Serge likes Duterte’s numbers in surveys

by Chito A. Fuentes

No less than Sen. Sergio Osmena III likes the survey results of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Sources who refused to be named said Osmena, a season campaign strategist, himself presented recent survey results showing Duterte’s rising numbers in a recent meeting held at the senator’s residence.

The sources declined to be named because they were not authorized to speak for the mayor.

“Sen. Osmena himself showed the survey results to Mayor Duterte when he invited the latter to his house,” one source revealed.

The front-runner and the man behind the survey (Esquire photo)

During that meeting, Osmena told Duterte that the mayor’s survey results are “very good”.

“Mayor Duterte is very strong in Moslem areas where he received 47%,” another source intimated.

Aside from being the only presidential timber from Mindanao, Duterte has also earned the respect of various Muslim groups in his previous dealings with them both in his official and personal capacity.

Duterte has direct access to Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari, former Cotabato Mayor Muslimin Sema who heads a separate faction and Macapanton Abbas.

He has open lines to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and other splinter organizations.

A third source revealed that the survey results showed Duterte posting a phenomenal 90% approval rating in Southern Mindanao which is considered the mayor’s bailiwick.

These figures prompted Osmena to join the growing list of people urging Duterte to join the presidential race.

Without elaborating, Duterte acknowledged the meeting with Osmena and the impressive survey results in a recent gathering of relatives in Dumaguete.

“Serge Osmena invited me to his house,” the mayor confided to his audience in Bethel Hotel which included members of the local media.

Duterte said Osmena was trying to convince him by showing him the survey results.

“Ang iyang ingon gwapo ang ako kay taas kaayo ko (He said that mine was good because I rated very high),” Duterte recalled Osmena telling him.

The mayor said he felt awkward to admit it but Osmena told him he scored very high in his region.

Osmena’s attempt to convince Duterte is significant because the senator is a close confidant of Sen. Grace Poe.

He was credited for running Poe’s successful campaign in 2013 and was conceded to take charge in the event that she pushes through with her bid for a higher office. 

While he had previously declared that his decision not to run is “final”, Duterte admitted to his relatives that he might just be obliged “if there is a moral crisis”, generating applause from his audience.

Former Dumaguete Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo, himself reported to be eyeing his old post, organized the reunion.

When he introduced Duterte, Remollo joked that there is “no truth to the rumor that the next reunion will be in Malacanang”.

Responding to this near the end of his talk, Duterte said “basig madayon to nga ang sunod nga meeting adto na sa Malacanang (just maybe this will materialize that the next meeting will be in Malacanang).

This is music to the ears of never-say-die Duterte rooters. (CHITO A. FUENTES)

PULSE ASIA RESULT Duterte reaction: “Give it to them”

by Chito A. Fuentes

TANDAG,Surigao del Sur – If Mayor Rodrigo Duterte had any reaction to his impressive no. 3 ranking in the latest Pulse Asia survey, he did not show it.  

“Give it to the people who hunger for it,” Duterte remarked in the only time he referred to the recent survey.

The mayor was in Tandag City to grace the 55th “Araw ng Surigao del Sur” Friday.

At the start of his speech at the Tandag City gym, Duterte immediately doused cold water on expectations that the survey results would appeal to him.

“I have no ambition to run for the presidency,” the mayor declared, eliciting gasp from his audience which included Gov. Johnny Pimentel.

Every available space in the 5,000-capacity gym was filled with people who stood up and cheered when Duterte arrived.  

The mayor acknowledged the expression of support given to him by the governor and other provincial officials but remained firm in his disinterest for the presidency.

He revealed that he is dealing with a “growing rebellion” in his family as talks of a possible presidential refused to die down.

“Mayor Inday and her mother would not allow it,” the mayor said referring to his daughter, former Mayor Sara Duterte.

He acknowledged that many friends have joined in.

“Just allow us to try,” he quoted his unnamed friends who are persistent in their efforts to drum up support for his candidacy.

Duterte scored 15% in the latest Pulse Asia survey conducted among 1,200 respondents from May 30 to June 5.

It was good enough to retain his third place ranking in the previous survey where he tied with Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada.

More importantly, Duterte came within 7% of Vice President Jejomar Binay who dropped to 22% which relegated him to second place.

Sen. Grace Poe seized first place after receiving 30% of voters’ preference. 

In an ambush interview with reporters at the airport before boarding the private helicopter that would take him back to Davao, Duterte was asked if his decision not to run was final.

Duterte’s face turned serious as he looked at the faces of the Davao-based reporters before him.

“We will see each other in Davao, you line up and I will kick each one of you,” he remarked as he slowly broke into a smile.

His response was met with laughter.

