LABOR leaders Luke Espiritu and Leody de Guzman landed in the list of top five senatorial candidates based on the results of a nationwide survey of college students held from April 11 to 25.
Both candidates of the Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) showed a steady climb in student preference in the last six months since the first survey was held in October 2024.
In the latest tally, Espiritu stood in second, just behind former Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino, who is seeking re-election. He steadily rose from 12th in October 2024, 8th in January 2025, and 3rd in March 2025.
On the other hand, de Guzman started at 15th spot in October 2024 before surging to land 6th in January and March 2025.
Espiritu and De Guzman are campaigning on a platform to get rid of political dynasties, abolition of regional wage boards, and a legislated national minimum wage of P1,500 per day.
Among the senatorial bets who made it in the Magic 12 of the survey, Mendoza made the biggest jump, coming all the way from 28th place since October to a respectable No. 8.
The survey was conducted by the Centre for Student Initiatives, an organization that supports and promotes student-driven and solution-oriented research in the Philippines in partnership with various student councils, student organizations, and individual institutions in different universities and colleges all over the country.
Making it into the magic 12 of the CSI on senatorial aspirants were Bam Aquino, Luke Espiritu, former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, former Makati City mayor Abigail Binay, labor leader Leody de Guzman, farmers rights advocate Danilo Ramos, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, former COA Commissioner Heidi Mendoza, former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, former to Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, and ACT-Teacher party-list Rep. France Castro.
Ramos, Brosas, Casiño, and Castro are running under the Makabayan bloc of progressive organizations while Binay, Lacson, and Abalos are candidates of the administration’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas.
None of the PDP-Laban candidates supported by former President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, made it to the top 12.
