Mock polls show XU’s favorite bets

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondents

DAVAO Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Naga Rep. Leni Robredo, former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Mayor Oscar Moreno, and Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas emerged as the most favored candidates among Xavier University students and academics.

This was shown by the results of the mock elections conducted Feb. 19 and Feb. 20 at Xavier by the Kristohanong Katilingban sa Pagpakabana-Social Involvement Office (KKP-SIO), the university’s social arm, through the Lihuk Network 2016. Lihuk stands for “Lambigit Igsoon alang sa Hiniusang Pag-uswag sa atong Katilingban.”

The mock elections were held together with Xavier’s Central Student Government electoral commission.

The results showed Duterte as the Xavier students’ top choice for president with 65.13 percent of the votes. He was followed by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, 13.38 percent; former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, 9.31 percent; Sen. Grace Poe, 6.93 percent, and Vice President Jejomar Binay, 1.96 percent.

For vice president, Rep. Robredo was the favorite with 27.17 percent, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., 24.23 percent; Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, 22.76 percent; Francis Escudero, 13.87 percent; Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, 6.65 percent; Sen. Gringo Honasan, 0.98 percent.

For senators, the top 12 favorites were Zubiri, 72.41 percent; former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, 61.41 percent; former senator Francis Pangilinan, 60.29 percent; Sen. Frank Drilon, 58.82 percent; Risa Hontiveros, 57.28 percent;

Former senator Panfilo Lacson, 55.74 percent; Dick Gordon, 55.04 percent; Ralph Recto, 52.17 percent; Sergio Osmeña, 49.30 percent; Manny Pacquiao, 36.34 percent; Teofisto Guingona III,  33.12 percent; and Vicente Sotto, 31.79 percent.

For the city, Mayor Moreno topped in the mock elections

by garnering 42.93 percent of the votes.

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of the city’s 2nd District ranked second with 36.41 percent while former mayor Vicente Emano was third with 10.85 percent.

Behind Emano were mayor candidates Ric Saarenas and Felix Borres Jr. who bagged 1.12% and 0.21%, respectively, of the number of votes cast.

Vice Mayor Acenas also emerged as the favorite candidate for the city’s second highest position with 35.64 percent.

Councilor Roger Abaday ranked second with 28.15 percent while Rainier Joaquin Uy  placed third with 13.24 percent.

The mock polls did not include candidates for seats in the Lower House, and for the city council.

Nestor Banuag, director of Xavier’s KKP-SIO, said the mock elections were aimed at  advocating the need for voters to really know the candidates.

Banuag said organizers used an electronic voting system designed  by the CSG Electoral Commission of Xavier.

Students, and the university’s faculty and staff participated,

“It was open to all XU students, faculty and staff. A total of 1,428 members of the XU community participated in the mock elections. This represents approximately only 10 percent of the total population at the main campus. Of the total voters, 60.50 percent are Comelecegistered,” Banuag said.