MANILA, Philippines – Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate Sen. Benigno Aquino III’s lead in opinion polls has “significantly dropped” to single-digit levels while Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilberto Teodoro Jr. surged to a double-digit mark for the first time since entering the race, according to results of the first survey taken after the Dec. 1 deadline for candidates to file their certificates of candidacy (COCs).

A poll conducted by the Issues and Advocacy Center (The Center) from Dec. 2 to 6 showed Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. of the Nacionalista Party (NP) cut Aquino’s lead to seven points by improving to 24 percent.

“Aquino’s 31 percent rating was described as a ‘stationary dive’ in the Center’s tracking survey but he continues to lead in the super regions – National Capital Region (36 percent), Luzon (31 percent), Visayas (26 percent) and Mindanao (33 percent),” according to Ed Malay, director of the Center.

Malay said the Center interviewed 1,200 respondents pro-rated to the number of voters in the 2007 midterm polls with a margin of error of plus-minus 2.8 percent and a confidence level of 95 percent.

“The other significant movements were Teodoro’s climb to 10 percent on the strength of his bold decisions on the Maguindanao massacre and his impressive showing in two presidential debates, and former President Joseph Estrada’s 19 percent as he bounced back from last October’s survey,” he said.

Full Story: Philstar