ANAKALUSUGAN Representative Mike Defensor is leading his incumbent opponent in Quezon City’s mayoral race based on a recent survey of voters in the city.
According to the poll taken by The Issues and Advocacy Center on Dec. 13-19, 51 percent of the respondents preferred Defensor, who enjoyed a 19-percent over Mayor Maria Josefina Tanya Belmonte Alimurung.
“I hope residents of Quezon City would continue to support us so we can have a fresh and a proactive leadership in the city. We should end the reign of the 30-year-old Belmonte dynasty,” the health advocate-mayoral candidate said.
Defensor appears to have a strong Malayang Quezon City ticket, which is supporting the presidential tandem of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
Defensor’s vice mayoral running mate, District 2 Councilor Winnie Castelo, and his congressional candidates enjoy comfortable margins over their rivals as well, the survey showed.
Castelo, a former congressman of the second district, was favored by 49 percent of voters polled, as against incumbent Vice Mayor Gian Sotto’s 22 percent, or a 27-percent margin.
“We, our team, can sustain this,” said the former lawmaker. “Our performance, our tireless service to our people speaks for itself.”
Castelo’s wife, second district reelectionist Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo, was chosen by 43 percent, compared to her closest opponent’s 25 percent.
In the first congressional district, incumbent Rep. Onyx Crilosogo posted a 23-percent lead over his nearest rival, 46-23.
Crisologo’s father, former Congressman Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo, was 21-percent ahead of his immediate opponent, 43-24, in the sixth district.
The elder Crisologo nearly defeated Belmonte in the 2019 mayoral race.
In the third legislative district, another Malayang Quezon City candidate, reelectionist Rep. Allan Reyes was preferred by 41 percent against his closest rival’s 25 percent.
It was a close fight in the fourth congressional district, which is considered as the Belmontes’ bailiwick. Marvin Rillo of the Defensor team was just three percent behind the leading candidate who is part of the Belmonte’s ticket.
It was a toss-up as well in the fifth district between Patrick Michael Vargas (33 percent) and businesswoman Rose Lin (31 percent).
The Issues and Advocacy Center is composed of professional public relations and media practitioners. Its Quezon City poll was part of a wider survey that included Pasay City, Pasig City, Caloocan City, Makati, San Juan, Navotas, and Pateros.