Aquino Retains Number 1 Spot

In the latest Pulse Asia survey, Sen. Benigno S. Aquino III retained the number one spot, leading with 36%. However, he had a 1% decrease compared to his 37% posted in the last survey. But statistically speaking, considering the survey’s 2% error margin, his rating is unmoved.

The survey fieldwork was conducted from February 21 to 25, 2010 using face-to-face interviews. Pulse Asia noted several developments that made it in the headline in the month of February, but did not note that the covered dates coincides with the commemoration of the People Power I. Disregarding the error margin, it could even be said that the 1% drop in Aquino’s rating is unexpected. But the seemingly lack of effect of the EDSA I commemoration could be explained the tireless effort of his opponents to diffuse the so-called “Cory Magic”

For instance, leftist lawmakers seeking senatorial seat under a rival camp had objected to what they call as the monopoly of franchise to the People Power I.

Sen. Manny Villar suffered a six-point decrease in rating despite his massive (and escalating) spending on advertisement in traditional media and the internet. In Villar’s case, political strategist Lito Banayo wrote in his Malaya column today that “the challenge is to keep their trajectory upwards, all the way to Election Day. Their spending has been obscenely large, and they need to spend more in the coming weeks and two remaining months. But money is the least of Manny’s worries. He has stacked up enough to single-handedly finance his campaign, however dubious its provenance, which obviously the voter has not yet reconciled with his ability to deliver on his promises, if he gets elected”

Obviously, the Villar camp failed to keep up with the challenge, with the senator’s rating declining from 35% to 29%. This maybe explained by the "speech delivered by Senator Manuel B. Villar, Jr. before his colleagues wherein he reiterated his innocence in connection with the C-5 road extension project controversy and the failure of the senators to vote on the report of the Senate Committee of the Whole seeking to censure Senator Villar"