A disturbing survey on Filipino leaders

A disturbing Pulse Asia survey on Filipino leaders

On January 22-26, 2010, the respected pollster Pulse Asia conducted a survey among 1,800 people 18 and above on who are their most beloved Filipino leaders or politicians. The results are surprising and to me, disturbing.

Almost half, 48 percent, don’t idolize a Filipino leader, living or dead. In two regions, (Region 10 and Caraga), 70 percent said no Filipino leader is worth loving. In other words, for majority of Filipinos, their No. 1 choice for the most beloved Filipino leader is NOTA – None of the Above. The poor (or 47 percent of the E Class E) don’t have a beloved leader. So do promdis or those in rural areas (48 percent), those with little education (44 percent), and Cebuanos (39 percent). Metro Manilans (66 percent of them) and the elite (61 percent of the ABC classes) adore leaders.

Of the 52 percent who love a Filipino leader, their No. 1 choice is former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. She gets 35 percent of the 52 percent—equivalent t0 18 percent, or one in every five Filipinos. No. 2 is the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos. He gets 15 percent of the 52 percent or 7.8 percent (or eight of every 100) adult Filipinos.
A close third is former President Joseph Estrada –13 percent of the 52 percent or almost seven of every 100 Filipinos.
A distant fourth is the late Senator Benigno S. Aquino eight percent of 52 percent or four of every 100 Filipinos. Fifth is the late President Ramon Magsaysay, seven percent of the 52 or almost four of every 100 Filipinos.
No. 6 is Senator Manny Villar – five percent of 52 percent or three of every 100 Filipinos. Gloria Arroyo and the late Fernando Poe Jr. are both No. 7, with two percent of 52 percent or one in every 100 Filipinos.
No. 9 to 15 with identical one percent of 52 percent are: former President Diosdado Macapagal, Senator Chiz Escudero, former President Fidel Ramos, the late Senator Raul Roco, national hero Jose Rizal, and Senators Loren Legarda and Mar Roxas. Not even one of every 100 Filipinos love them.
No. 16 is Gibo Teodoro with 0.2 percent of 52 percent. The rest have identical 0.1 percent and they include Imelda Marcos No. 27, Jinggoy Estrada No. 29, Joker Arroyo No. 36, and President Quezon No. 37. Senator Noynoy Aquino, the presidential frontrunner, is not even in the Top 18.
I say the Pulse Asia survey is disturbing because our schools don’t seem to inculcate or fail to inculcate in the minds of the young the value of heroism and good deeds. How can you explain Rizal being a poor No. 13 as the most beloved Filipino leader with less than one percent of the 52 percent who say they love a Filipino leader.
Maybe, Rizal was not seen as a leader. But Emilio Aguinaldo and Bonifacio clearly are leaders and they were not even mentioned. Aguinaldo, the founder of the Republic, is our George Washington. Bonifacio was the leader of the armed resistance against Spain though he lost most of his battles.
Villar, the second presidential frontrunner, rates well in the survey. About 92 percent of those who say he is the most beloved leader will vote for him; three percent will vote for Noynoy.
Of the Cory Aquino believers, 50 percent will vote for her son; 33 percent will vote for Villar. Of the Ninoy diehards, 65 percent will vote Noynoy; 22 percent will go Villar. Of the Erap worshippers, 46 percent will vote for him; 29 percent will pick Villar for president; 19 percent Noynoy.
Of the Arroyo followers, 58 percent will vote Villar; 17 percent Noynoy, 15 percent Gibo Teodoro. Among the Rizalistas, 66 percent will vote Noynoy; 10 percent Teodoro.
Making an extended analysis, using mainly the Pulse Asia survey, I conclude that: one, Villar will beat Noynoy; two, Ferdinand “Bongbong Marcos Jr. will be elected senator (his father has been rehabilitated in the public eye); three, Joseph Estrada will make a strong finish in the presidential elections; he will probably end up No. 2 (to Villar) or become the winner himself.

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