MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte emerged as the leading potential candidate for the May 2028 presidential election, securing 50% of voter preferences in Pulse Asia’s September 2026 survey released on Monday, October 12.
Duterte led former Vice President and incumbent Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, who received 26%, and Senator Raffy Tulfo, who garnered 12%, based on the nationwide “Ulat ng Bayan” survey conducted from September 17 to 24.
The poll involved face-to-face interviews with 2,400 adult respondents across the country.
Senator Risa Hontiveros obtained 3% of the preferences, while Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. and Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon each recorded 1%. Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong received 0.3%.
Meanwhile, 3% of respondents remained undecided, another 3% said they would not vote for any of the potential candidates, and 1% declined to disclose their choice.
Pulse Asia reported that Duterte enjoyed her strongest backing in Mindanao, where 92% of respondents expressed support for her potential presidential bid.
“As may be expected, electoral support for the Vice-President is almost universal in Mindanao (92%),” the pollster said.
“Huge pluralities to big majorities in Metro Manila (40%), the Visayas (56%), and every socioeconomic class (44% to 68%) also express support for the latter,” it added.
However, Robredo performed better in the rest of Luzon, receiving 36% compared with Duterte’s 28%. This was the only geographic area where the former vice president led in the initial list of possible presidential contenders.
Duterte leads in five alternative presidential matchups
Pulse Asia also examined five other possible presidential races involving different combinations of candidates. Duterte topped all five scenarios, with her support ranging from 52% to 60%.
In Set A, Duterte secured 52% in a three-way contest with Robredo and Raffy Tulfo, who received 30% and 14%, respectively.
“At least half of adults in the Visayas (55%), Mindanao (94%), Class D (50%), and Class E (70%) prefer the Vice-President over either Naga City Mayor Robredo or Senator R. Tulfo,” Pulse Asia said.
The competition was tighter in Metro Manila, where Duterte obtained 42% against Robredo’s 39%. In the rest of Luzon, Robredo led with 39%, while Duterte received 31%.
In Set B, Duterte garnered 57% against Senator Erwin Tulfo’s 17% and Hontiveros’ 14%.
She maintained the same 57% rating in Set C, which featured Erwin Tulfo and Senator Bam Aquino, who received 18% and 16%, respectively.
Across both scenarios, Duterte led in every geographic and socioeconomic subgroup, with support ranging from 36% to 96% across geographic areas and 50% to 74% among socioeconomic classes.
In Set D, a hypothetical head-to-head race between Duterte and Robredo, the Vice President received 54%, while the Naga City mayor obtained 40%, giving Duterte a 14-percentage-point advantage.
Duterte secured majority support in the Visayas at 57%, Mindanao at 96%, Class D at 53%, and Class E at 72%. Robredo, meanwhile, led in the rest of Luzon with 55%.
The two candidates were tied at 46% in Metro Manila. Among Class ABC respondents, Duterte held a narrower lead, receiving 48% against Robredo’s 44%.
In Set E, Duterte recorded her highest preference rating at 60% in a two-way contest against Hontiveros, who received 23%.
Duterte led across all geographic and socioeconomic groups in this scenario, with support ranging from 41% to 94% across geographic areas and 53% to 76% among socioeconomic classes.
The remaining respondents in Set E consisted of 12% who said they would not support either candidate and 5% who were undecided.
Bong Go tops vice-presidential preferences
In the same survey, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go ranked first among potential vice-presidential candidates for the May 2028 elections, receiving 31% of voter preferences.
Senator Robin Padilla placed second with 19%, followed by Aquino with 17% and former Senator Grace Poe with 14%.
Senator Erwin Tulfo received 10%, while Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan garnered 3%. Torre obtained 0.3%, and other volunteered names accounted for 0.5%.
Two percent of respondents were undecided, another 2% said they would not support any candidate, and 1% refused to answer.
Go recorded his strongest support in Mindanao at 55%, followed by the Visayas at 37%. He also received 37% among Class ABC respondents and 31% among Class D respondents.
Padilla, meanwhile, led among Class E respondents with 40%.
In Metro Manila, Go received 26%, ahead of Aquino’s 20%. The results were reversed in the rest of Luzon, where Aquino led with 26%, compared with Go’s 18%.
The findings provide an early snapshot of voter preferences ahead of the 2028 national elections, although the survey results reflect respondents’ choices during the September polling period and may change as the election approaches.