AQUINO-ROXAS TANDEM REMAINS TOP POLL PICKS
FEBRUARY MST SURVEY RECONFIRMS LP TANDEM'S LEAD

A new private survey commissioned by a Manila newspaper has reconfirmed the consistent lead of Liberal Party standard bearers Senators Benigno S. Aquino III and Mar Roxas in the May 10 national race.

The latest survey conducted by the Manila Standard Today on February 20 to 26 among 2,500 respondents reconfirmed results of surveys done since November 2009 by reputable polling firms showing Aquino and Roxas as the top choice of Filipino voters to become the next President and Vice-President, respectively.

According to the MST survey, Aquino topped voters' choice to become President with 34%, followed by Nacionalista Party bet Manuel Villar with 32%. Former President Joseph Estrada came in third with 16%, with administration candidate Gilberto Teodoro following far behind with 6%. In the vice presidential race, Roxas remained the clear leader with 39% of respondents choosing him over his rivals, gaining a lead of 9 points or about 4.5 million votes if all the 50 million registered voters would vote today, over consistent second-placer Senator Loren Legarda, who was chosen by 30% of the respondents. Far behind are Jejomar Binay (15%) and Bayani Fernando (4%).

In the Pulse Asia survey conducted in the same period and released last Friday, Aquino also topped the presidential race with 36% of respondents choosing him over Villar who placed second for the nth time with only 29%, Estrada in the third place with 18% and Teodoro in fourth with 7%.

In the same survey, Roxas also topped voters' vice-presidential pick over Legarda with 43% of respondents choosing him to become the next Vice President, a 16-point lead compared to the woman senator's 27% rating.