Tulfo brothers top Pulse Asia poll of preferred candidates for Senate
Brothers Erwin and Ben Tulfo emerged as the most preferred candidates for Senate, according to a non-commissioned poll conducted by Pulse Asia last month.
Out of the 74 personalities in the survey who will possibly run in the May 2025 elections, Erwin led the bunch after gathering 60.8 percent support from the respondents. He was followed by Ben with a score of 49.6 percent of votes.
Former senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, who is seeking reelection, comes behind closely after obtaining 48.0 percent of support.
Other candidates who are largely favored by the respondents include Sen. Pia Cayetano, Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go, former president Rodrigo Duterte, Makati Mayor Abigail "Abby" Binay, Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., former senators Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and Manny Pacquiao, Sen. Imee Marcos, and Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa, respectively.
Outside the winning circle but may still have a chance to get elected is Sen. Lito Lapid.
He is followed by former senator Gregorio Honasan, Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar, former senator Francis Pangilinan, Dr. Willie Ong, Davao Mayor Sebastian Duterte, former senators Bam Aquino and Richard Gordon, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and Sen. Francis Tolentino.
Pulse Asia conducted the poll, which had a margin of error of plus/minus two percent, among 2,400 respondents from Sept. 6 to 13.
Eight out of 12 candidates from the Marcos administration’s Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate were included in the winning circle. Only Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, Sen. Francis Tolentino, and Deputy Speaker Camille Villar were left out.
While Imee was originally included in the senatorial slate of her brother, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., she has since withdrawn from the group to avoid any sort of controversy towards the country's chief executive.
Erwin and Ben are the brothers of current senator Raffy Tulfo. Erwin currently serves as a representative for ACT-CIS Partylist and a Deputy Majority Leader of the Philippine House of Representatives since 2023, while Ben is a broadcast journalist who is hosting his investigative and public service program Bitag.
Should they win, all three Tulfo brothers may be securing seat in the Senate.