Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero is the number one choice for senator among respondents in a recent survey conducted by the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP).
In a statement released on February 22, CEAP said Escudero, a veteran lawmaker, is preferred by 56% of the 3,089 respondents across age groups and designations. Students, school heads and administrators, non-teaching personnel, alumni, and other school staff with the corresponding age groups of 18-25, 26-35, 36-45, 46-55, and 56 and older
were polled from January 24 to February 4, 2022.
The CEAP, which is composed of more than 1,525 member-schools and over 120 superintendents of Catholic schools in the country, said the survey provides the data the association needs for its election-related programs and activities.
Escudero, who is seeking a Senate return in the May 9 election, has consistently maintained his No. 1 position as the preferred senatorial candidate in various pre-election surveys.
Just this week, the latest Publicus PAHAYAG survey showed the former senator in top spot, with 50.7% of the 1,500 respondents selecting him as their number one candidate among the pre-listed senatorial bets.
A former senator for two terms, Escudero is running under the agenda of strengthening local government units and transitioning the economy post-pandemic, among others.
The tandems of Senator Ping Lacson and Senate President Tito Sotto, Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan, and Senator Manny Pacquiao and Rep. Lito Atienza have adopted Escudero in their senatorial slates.
UniTeam vice-presidential candidate and incumbent Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte and mayors from CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and Eastern Samar, who belong to the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), have likewise endorsed Escudero.
Several party-list groups are also backing his senatorial comeback, namely Ang Kabuhayan, Agimat, An Waray, ARISE, BHW, Kusog Bikolano, and Magdalo.
The 200,000-strong Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), one of the biggest non-government organizations in the country, is also supporting his Senate comeback.