Apart from Akbayan Party-list Representative Chel Diokno, sitting Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte is the only hardline Left-leaning politician polling within the projected winning circle of Tangere’s latest 2028 senatorial preference survey.
Belmonte posted 29.3% voter preference, placing her within the 8–14 statistical range near the Senate cutoff. Diokno registered 27.4%, ranking within the 11–14 bracket and likewise within striking distance of a Top 12 finish.
The latest poll was conducted after Senator Robin Padilla and Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto announced they would not seek Senate seats in 2028, effectively taking them out of the race and reshaping the field. Their absence opened space for other contenders to consolidate support.
The race is led by incumbent Senator Raffy Tulfo at 49.8%, followed by former Senator Grace Poe at 43.5%. Alan Peter Cayetano and Loren Legarda are statistically tied at 38.0%, while Congressman Paolo Duterte recorded 37.1% and Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte followed at 36.6%. DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian posted 34.4%.
Former Senator Manny Pacquiao registered 31.2%, Senate President Chiz Escudero recorded 30.2%, media executive Ben Tulfo posted 30.1%, and DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara came in at 28.4%, completing the competitive cluster near the winning line.
The survey was conducted nationwide from February 2 to 6, 2026 using a mobile-based application, with 2,000 respondents and a ±2.15% margin of error at a 95% confidence level. Sampling was stratified and geographically distributed across NCR, Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
