Former senator Paulo Benigno “Bam” Aquino led all aspiring candidates in the 2nd leg of the senatorial preference survey among youth and students, aged 18 to 25 for the 2025 midterm national elections. Kabataan Partylist, meanwhile, bested 156 partylist groups for the top rank. The online poll of Centre for Student Initiatives (CSI) was conducted from November 15 to December 6.
Aquino nudged former senator Francis Pangilinan from the top spot after receiving 56.33% of the votes of 1,200 respondents. Pangilinan finished a close second with 55.33%, followed by Dr. Willie Ong’s 43.25% that propelled him to third spot, leaping from the 11th spot in the maiden poll of CSI last October.
Completing the “magic 12” are Makati City Mayor Mar-Len Binay with 37.67%, former presidential aspirant Panfilo Lacson with 36.33%, Rep. Arlene Brosas of Makabayan coalition with 32.17%, reelectionist Pilar Schramm Cayetano with 31.50%, closely followed by activist-lawyer Luke Espiritu with 31.42%. Rep. Francisca Castro, also of the Makabayan coalition, takes 9th spot at 29.58%.
Concluding the winning circle are former senator Vicente Sotto III with 26.75%, labor leader Leodegario “Ka Leody” De Guzman with 25.25%, and former DILG secretary Benjamin Abalos with 24.92%.
Those who fell short of the winning circle are former social work secretary Erwin Tulfo, reelectionists Francis Tolentino and Ramon Revilla, former information and communication technology secretary Gregorio Honasan and reelectionist Ma. Imee Marcos and Rep. Camille Villar of Las Piñas City.
Senate bets affiliated with former president Rodrigo Duterte continue to languish among the young voters. Singer-composer James Patrick Bondoc ended up with 4.42%. Reelectionists Christopher Go and Ronald dela Rosa were statistically tied at 3.83%, while Rep. Rodante Marcoleta got 2.92%. Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and former Marcos executive secretary Victor Rodriguez garnered a mere 0.17% voters’ preference.
Party-list race
Among the partylist groups vying for a seat at the Batasang Pambansa, Kabataan Partylist overwhelmed its rivals with 11.91%, followed by Akbayan with 7.87% and Gabriela earning 4.81% for the third spot.
Other partylist groups that garnered more than the 2% winning threshold include ACT Teachers, Mamamayang Liberal, Bayan Muna, Tingog Sinirangan, Batang Quiapo, ACT-CIS, Ako Bicol, Solid North, MPBL, Bicol Saro and 4Ps.
The newly established CSI is an independent student-directed research institution for development solutions in education and youth participation in governance.