MANILA - The Social Weather Stations on Thursday explained the results of its October 2021 national survey on voting preferences for vice president in the upcoming elections.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III topped the survey with 44 percent of respondents saying they would vote for him.

The survey was done last October 20 to 23.

SWS explained that they had three different set of names for vice president, explaining to the respondents that the candidates may still change.

The exact phrasing of the survey question (the source language is Filipino; English translation included) was:

“1) Narito po ang isang listahan ng mga posibleng kandidato para sa BISE-PRESIDENTE NG PILIPINAS. Kung ang eleksyon ay gaganapin ngayon, sino po ang pinakamalamang ninyong iboboto bilang BISE-PRESIDENTE NG PILIPINAS?

[Here is a list of potential candidates for VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES. If the elections were held today, whom would you most probably vote for as VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES?]

The names included in the first list are the following:

• Atienza Jr., Lito
• Go, Bong
• Ong, Willie "Doc Willie"
• Pangilinan, Kiko
• Sotto III, Tito

SWS also prepared two more list of names, accompanied with the following question: “2-3) Ang mga posibleng mga kandidato sa pagka-Bise-Presidente ng Pilipinas ay maaari pang mapalitan hanggang November 15, 2021 alinsunod sa regulasyon na itinakda ng Commission on Elections o Comelec. May mga ipapakita pa po akong mga listahan na posibleng maging mga kandidato sa pagka-Bise-Presidente pagkatapos ng November 15. Narito po ang isang listahan ng mga posibleng kandidato para sa BISE-PRESIDENTE NG PILIPINAS. Kung ang eleksyon ay gaganapin ngayon, sino po ang pinakamalamang ninyong iboboto bilang BISE-PRESIDENTE NG PILIPINAS?

(Possible candidates for Vice-President of the Philippines can still be replaced until November 15, 2021 in accordance with the regulations set by the Commission on Elections or Comelec. I will show you some lists of possible candidates for the President after November 15. Here is a list of potential candidates for VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES. If the elections were held today, whom would you most probably vote for as VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES?)”

For the second list of names, Bongbong Marcos Jr., was included instead of Go, while the name of Sara "Inday" Duterte was included in the third list, replacing Go and Marcos.

SWS said the list of names were provided by Stratbase ADR Institute which commissioned the polls.

Sotto topped all three lists, getting 42 percent in the first list, and 44 percent both in the second and third lists.

Go placed second with 31 percent in the first list, while Marcos and Duterte placed second in their respective lists with 29 percent and 25 percent.

When the survey was done, Go was still the vice presidential candidate for PDP-Laban, while Marcos was the presidential candidate for Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. He was also the top choice for president in the same survey.

• Isko, Ping, Leody camps unbothered by poll showing Bongbong as top choice for President

Duterte was still candidate for Davao City mayor when the survey was conducted. She later withdrew her candidacy in Davao City and filed for vice president under Lakas-CMD.

• Sara Duterte drops reelection bid, clearing potential run for higher office
• #HALALAN2022: Sara Duterte to run for VP under Lakas-CMD

Partido Lakas ng Masa vice presidential aspirant Walden Bello was not included in the survey.

Analysts earlier explained that election surveys can be considered "snapshots of the moment" and reflect the people's sentiments at the time the surveys were conducted.

• Analysis: Election surveys just a snapshot of the time they were conducted

Prof. Dindo Manhit, founder and managing director of Stratbase ADR Institute, also said that survey showed people's perception at the moment it was conducted, and it can change depending on what will happen next.

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