Ray Roquero tops survey in Antique
A NON-COMMISSIONED survey conducted by The Issues and Advocacy Center (The Center) showed that former Valderrama, Antique mayor and current Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) member Ray Roquero is the favorite gubernatorial candidate for the May 12, 2025 polls.
The same survey indicated that incumbent Rep. Antonio Agapito Legarda Jr. is the man to beat as he is on his way to a second term as the province’s representative.
The Pulso ng Pilipino pre-poll survey conducted from March 16 to March 18 asked 1,134 respondents in the province: “If the May 12, 2025 elections will be held today, who among the candidates in the list will you vote for?”
The respondents were given a show card containing the names of Roquero, Vice Gov. Edgard Denosta, shipping magnate Capt. Vic Fedelicio and former congressman Paolo Javier.
The results showed Roquero garnering 663 votes or 58.5 percent. Denosta came in second with 306 or 27 percent, Javier was third with 138 votes or 12.2 percent, and Fedelicio was in fourth place with 27 or 2.4 percent.
The survey was limited to the province’s voters ages 18 to 65, covering all socioeconomic classes.
In the vice gubernatorial race, Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) member and vlogger Carmela Dimamay led other rivals with 480 votes or 42.3 percent.
Another provincial board member, Dr. Mayelle Plameras, placed second with 375 or 33.1percent, Liga ng mga
Barangay president Nonoy Tajanlangit ranked third with 177 or 15.6 percent, followed by outgoing provincial board member Pio Sumande with 84 or 7.4 percent.
In the congressional race, the survey showed a close fight between Legarda and outgoing governor Dodod Cadiao. However, the former enjoys a comfortable 12-point lead, with 627 or 55.3 percent against the Cadiao’s 495 votes or 43.7 percent.
In the Senate race, ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo led other hopefuls with 65 percent followed by Sen. Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa with 53 percent and Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, 45 percent.
Former president Rodrigo Duterte is in 11th place with 36 percent, and Doc Willie Ong and Sen. Pilar Juliana ‘Pia’ Cayetano rounded up the top 12 with a similar 35 percent.
Ed Malay, The Center director, said that Roquero has started building a wide base of support from among the province’s registered voters.
The Center also said that the youth voters and “organizational block votes” will spell the difference in the coming election in Antique.
The survey respondents were also given a self-rated questionnaire about what the people of Antique perceived as the major issues and concerns affecting their way of life.
“Majority of the respondents pointed to graft and corruption as a major issue that will influence the outcome of the 2025 polls,” Malay said.