VICE President Sara Duterte remains the early frontrunner for the upcoming national elections, capturing the support of half of Filipino adults in a hypothetical 2028 presidential race.
According to the latest “Ulat ng Bayan” survey released by Pulse Asia, Duterte secured 50 percent of voter preferences during the polling period conducted from September 17 to 24.
The nationwide face-to-face survey, which engaged 2,400 adult respondents, placed Naga City Mayor Maria Leonor G. Robredo in second place with 26 percent, followed by Senator Raffy Tulfo at 12 percent.
Other notable figures in the initial list included Senator Risa Hontiveros at 3 percent, while Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon each drew 1 percent.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong recorded 0.3 percent.
Meanwhile, uncommitted or undecided voters accounted for a combined minor percentage, with 3 percent undecided, 3 percent opting out of supporting any candidate, and 1 percent withholding their preference.
Geographically, Duterte’s support base remains heavily anchored in Mindanao, where she commanded an overwhelming 92 percent preference.
She also registered substantial backing across the Visayas at 56 percent and Metro Manila at 40 percent, alongside solid numbers across all socioeconomic classes ranging from 44 to 68 percent.
In contrast, the rest of Luzon stood as the lone geographic sector where Robredo led the initial list with 36 percent against Duterte’s 28 percent.
Pulse Asia also tested five alternative candidate combinations and matchup scenarios, reporting that Duterte maintained her dominant standing by securing between 52 percent and 60 percent of votes across all configurations.
In head-to-head simulations against Robredo, Duterte led by margins varying from a 14-percentage-point gap to larger leads depending on the multi-way format.
For the vice-presidential preferences evaluated during the same fieldwork, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go emerged at the top with 31 percent, trailed by Senators Robin Padilla at 19 percent and Bam Aquino at 17 percent.
Pulse Asia noted that public engagement regarding the upcoming electoral exercise remains remarkably high, with 89 percent of adult Filipinos expressing active interest in the 2028 polls.