It meant his decision is not yet final. (CHITO A. FUENTES)

Duterte believers grow, Survey results reveal

by Chito A. Fuentes

Despite his expressed disinterest for the presidency, more people say they will vote for Mayor Rodrigo Duterte if the elections were held today.

Pulse Asia released the results of its latest survey Friday which was conducted from May 30 to June 5.

The big story was the ascent of Sen. Grace Poe to the top when she got 30% of voter preference, toppling long-time survey front-runner Vice President Jejomary Binay who slid down to second with 22%.

Duterte, who vaulted into third place in the previous survey after being disregarded in the past, continued to rise with 15%.

This marked a 3% increase from his previous 12% which puts him just 7% behind Binay.

Duterte continued to soar in Mindanao where he tallied 37%, the most received by any survey participant.

(Surigao del Sur supporter says it all in his shirt - Photo by Roldan Gorgonio)

Just like the previous survey, Duterte dominated Mindanao with 35%, a testament to the impact made by the country’s longest serving city mayor in the post-EDSA era.

Duterte has been going around the country in his advocacy for a shift to federalism from the present unitary system which is being blamed for much of the country’s problems.

The listening tour instead has turned Duterte into a legitimate presidential contender when more and more people who saw him up close and personal for the first time turned into instant believers.

While Duterte continues to parry the calls for him to throw his hat into next year’s presidential race, his supporters continue to grow by the day.

Duterte himself acknowledged that supporters have become more brazen as shown by the running of infomercials on TV, billboards in many parts of the country, the distribution of t-shirts, stickers and ballers.

While the mayor has publicly declared that he will wrap up his listening tour after his last scheduled sortie in Catanduanes, his public appearances are assured after his office was swamped with invitations to various events in different parts of the country.

Duterte was scheduled to grace the 8^th charter day anniversary in Tandag, Surigao del Sur Friday after speaking before the 20^th Caraga region business conference in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur Tuesday.

The tough-talking mayor who has captured the imagination of a growing number of Filipinos wary of the rising criminality and the increasing boldness of drug and criminal syndicates has been unequivocal against running for president.

His pronounced aversion for a national position has not deterred his supporters who are actively campaigning for a national draft hoping that Duterte will eventually change his mind and give in to the emerging national draft.

Duterte’s rising popularity has baffled political strategists as the mayor speaks his mind on many issues with categorical declarations that normally would have antagonized voters accustomed to sweet talks and motherhood statements.

The mayor also shows little concern for public image by revealing even unflattering aspects of his private life in public gatherings which separate him from other contenders.

This growing appreciation for the unconventional provincial leader who turned his city around from the killing fields of the 80s into the safest city in the country in the new millennium is what drives his supporters to plod on.

Duterte himself is feeling the increasing difficulty of resisting the clamor, conceding that if it is his destiny, he cannot do anything about it.

With what he did to Davao, his supporters are working harder to win over more believers enough to make history by installing a provincial official straight to Malacanang, at the same time the first Mindanaoan to make it all the way to the top. (CHITO A. FUENTES) 

Steady climb

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. (John Quincy Adams, American statesman and 6th President) 

Mayor Rody Duterte's support rating has climbed steadily from practically nothing last year to 16.2% in the latest polling by the Magdalo partylist group (April 14-16)

Duterte sprung a surprise with a 12% rating in the first survey this year by Pulse Asia (March 1-7). This high rating of support for someone new on the national stage was validated by the SWS survey (March 20-23) at 15%.

From this survey, the trend is very clear that the more Mayor Duterte goes around the country for his Listening Tour, the more people are attracted to the chief executive of the one of the most progressive and peaceful cities in the country and his advocacy for Federalism.

In the 4-month period, it appears Duterte is gaining at least 4% support on average. That is equivalent to 2 million a month if there are 50 million voters in the country.

What is even more amazing is the grassroots nature of his spectacular rise backed by countless volunteers here and abroad with practically nothing but the hope that the country could be better ran by someone with a vision for a federal-parliamentary shift of government, and someone with passion to carry this dream come true.

Padayon!

Southern Star

Soon to become the whole nation's pride ...

His survey ratings last month were remarkable. From 0% last year to 12% in Pulse Asia; from 5% to 15% in SWS; and now, Novo Trend reports he got 8.8% in Metro Manila.

There is no other way but up for the rising star of the south!

Duterte rises 5 to 15%, becomes viable alternative to Binay - SWS

Another surprise: Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, who had said in February that he had no intention of running for the same post, similarly added 10 points to 15% from 5% previously -- putting him in third position with Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” A. Roxas II, who lost four points to 15% from 19%. 

 “(Ms.) Poe (-Llamanzares) and (Mr.) Duterte have become viable alternatives to (Mr.) Binay, based on their latest survey ratings.” - Prof. de Vera III

Please click to read the details.