DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Unsurprisingly, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) local and national candidates dominated the latest Ateneo de Davao University “Blue Vote” Electoral Survey Series for 2019 mid-term elections.
Based on the off-campus survey of local candidates for the legislative positions in Davao City, most of the incumbent councilors and some few new names with a well-known family political background came out on top of the survey results.
For the top 9 senatorial positions, Bong Go (80%) and Ret. Gen. Ronald Dela Rosa (75%) came with the first and second positions while Pia Cayetano (56%), Cynthia Villar (55%), Sonny Angara (50%) and Francis Tolentino (49%) were top contenders for the third to sixth position.
Also in the 7th to the 9th positions are Imee Marcos (44%), Koko Pimentel (41%) and Grace Poe (41%).
Other who are vying for the last three spots are Bong Revilla (37.8%), JV Ejercito (35.3%) and Dong Mangudadatu (32.8%).
The survey noted that “except for Grace Poe who is running as an independent candidate, many are either actively endorsed or are openly associated with President Rodrigo Duterte.”
For the local position, dominating the Top 8 candidates for the City Councilors of District 1 of Davao City are the names of Mabel Acosta (70.8%), Melchor J. Quitain (63.1%), Kap Ibuyan (57.7%), Jessica Bonguyan (53.7%), Pilar Braga (52.2%), Bonifacio Militar (50.6%), Nilo Abellera Jr. (50.0%) and Pamela Librado (48.1%).
On the top 8 positions for District 2 are Louie John Bonguyan (63.4%), Danny Dayanghirang (61.1%), Dante Apostol (58.7%), Diosdado Mahipus (57.5%), Jonard Dayap (48.5%), Dr. Florence Alejandre (43.4%), Brogie Dureza (40.4%) and Ralph Abella (38.1%).
Also included in the top 8 position in District 3 are Nonoy Al-ag (75.5%), Alberto Ungab (72.3%), Joselle Villafuete (67.9%), Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz (65.8%), Sweet Advincula (64.9%). Conrado Baluran (63.6%), Petite Principe (63.6%), Cocoy Zozobrado (60.4%).
Survey results also showed a high score percentage to the incumbent, unopposed and administration candidates for the Congressional down to the Vice mayoralty position.
Paulo Duterte who is running for representative of District 1 garnered 88.8% points compared to other two other candidates Rex Labis (0.6%) and Susan Uyanguren (0.9%).
District 2 lone Congressional candidate Vincent Garcia got 82.3% while incumbent District 3 congressman Isidro Ungab had 88.6%.
Presidential siblings, incumbent Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio came away with 96.6% support from the respondents while her brother Sebastian Duterte, a first-timer in politics who runs for the Vice Mayor position has 87.5% or 9 out 10 respondents has expressed their support for the neophyte candidate.
Ateneo’s 1,599 Blue Vote respondents consist of 533 individuals per district with 799 males and 800 females. Almost 99.7% of the respondents claimed to be residents of Davao City at least within six months.
All the total numbers of respondents are registered voters of the city, and an overwhelming majority of them (86.7%) already had their biometrics taken by the Commission on Election. Slightly below half (45.7%) have already claimed their voter’s ID, and a little over half (54.3 %) have not.
Respondent were also subdivided into six age group; 18-24 years old (5.4%), 25-34 years old (19.8%), 35-44 years old (21.1%), 45-54 years old (19.6%), 55-64 (19.7%), and 65-74 years old (14.2%). The bulk of these voters are within ages 25-64 years old, “having an even number respondents of around 20% for every age group, more or less.”
Public Vote Awareness
The survey also indicated that a little over half of the respondents (57.1%) said they learned about the candidates vying for their support and votes through TV Ads (49.2%), and Radio Ads (23.1%).
The rest of the responses registered at around one forth and below showed the following results: Social Media (21.0%), Local talk/hisgot-hisgot (20.8%), Neighborhood (20.1%), Home, Family, and Relatives (19.6%), and Political Campaigns (16.3%). House-to-house campaign of candidates and their supporters were also reasons for the respondent’s awareness.
The survey also showed that despite the high awareness of respondents to the list of running candidates, some or 3.6% do not intend to vote for the congressional candidates in District 1; another 4.1 % also said they do not know whom to vote, and 2.1% refused to say whom they are voting.
In the area of District 2, the survey result indicated that 10.8% of the respondents were undecided, 5.1% to abstain, and the other 1.9 % have no answers.
District 3 respondents also displayed 6.5% undecided individuals and 3.0% abstained.
While there is high support on Mayor Sara’s re-election stint, 6.5% of the respondents are still undecided if they will vote for her brother Baste.
Top Issues
Blue Vote Survey also identified the general areas where they would want the candidates for the House of Representatives and the Senate to address while in office. Top answers were Health (41.5%), Peace and Order (32.2%), Education (25.3%) and Employment/Job (22.6%).
Over two thirds (68.5%) strongly agreed that the country ought to be shifting to a federal form of government, something that has gained prominence over debates and incessant talks on Charter Change. The extension of Martial Law implementation in Mindanao has also garnered strong support of 75.5%.
The survey result also indicated that 4 out 10 (40.5%) has “agreed that the CPP-NPA-NDF negotiates with the government in good faith and with sincerity.” In contrast, about a little below half (48.5%) disagreed.
As to the continuation of the peace negotiation between the government and the CPP-NPA-NDF, about three quarters (74.2%) of the respondents agreed.
Other issues tackled in the survey include the abolition of term limits in the 1987 Constitution (Agree 54.2%, DisAgree 40.1%), the abolition of the anti-dynasty provision in 1987 Constitution (Agree 50.8%, DisAgree 37.7%), Lowering of criminal responsibility to 12 years old (Agree 76.8%, DisAgree 20.8%). (davaotoday.com)
