Sara Duterte leads 2028 presidential preferences in Pulse Asia survey

Vice President Sara Duterte emerged as the most preferred presidential candidate for the May 2028 national elections, with half of Filipino adults choosing her in a September 2026 Pulse Asia survey.

The survey, conducted from September 17 to 24, showed Duterte leading seven potential presidential contenders with 50% voter preference.

Duterte led the survey among potential presidential candidates, including former Vice President and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, Senator Raffy Tulfo, Senator Risa Hontiveros, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.

Duterte registered her strongest support in Mindanao at 92%, followed by the Visayas at 56%, the National Capital Region (NCR) at 40%, and the rest of Luzon at 28%.

Robredo ranked second with 26%, followed by Tulfo at 12% and Hontiveros at 3%.

Teodoro and Dizon each received 1%, while Magalong garnered 0.3%.

Three percent of respondents were undecided, another 3% said they would not support any of the potential candidates, while 1% declined to express a preference.

'Alternative scenarios'

Duterte also maintained her lead in all five alternative scenarios presented to respondents for the 2028 presidential race.

In a three-way contest involving Duterte, Robredo, and Tulfo, the Vice President received 52% voter preference, compared with Robredo's 30% and Tulfo's 14%.

Duterte recorded particularly strong support in Mindanao at 94%, followed by the Visayas at 55%.

By socioeconomic class, she received 50% support among Class D (lower-income) respondents and 70% among Class E (the poorest socioeconomic group) respondents.

The survey also showed Duterte leading in four other hypothetical presidential contests:

• Duterte (57%), Tulfo (17%), and Hontiveros (14%)
• Duterte (57%), Tulfo (18%), and Senator Bam Aquino (16%)
• Duterte (54%) and Robredo (40%)
• Duterte (60%) and Hontiveros (23%)

Impeachment trial

The survey was conducted as the Senate impeachment court heard evidence on Duterte's alleged unexplained wealth and business interests under Article II of the impeachment complaint.

During the survey period, prosecutors presented corporate and government procurement records involving companies linked to the Vice President.

On September 23, the impeachment court also ruled that senators physically unable to attend the hearings would be excluded in determining the number of votes required to convict Duterte.

Article II of the impeachment complaint accused the Vice President of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust over allegations that she amassed unexplained wealth, failed to truthfully disclose her assets in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), and failed to divest herself of business interests as required under the Constitution.

Pulse Asia reportedly interviewed 2,400 Filipino adults nationwide through face-to-face interviews.

The survey had a ±2-percentage-point margin of error at the 95% confidence level. Subnational estimates for Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao each had a ±4-percentage-point margin of error, the survey firm said.— MCG, GMA News

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