By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has brushed aside early surveys for the 2028 national elections, saying the political landscape remains too fluid for anyone to be declared a clear front-runner.
Reacting to the latest Pulse Asia voter preference survey, Pangilinan said the next presidential and senatorial elections are still years away, emphasizing that public opinion can shift rapidly.
“2028 is still a long way off. No one is backing down,” Pangilinan said in a post on X, stressing that early surveys should not be treated as predictors of the final outcome.
He echoed Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s observation that opinion polls merely reflect voter sentiment during a specific period and are not guarantees of electoral victory.
Pangilinan noted that modern campaigning has become increasingly unpredictable, with digital platforms capable of influencing millions of voters almost overnight.
To illustrate his point, he recalled his own experience during the 2025 pre-election surveys, where he was ranked only between 16th and 18th place—outside the projected “Magic 12”—yet eventually secured a Senate seat after the campaign.
He also cited the performance of Senator Bam Aquino, who climbed from the lower ranks in pre-election surveys to finish as one of the top vote-getters, attributing their victories to sustained grassroots campaigning and voter support.
“The important thing is that we never gave up and fought until the very end,” Pangilinan said, expressing confidence that public support can still shift as the campaign period approaches.
Lacson, despite having run under a different political alliance, congratulated Pangilinan and Aquino for their previous electoral victories and reiterated that surveys should be viewed only as temporary indicators of voter preference.
The latest Pulse Asia survey, conducted from June 28 to July 6, placed Senator Robinhood Padilla at the top of the preferred senatorial candidates for 2028 with 48.4 percent, followed closely by Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto with 47.9 percent.
Also included in the projected “Magic 12” were Senator Raffy Tulfo, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Senator Loren Legarda, former Senator Manny Pacquiao, Makati Mayor Nancy Binay, Education Secretary Sonny Angara, Senator Mark Villar, and broadcaster Ben Tulfo.
While acknowledging the survey results, Pangilinan maintained that elections are ultimately decided on voting day—not by early polling numbers—and urged supporters to remain focused on the long campaign ahead.
ia/xf
