April 25, 2016 – Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) releases the results of its citi-wide electoral poll, conducted by the University Research Council (URC). This is the second round of electoral poll that ADDU has conducted in this crucial election year; the first was the university-wide survey conducted over a month ago, the “ADDU Blue Vote 2016 In-Campus Survey.”
Survey Population and Sampling
For this citi-wide electoral survey, it used a total survey sample of 1,601. Of this total number, the respondents are equally divided at 33%, each representing the three congressional districts of Davao City. In terms of gender representation, the survey reflects an equal number of males and females (at 50%). A total of 9 out of 10 (89.3%) respondents are registered voters of Davao City translating into a total of 1,430 respondents. Nevertheless, only 82.4% out of those registered had their biometric data taken by COMELEC. More than a quarter of the respondents were within the age range of 18 to 34 years old (representing the younger voting population). Those within the age range of 35 to 44 years old and 45 to 54 years old are at an almost equal percentage (20.7% and 20.0% for each respectively).
Sources of Information
While majority of the voting population (that is, total Davao City respondents) rely heavily on television as their primary source of information (at 86.6%), half of the younger voters claimed that they also sourced out their knowledge of this year’s election from social media (49.7% vs. only 18.9% of the older voters). Added to that, a little over 12% (12.5%) also rely on information from internet news sites, as opposed to only 4.1% of those coming from a much older group. The use of radio factored in rather highly for the older group at 41.3%, while it is only 32.1% for their younger counterparts.
Most respondents consistently ranked television (84.5%), radio (35.2%) and social media (20.9%) as the top three important sources when it comes to knowing the political candidates’ platforms and advocacies. What is interesting to note here though is that they hardly pay attention to the candidates’ graphic political ads such as the use of tarpaulins, stickers and flyers (only at 7.6%), much less reading the national dailies as well as attending campaign rallies and sorties (at around 6% each, respectively). These top three answers in regard to the use of media (traditional and social), as mentioned above, likewise figured when asked about their sources of information on the political candidates’ abilities and attributes.
Issues and Concerns to Prioritize
Drugs and drug-related problems (61.7%), low income and low salaries (29.6%), and unemployment/job opportunities (25.2%) are the three top issues that political candidates (if elected into office) should prioritized, according to respondents. These are followed by crimes against persons (21.5%) and crimes against property (20.5%). Meanwhile, the environment is the least concern among respondents, posting only 15.8%.
But when it comes to areas of concern that are personally important to the respondents themselves, they rated food security and hunger (at 38.3%; this concern figured highly among women respondents as compared to men though), peace and order (33.7%), and employment/jobs (29.8%) as the top three in their list.
General Areas of Concern for Incoming President
What are the general areas of concern that an incoming president must address? Peace and order, graft and corruption, employment/jobs, health and education were rated highly by Davao respondents (with percentages ranging from 24% all the way to 32%). Comparatively speaking, there are more women (35.5%) who rated graft and corruption as a concern than the men (27.3%). Disaster preparedness was rated lowest (at 18.1% by women, but rated at an even lower percentage of 13.5% by men).
Desirable Political Leadership Traits & Attributes
Knowledge of the law and bureaucracy (40.6%), strictness and consistency in the implementation of laws (40.2%) are the top two desirable political leadership traits that voters prefer among this year’s electoral candidates. These are followed by having a track record in implementing projects (28.4%) and demonstrating toughness in dealing with violators (25.5%).
Foremost among the respondents’ preferences in choosing the most desirable attributes of an elected official are approachability by the common people (63.1%), sincerity (55.3%) and equal treatment of people (43.1%).
National Politics
As in the electoral poll conducted within the Ateneo de Davao University community a little over a month ago, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte came away as the highly preferred candidate for president at 88% among Davao voters. The percentages for the rest of the presidential candidates are so insignificant, ranging from less than 1% to a little over 1%. The undecided, though a bit higher at 6%, still does not figure significantly in the overall percentages.
For the vice-presidency, Senator Cayetano topped the poll at 51%, followed at a distant second by Marcos at 18.6%. The rest of the vice-presidential candidates posted insignificant percentages in single digits. In contrast, the undecided even rated a little higher at 15.7%.
For the senatorial race, the following results are posted in the order of percentages garnered: Zubiri, Lacson, Osmena, Drilon, Hontiveros, Sotto, and Gordon making it to the top 7. This is followed by the rest of the senatorial bets: Recto, Pacquiao, Villanueva, Pangilinan, Gatchalian, Tolentino, De Lima, Guingona, and Romualdez. Meanwhile, Colminares, Lapid, Ople and Manzano are in the bottom four. It must be noted though that the results of poll on senatorial candidates remain inconclusive since there is a significant percentage of 29.8% among the total number of respondents who did not indicate a single senatorial preference.
Majority of the respondents indicated that they are Catholics (77%), while the remaining 33% are divided among Protestants, those belonging to Islam and others religions. Those affiliated with the Iglesia ni Kristo, a powerhouse religious organization in terms of political endorsement, figured at only 2.4%.
A little over half of the respondents (52.5%) have not yet decided on their preference for Party List, while a third (34.9%) indicated that they already have.
Local Politics
For the three congressional districts, the poll showed top choices for district representatives: The unopposed Representative Karlo Nograles for District 1 at 89.8% (the remaining 10% indicated that they will not vote for him or are still undecided); Representative Mylene Garcia for District 2 at 82.5%, as opposed to opponent Mr. Christopher Abierra at a far distant 3.5% (the rest of the figures indicated that they are undecided or have abstained); and, Mr. Alberto Ungab for District 3 at 61.4%, distantly followed by Atty. Kaloy Bello at 25.1% (the rest of the percentages posted abstained or undecided).
Atty. Sarah Duterte is a runaway winner as the most preferred candidate for Davao City mayor at an overwhelming 95.2%. This figure mirrors the previous result of the poll conducted within the Ateneo de Davao University community. Atty. Duterte has two competitors but their percentages did not even figure significantly from 0% to less than 1%.
For the position of vice-mayor, the incumbent vice-Mayor Paolo Duterte garnered 83.4%. He is running unopposed.
As for the top eight city councillors of District 1, Mabel Acosta topped the poll, followed by Leah Librado, Joanne Bonguyan-Quilos, Melchor Quitain, Edgar Ibuyan, Bonifacio Militar, Nilo Abellera Jr. and Pilar Braga, occupying the top 8 positions. District 2 posted the following results: Danny Dayanghirang, Al Ryan Alejandre, Maris Salvador-Abella, April Dayap, Diosdao Mahipus, Jimmy Dureza, Cherry Bonguyan and Arnold Apostol. For District 3, the order of preference is as follows: Bernie Al-ag, Bong Advincula, Rene Elias Lopez, Petite Principe, Joselle Villafuerte, Cocoy Zozobrado, Didoy Dalodo Ortiz and Boy Villafuerte.
Despite so much hoopla regarding the national elections, coupled by the amount of controversies that have surrounded many of the political candidates at the national level, majority of the respondents (73.2%) indicated that they show equal interests among local and national candidates. (by the University Research Council, Ateneo de Davao University)