Former Senator Bam Aquino emerged as the top pick in the latest senatorial preference survey conducted by the Centre for Student Initiatives (CSI) among young voters aged 18 to 25. The poll, carried out from November 15 to December 6, assessed voting preferences for the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.
Aquino secured 56.33% of the votes, narrowly surpassing former Senator Kiko Pangilinan, who garnered 55.33%. Doc Willie Ong showed remarkable progress, rising to third place with 43.25%, after previously ranking 11th in CSI’s initial survey.
Also making it into the “magic 12” were Makati City Mayor Abby Binay (37.67%), former Senator Ping Lacson (36.33%), Rep. Arlene Brosas of Gabriela Women’s Party (32.17%), and Senator Pia Cayetano (31.50%). Labor leader Atty. Luke Espiritu followed closely with 31.42%, while ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro ranked 9th with 29.58%.
Former Senate President Tito Sotto (26.75%), labor leader Ka Leody De Guzman (25.25%), and former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos (24.92%) completed the list of preferred candidates.
The survey sampled 1,200 respondents nationwide, 88% of whom were registered voters. Most respondents were students from families earning between ₱9,100 and ₱36,400 per month.
Key issues for the youth included wages, employment, and inflation, followed by political reforms and education concerns. Respondents cited platforms (72.9%), track records (60.3%), and political affiliations (36.9%) as top factors influencing their choices, with social media (26.5%) and mainstream media (21.5%) playing significant roles.
The survey utilized a structured online questionnaire featuring 66 senatorial candidates and 156 party-list groups, based on the Commission on Elections’ partial list. Respondents chose an average of seven senatorial candidates, with party-list participation rising to 77% compared to October 2024’s survey.
