First Survey After Sara's 2028 Declaration: VP Duterte Leads Robredo by 16 Points, Tulfo at Third — But There's a Catch

The first presidential preference survey since VP Sara Duterte declared her 2028 bid is out — and she's leading. A Tangere poll conducted February 19-20 shows Duterte at 43 percent, Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo at 27 percent, and Senator Raffy Tulfo at 15 percent. That's a 16-point gap between the top two, with only Duterte having officially declared her candidacy.

The regional breakdown tells an interesting story: Duterte dominates in the Visayas and Mindanao, Robredo's support is concentrated in Calabarzon and Bicol, while Tulfo draws strong numbers from NCR and Central Luzon. Northern Luzon is a toss-up between Duterte and Tulfo. Senator Risa Hontiveros sits at 4 percent, with 12 percent undecided — a sizeable swing vote that could reshape the race.

The VP race is shaping up too. Senator Bong Go leads at 27 percent, followed by Senator Bam Aquino at 21 percent, Tulfo at 13 percent, and Senator Robin Padilla at 10 percent. Interestingly, Padilla is the top second-choice pick among Go supporters at 44 percent — suggesting a potential Go-Padilla tandem could consolidate a strong base.

Here's where it gets juicy: the survey tested what happens if President Marcos endorses Robredo. Result? Twenty percent of her own supporters would abandon her — but the endorsement could attract new voters from Tulfo's base, giving her a net gain of just three percentage points. Basically, a Marcos endorsement is a double-edged sword for Robredo.

Perhaps most revealing: Bong Go has the highest trust and satisfaction ratings among all candidates at 64 percent each. Robredo follows with 59.2 percent trust and 55.9 percent satisfaction, while Duterte posts 55 percent trust but only 48 percent satisfaction. Marcos? A dismal 35 percent trust and 32 percent approval. The 2028 race is officially on — and it's going to be wild.

Source: The Manila Times