In a pre-campaign survey conducted from January 4 to 8, Tarlac City mayoral candidate Governor Susan Yap, gubernatorial bet incumbent second district Congressman Christian Tell Yap, congressional aspirant former governor and congressman Victor Yap, and their Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) allies emerged as the top choices for key local positions in the upcoming May 12 elections.
The face-to-face survey, commissioned by an anonymous businessman from the province, polled 900 registered voters on their preferences for governor, vice governor, Tarlac City mayor, and congressmen for the second and third districts.
For the mayoral race in Tarlac City, Governor Susan Yap garnered 52.27% of the votes with 115 out of 220 respondents supporting her. Her opponent, Vic Angeles, received 41.37% of the votes, while 6.36% of respondents were undecided.
In the gubernatorial race, Christian Yap was the overwhelming choice of 89.33% of the 900 voters, while his rival, Paniqui Mayor Max Roxas, received 9.67%. 11 respondents remained undecided.
Moncada Mayor Estelita “Lita” Aquino dominated the vice gubernatorial race with 87% of the votes, compared to 10.44% for former Vice Governor Marcelino “Bogs” Aganon Jr. Only 2.56% of respondents were undecided.
In the third congressional district, incumbent Congressman Noel “Kap Bong” Rivera was overwhelmingly favored, with 99.33% of the 150 respondents supporting his reelection. Only one respondent indicated support for his opponent, Edison Marimla.
In the second congressional district, Victor Yap emerged as the leader, securing 63.81% of the votes, compared to 32.38% for Tarlac City Mayor Cristy Angeles. 3.81% of respondents were undecided.
The survey, with a margin of error of +/-3% and a 96% confidence level, provides a snapshot of the current political landscape in Tarlac. A local political analyst noted that while the election is months away, the results clearly show the strong position of the NPC and the Yaps, indicating a dominant advantage over their opposition.
The survey included 220 participants from Tarlac City, along with respondents from other areas such as Gerona, Paniqui, Capas, Concepcion, Victoria, San Jose, Camiling, San Manuel, Moncada, Sta. Ignacia, La Paz, Bamban, Pura, San Clemente, Anao, Mayantoc, and Ramos. The Tarlac Standard plans to conduct monthly surveys leading up to the election.
Previous online polls conducted in October and November 2024 by GoTarlac and Good News Tarlac also indicated the early dominance of the NPC candidates, further reinforcing the strong position of the Yaps in the province. (Tarlac Standard Reportorial Staff)
