By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan
QUEZON CITY – ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo and re-electionist Sen. Bong Go are statistically tied at the top of the 2025 Senate race, according to the latest Philippine Public Opinion Monitor.
Tulfo garnered 48.7 percent while Go followed closely at 45.3 percent.
Ranked between third and fifth are Tito Sotto with 37 percent, Bato dela Rosa with 36.8 percent and Pia Cayetano with 36.6 percent.
Completing the top 12 are Ben Tulfo (35.2 percent), Lito Lapid (34.8 percent), Ping Lacson and Abby Binay (31.7 percent each), Camille Villar (29.8 percent), Bong Revilla (29.5 percent) and Bam Aquino (28.5 percent).
Just outside the top 12 are Imee Marcos (26.4 percent), Manny Pacquiao (26.1 percent) and Kiko Pangilinan (24.5 percent).
Other notable names in the top 24 include Willie Revillame (22.6 percent), Benhur Abalos (20.7 percent), Rodante Marcoleta (20.4 percent), Willie Ong (17.9 percent), Phillip Salvador (17.2 percent), Gringo Honasan (16.1 percent), Bonifacio Bosita (15.8 percent), Jimmy Bondoc (14.7 percent) and Francis Tolentino (14.2 percent).
In the Visayas, Go and Tulfo tied for the top spot with 52 percent each.
They were followed by Lapid (42 percent), Sotto (41 percent), Cayetano (39 percent), Ben Tulfo (38 percent), Villar (35 percent), Dela Rosa (35 percent), Lacson (34 percent), Aquino (32 percent), Pacquiao (32 percent) and Revilla (31 percent).
Dr. Julio Teehankee, a political science professor at De La Salle University, said the results show a consolidation of the top six and an intense battle to stay in the winning circle.
“This is the time for horse-trading and deals for command votes,” Teehankee said.
“At this point, junking is also part of the game,” he added.
Teehankee cited the continuing appeal of the Tulfo family brand, which rose to prominence with Sen. Raffy Tulfo’s strong 2022 election performance.
He said the Tulfo name resonates with voters due to their media presence and perceived advocacy for ordinary citizens.
He also attributed Go’s standing to his association with former President Rodrigo Duterte and the Malasakit Center network.
Teehankee said the final six spots remain competitive, with Ben Tulfo, Lapid, Sotto and Binay likely to benefit from name recall and public familiarity.
He noted that Villar and Revilla’s positions were unexpected, particularly due to Villar’s weaker showings in previous polls and Revilla’s shift in campaign strategy.
He said Revilla’s lower performance may stem from abandoning his viral “budots” dancing gimmick in favor of a platform-based approach.
“Revilla tried to focus on issues with ‘Aksyon sa Tunay na Buhay,’ but veering from his traditional brand seems to have cost him,” Teehankee said.
The PPOM survey, conducted by WR Numero, interviewed 2,413 likely voters via face-to-face, computer-assisted interviews in Filipino and Bisaya from April 23 to 30.
