Sara Tops Survey On Successor To Marcos
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte

 

A commissioned survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) has shown Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte as likely to succeed President Marcos when his term ends in 2028.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo and former vice president Leni Robredo ranked second and third, respectively, among the 10 names mentioned by survey respondents when asked who they preferred to be the country’s next leader. Marcos was eighth in the list.

Former LPGMA party-list congressman and Republic Gas Corp. president Arnel Ty commissioned the national survey conducted last April 15 to April 18.

Survey respondents were asked the question “Ayon sa Konstitusyon, ang termino ni (Pangulong) Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ay hanggang sa taong2028 lamang at magkakaroon ng halalan para sa pagka-Pangulo sa Mayo 2028. Sino sa palagay ninyo ang pinakamagaling na lider na dapat pumalit kay Pang. Marcos. Jr. bilang Presidente? (According to the Constitution the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is only until 2028, and there will be elections for president in May 2028. Who do you think is the best leader to succeed Marcos as president)?”

In the survey, former president Rodrigo Duterte was fourth, followed by boxing legend former senator Manny Pacquiao, Sen. Robin Padilla, former Manila mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, presidential sister Sen. Imee Marcos, and presidential son and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos (10th).

The survey used face-to-face computer-assisted personal interviews with 1,200 adults (18 years old and above) across the country.

Of the 1,200 respondents, 28 percent chose Duterte, 11 percent picked Tulfo and six percent selected Robredo.

SWS said 41 percent of the respondents either refused to make choices or were unsure of what to answer.

This gave a sampling error margin of ±3 percent for national percentages, and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, according to SWS.

Brunei visit

As this developed, Duterte arrived in Brunei on Sunday, June 11, for a three-day official visit to observe best practices on education.

Duterte, concurrently the Philippines’ education secretary, is set to meet Brunei’s king and crown prince “to discuss affairs of mutual concern for the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam,” according to the Office of the Vice President.

Duterte will also meet with officials of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) to examine strategies that will raise the quality of education in Southeast Asia.

The SEAMEO Council has been led by Duterte since the 52nd SEAMEO VOCTECH Council Conference in Manila last February.

Duterte is scheduled to visit the Sekolah Rendah Pusar Ulak, a public school, to observe best practices and look into “bridging educational gaps in Southeast Asia created by the pandemic.”

An exhibition on digital and e-learning tools used by Seri Mulia Sarjana International School is also on the calendar.

At the end of the visit, Duterte will meet the Filipino community in Brunei and celebrate the 125th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence, to be hosted by Ambassador Marian Jocelyn Tirol-Ignacio.

Duterte is accompanied by Naomi, a high school student from Bacolod, as part of the “You Can Be VP” project. – With Elizabeth Marcelo