Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and his running mate Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas topped the pre-election surveys commissioned by broadcasting giant Manila Broadcasting Company and its flagship station DZRH.

Among the presidential candidates, Aquino logged in as the choice of 45.7% of survey respondents. Sen. Manny Villar placed second with 24.6%, followed by former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada in third with 17.7%, Atty; Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro ranking fourth with 5.7%, Jesus Is Lord founder Bro. Eddie Villanueva as fifth over-all with 1.5%, tailed closely by Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon at 1.3%

In the vice presidential roster, Roxas garnered 42.4%, with Sen Loren Legarda coming in second at 31% and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay in third place at 16.7%. Actor and TV host Edu Manzano ranked fourth at 3.1%, with Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando as a close fifth at 3%.

In the senatorial race, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr led the survey rankings with 56.7% and 52.8% respectively, followed by Sen. Pia Cayetano (51.4%), Sen. Miriam Santiago (50.4%), former Senator Franklin Drilon (49.3%), former Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III (43.3%), former Seantor Ralph Recto (42.8%), Senator Juan Ponce Enrile (40.3%), Congressman Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos Jr (35.6%), former Senator Serge Osmena (34.7%), Senator Lito Lapid (28.7), with Congressman Teofisto “TG” Guingona III (25.8%), Joey de Venecia (24.9%), and Congressman Ruffy Biazon (23.9%) closely contesting the 12th slot.

With the biggest random sampling so far of nearly 7,000 respondents interviewed face-to-face by L.A. Research Inc, the MBC-DZRH pre-election survey harnessed the strength of the largest radio network in Asia, broadcasting over 200 stations nationwide, with its 24/7 feeds heard throughout the Asia Pacific region.

25 households were sampled per baranggay in the different provinces, except for the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which was not included due to security reasons. Researchers tapped male and female registered voters at least 18 years old, coming from ABCDE households. Each respondent was given a questionnaire resembling a sample ballot and asked for his choice for president, vice president and senators. Taking into account a 1.2% margin of error, the survey results were weighed against the voting population of each province, with regional readouts also available.

The MBC-DZRH survey showed Aquino leading the presidential aspirants throughout the country, except in regions 1, 2, and 4B in which Villar topped the survey, and region 11, which favored former President Estrada. Regions 2, 4B, and 10 also had Legarda taking the top slot from Roxas among vice presidential candidates.

All the top 12 survey slots among the senators were taken by re-electionists, six of whom are incumbents. Drilon, Sotto, Recto, and Osmena are making their bid to rejoin the august chamber, while Marcos and Guingona aspire to follow the footsteps of their illustrious fathers.

Because of the broad distribution of samples across the country, MBC-DZRH surveys have traditionally been accurate Their pre-election survey will be conducted three times prior to the coming elections, in keeping with MBC’s mandate to uphold the highest standards of broadcast excellence. With DZRH being the longest-running AM station in the country, MBC will continue to be a witness as Philippine history unfolds another chapter when Filipinos make their choice in May, 2010.

SURVEY RESULTS – TOTAL PHILIPPINES, December 2009: