was unchanged. Bangon Pilipinas’ Eddie Villanueva got 2 percent, while Senator Richard Gordon of the Bagumbayan Party got 1 percent. Trailing were Senator Jamby Madrigal (0.5 percent), Olongapo City Councilor John Carlos "JC" delos Reyes (0.3), Vetellano Acosta (0.2), and environmentalist Nicanor Perlas (0.05). Six percent of the 1,800 respondents aged 18 and above did not give any answer or were undecided. Source: Pulse Asia Based on multiple choices, 24 percent of the respondents said they had picked their presidential candidate because he or she is not corrupt. Another 24 percent based their choice on the politician's care for the poor. The respondents also listed the following as reasons for their presidential preference — can do something (16 percent), helps others (11 percent), a good person (9 percent), has experience in governance (6 percent), listens to the people (4 percent), and knowledgeable or intelligent (4 percent). Pulse Asia stressed that it independently conducted the survey. "In keeping with our academic nature, no religious, political, economic, or partisan group influenced any of these processes. Pulse Asia undertakes pre-election surveys on its own without any party singularly commissioning the research effort," it said. Classes A-D prefer Noynoy Pulse Asia’s latest survey also showed that across socio-demographic groups, Noynoy was mostly preferred by those belonging to classes A, B, and C, (37 percent) and class D (40 percent). Aquino also led (46 percent) among the youth group (18-24 years) and the elderly (at least 65 years), 42 percent of whom chose him. For his part, Villar enjoyed the lead among the 25-34 age group and those from class E (39 percent). Source: Pulse Asia Across the nation, Aquino enjoyed the most support in the National Capital Region — 38 percent against Villar’s 24 percent. He and Villar "registered virtually the same preference" in Luzon (37 percent vs 36 percent in favor of Aquino), in the Visayas (41 percent vs 38 percent in Aquino's favor), and Mindanao (36 percent vs 33 percent in favor of Villar). Source: Pulse Asia Earlier, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) preference survey conducted from January 21–24 showed that Villar had continued to eat up Aquino's lead. (See: Villar continues to eat into Noynoy's lead in poll) Although Aquino maintained his lead in the SWS survey, Villar cut the difference to only 7 percentage points from a two-digit lead. Roxas zooms past others It was a different case, however, for Aquino’s running mate, Senator Manuel Roxas II. Roxas picked up speed and garnered 47 percent — an eight-percentage-point increase from his rating of 39 percent last December. Senator Loren Legarda, who previously rated 37 percent, plunged to 28 percent. Estrada’s running mate, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, also ranked third with 13 percent. Meanwhile, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando and television host and actor Eduardo "Edu" Manzano were tied at 2 percent. Lagging behind were former Securities and Exchange Commission chief Perfecto Yasay (1 percent), veteran broadcaster Jay Sonza (0.2 percent) and Ang Kapatiran’s Dominador Chipeco (0.07 percent). Source: Pulse Asia Seven percent of the respondents said they were undecided. — LBG/RSJ/NPA, GMANews.TV