VP leads presidential preference poll but undecided still significant

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

Vice President Sara Duterte has emerged as the leading presidential candidate in the Oculum Research and Analytics opinion poll for the first quarter of 2024.

Garnering 42% support among respondents, she holds a significant lead over her nearest rival, Sen. Raffy Tulfo, who received 17%.

The survey, conducted nationwide with 3,000 participants aged 18 and over, positioned former Vice President Leni Robredo in third place with 10% backing.

Other contenders, including Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Sen. Imee Marcos, and former Sen. Manny Pacquiao, were tied in the fourth to sixth range, each securing 4% of the vote. Sen. Robin Padilla and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez followed with 2% and 0.4%, respectively.

Dr. Racidon P. Bernarte of Oculum and the Asia-Pacific Consortium of Researchers and Educators Inc. (APCoRE) revealed the poll’s findings.

Dr. Joseph Mercado, Oculum’s Chief Statistician, noted the large proportion of undecided voters at 14%, indicating that a significant segment of the electorate is yet to make up their minds, which could signal potential shifts in voter preference as the 2028 election approaches.

The survey was conducted between February 21 and 29, 2024, and boasts a margin of error of ± 2 percentage points at a 97% confidence level.

Oculum Research and Analytics, backed by a team of communication, political science, and social sciences experts, conducts these quarterly opinion polls to gauge public support on various sociopolitical issues.

Oculum seeks to diversify the pool of credible and reliable sources of data, analytics, and information in the Philippines.

Oculum’s work is anchored on its quarterly public opinion polls that cover topics such as public support on various sociopolitical issues, trust in institutions, job satisfaction on top public officials, and voter preferences.

It employs rigorous methods in survey research to allow generalizability in its findings, in particular multi-stage random sampling.

Behind Oculum are professionals in the fields of communication and media, political science, and the social sciences.