Veteran lawmaker and Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero placed second among the senatorial candidates preferred by students of the Philippine Normal University (PNU) Visayas campus, garnering 63.50 percent of the total respondents in the recently-concluded PNU system-wide mock polls.
In a Facebook post, the PNU-Student Electoral College said there were 3,358 students who participated in the mock elections from all the campuses of the state university in Manila, North Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao for the “Tindig PNUANS: 2022 PNY System-Wide Mock Elections”.
In the PNU Visayas campus, which is located in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, 463 students took part in the survey which was conducted from February 26 to March 11, 2022.
Over all, Escudero placed third with 1,720 votes, or 51.22 percent of the total student participants. On a campus basis, Mindanao gave Escudero the number one spot, while the veteran lawmaker was second in PNU North Luzon, third in South Luzon, and sixth in Manila.
Escudero has been a consistent favorite among college students and school personnel as indicated by surveys conducted by various schools. Last month, Escudero emerged as the number one choice for senator among respondents in the survey conducted by the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP).
A former senator for two terms, Escudero said he would focus on giving more autonomy to local government units, ensure the judicious and wise utilization of the annual budget, and help transition the pandemic-weary economy to recovery, among others, if elected again.
President Duterte has endorsed Escudero’s senatorial bid, saying the governor will play a big role in crafting key pieces of legislation and reforms at a time when the country is besieged with challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor and vice-presidential candidate Sara Duterte-Carpio is personally backing Escudero’s Senate comeback bid.
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.
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 supporting his Senate return bid, namely Ang Probinsyano, Ang Kabuhayan, Agimat, An Waray, ARISE, BHW, BTS, Kusog Bikolano, KAPUSO-PM, and Magdalo.
The 200,000-strong Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), one of the biggest non-government organizations in the country, has committed to campaign for Escudero.