With just over a month before the May 2025 national elections, a new Pulse Asia survey reveals a strong lead for re-electionist Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo, and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa topping the list of voter preferences.
The 23-29 March 2025 nationwide survey, which covered 2,400 respondents with a ±2% margin of error, found that 38% of registered voters are already naming a full 12-person slate for the Senate. On average, voters are picking nine candidates, with most naming between seven to twelve.
Go, a long-time Duterte ally, is in solo first place with 61.9% of respondents naming him among their preferred senators. Tulfo follows closely with 51.1%, while Dela Rosa, also associated with the Duterte bloc, ranks third with 48.7%. Former senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III sits at fourth with 44.2%
A cluster of candidates — many of them either incumbents, returning senators, or high-profile personalities — fill out the rest of the top 16 with a statistical chance of winning if elections were held during the survey period.
These include Senator Pia Cayetano (37.5%), Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. (36.9%), former senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson (36.0%), television host Willie Revillame (35.7%), broadcaster Ben Tulfo (35.4%), and Makati Mayor Abby Binay (35.3%). All of them are in the 5th to 12th place range.
Also likely to make it to the Magic 12 are veteran actor and incumbent Senator Lito Lapid (33.3%), former boxing champ and Senator Manny Pacquiao (32.0%), actor Phillip Salvador (30.9%), Rep. Camille Villar (29.0%), former Sen. Bam Aquino (28.6%), and SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (28.3%).
In the party-list race, 45 groups out of 155 participating in the May 2025 elections would win at least one seat if voting took place today.
Topping the list is Tingog Party-list, which garnered 6.11% of support, followed by ACT-CIS (5.57%), Duterte Youth (4.74%), PPP (4.64%), and 4Ps (4.59%). These five groups are in a position to secure the maximum of three seats in the House of Representatives.
ACT-CIS and Duterte Youth, both linked to the Duterte administration, continue to show strong support, especially in Mindanao and parts of Luzon. Tingog, associated with House Speaker Martin Romualdez, likewise remains a dominant force.
Notably, 99% of respondents said they are aware of the party-list system, suggesting high public familiarity ahead of the elections.