FORMER president Rodrigo Duterte is the top choice for senator in the 2025 midterm elections, a survey conducted by Publicus Asia Inc. showed.

The polling firm said its Pahayag End of Year voting disposition survey showed that the former president got the “vote” of 48 percent of the respondents and an “impressive” trust rating of 59 percent

Following closely is Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, who secured a 44 percent voting predisposition and a parallel 44 percent trust rating.

Dr. Willie Ong, the former vice presidential candidate and cardiologist, secured a substantial 43 percent voting predisposition and a commendable 50 percent trust rating.

“Notably, Erwin Tulfo experienced a drop in support in Mindanao, sliding from 50 percent to 44 percent,” the polling firm said.

“Likewise, Dr. Willie Ong witnessed a decline in trust in Mindanao, dropping from 50 percent to 42 percent, along with a decrease in support from 44 percent to 39 percent,” it added.

Aside from Duterte, Tulfo and Ong, the survey also revealed that reelectionist Senators Christopher “Bong” Go (40 percent), Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos (38 percent), and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa (36 percent) “are also notable figures in the early electoral landscape.”

“The National Capital Region (NCR) sees an increase in voting predisposition for Go, rising from 29 percent to 38 percent, and for Marcos, climbing from 35 percent to 41 percent,” Publicus Asia said.

Also in the survey are former Senate president Vicente Sotto 3rd who got 33 percent, former Manila mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, 31 percent, former senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, 31 percent, and former vice president Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, 27 percent.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., who was one of the top-performing Cabinet members in an earlier survey, got 26 percent.

Completing the roster is Sen. Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano, who is in the 12th spot with 25 percent voter support.

The Pahayag 2023 End of the Year Survey, conducted by Publicus Asia Inc. from Nov. 29 to Dec. 4, 2023, was non-commissioned. The survey used a purposive sampling of 1,500 respondents randomly drawn from the market research panel of over 200,000 Filipinos maintained by the Singapore office of PureSpectrum.

The sample was restricted to registered Filipino voters maintained by PureSpectrum, a US-based panel marketplace with a multinational presence.