Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (File photo)
MANILA – A party-list lawmaker on Monday said the latest Pulse Asia survey showing former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte maintaining their respective lead in the presidential and vice presidential races shows that the tandem could create a "monumental achievement" in the May 9 elections.
Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor said the Marcos-Duterte tandem could receive more than half of the votes to be cast, even raising the possibility of gaining a "supermajority" win in the upcoming elections.
Defensor made the statement in reaction to the latest Pulse Asia survey showing that Marcos maintained his wide lead in the presidential election race with a 56-percent vote preference.
Results also showed that Duterte continued to enjoy a big lead with 55 percent as the most preferred vice presidential bet.
"The BBM-Sara tandem is about to create a monumental achievement in our electoral history by gaining a supermajority of more than 50 percent of the vote of the Filipino people," Defensor said.
Defensor said their possible electoral win could also build public confidence and promote economic recovery amid the pandemic.
"This electoral feat does not only reflect the people's choice but will create a much-needed stability and confidence as we work together on economic recovery and growth," he said.
House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, one of Duterte's campaign managers, said he expects hundreds of thousands of supporters of the BBM-Sara tandem to attend the miting de avance rallies this week in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The large assemblies cap the 90-day election campaign, which, under a resolution of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), ends on Saturday, two days before Monday’s combined presidential-congressional-local elections.
'Overwhelming victory'
The Visayas miting de avance will happen Tuesday night at the Guimbal football field in Guimbal, Iloilo, while the Mindanao assembly will take place at the city hall grounds in Tagum City, Davao del Norte on Thursday.
The culminating Luzon rally will be held on Saturday in a lot fronting Solaire Resort in Parañaque City.
"These are the culmination of our cross-country campaign visits. On behalf of the candidates, let me express our sincere gratitude to our local supporters, local officials, and community and sectoral leaders, and ordinary Filipinos who have been helping and supporting us. Let us keep it up until we achieve victory," Romualdez said.
Romualdez said Marcos and Duterte would continue to share their message of unity, healing, hope, and patriotism in the miting de avance assemblies.
He urged the public to vote early on Monday and to guard their votes during the entire balloting and counting process.
“Let us make sure that the will of the electorate prevails,” Romualdez said.
San Jose Del Monte Rep. Rida Robes, for her part, claimed that the UniTeam tandem will achieve an "overwhelming victory" as they have the public's support.
"There is no doubt that they will win because they have the people’s support. You just can feel it and they openly show their support to the Uniteam. More than 80 percent will vote here (in Bulacan). They will win overwhelmingly here," Robes said. (PNA)
