Former President Rodrigo Duterte emerged the hands-down preferred choice to be the next mayor of Davao City in the Ateneo de Davao University’s (AdDU’s) Blue Vote 2025 in-campus survey for the upcoming May 2025 national and local midterm polls.
Based on the survey presented online on AdDU’s official Facebook page on March 28, 2025, Duterte bested his former Cabinet appointee Karlo Nograles by a wide margin.
The former president led the mayoralty race with 68.37% followed by Nograles with 10.20%, while Love Philippine Movement (LPM) founding president Rodolfo “Bishop Rod” Cubos only got 1.02%.
When aggregated by sex among the respondents who preferred Duterte as the next mayor of Davao City, the former president got the highest support from the age group 35 to 44, followed by the 18 to 24 age group, then by the age group 25 to 34, 45 to 54 age group, 55 to 64 age group, and lastly by the 65 and above age group.
The survey also reported 7.14% of the respondents were undecided and did not know who to vote while 6.12% said they won’t vote for any of the mayoralty bets listed in the survey.
For Vice Mayor of Davao City, topping the list is incumbent Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte with 60% while Councilor Bernie Al-ag garnered only 14%.
For Congressional Representative electoral preferences, Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte is most preferred in the First District with 56%, followed by Mags Maglana with 24% while PBA Party-list Rep. Migs Nograles only managed to get 5%.
For the Second District, Brgy. Buhangin chieftain Omar Duterte got 50% while incumbent Councilor Javi Campos garnered 33.3%.
For the Third District, Representative Isidro Ungab top the survey with 40%, followed by Ruy Elias Lopez with 13.3%, and Councilor Wilberto Al-ag with 6.66%.
For City Councilor in the First District, the top three most preferred are Councilor Luna Maria Dominique Acosta Luna with 49%, incumbent Vice Mayor J. Melchor Quitain Jr. with 47.4% and Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II with 35.6%.
They are followed by Councilor Jessica Bonguyan and Councilor Tek Ocampo with 33.8%, Councilor Bonz Militar with 32.2%, Pamela Librado with 30.5%, Councilor Nilo Abellera Jr. with 30.5%, TJ Corsino with 22%, Cherry Al-ag with 16.9%, and Ragde Nino Ibuyan with 11.8%.
For the Second District, the top three most preferred for City Council posts are former Councilor Danny Dayanghirang with 45.8%, Councilor John Louie Bonguyan, Councilor Che Che Justol and Councilor Diosdado Angelo Mahipus Jr. all got 33.3%.
They are followed by Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre with 29.1%, Councilor Jimmy Dureza with 20.8%, Councilor Jonard Dayap with 16.6%, Ralph Abella with 16.6%, Nilo Cabiles with 12.5%, Tony Emberda and Paol Salvador both with 8.3%.
The eighth spot was occupied by Dayang Orcullo, Mac Quilaneta, Allan Simo-ag, Janel Banzon, former Councilor Arnolfo Cabling, and Doce Apostol with 4.1%.
For the Third District, Councilor Atty. Bai Hundra Cassandra Dominique “Sweet” Advincula top the list with 33.3%, followed by Councilor Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz and former Councilor Rachel Zozobrado with 26.6%, Councilor Enzo Villafuerte and Councilor Alberto Ungab with 20%, Councilor Petite Principe, Jopet Baluran, and Potpot Villafuerte with 13.3%; and Momay Al-ag with 6.66%.
Randell Espina, professor at AdDU, explained that the In-Campus Blue Vote Survey generally aimed to determine the voting behavior, leadership preferences, and perceptions on policy-related socio-political and economic issues of import to local and national government.
“It is non-partisan, not commissioned by outsider groups, and fully funded by AdDU,” he said.
Espina said the research design is described while the locality is AdDU. A total of 474 respondents composed of 259 (54.6%) students of higher education units and professional schools, 88 (18.6%) faculty members, 80 (16.9%) non-teaching personnel, 41 (8.7%) administrator and 6 (1.3%) Davao Jesuit Community took part in the online survey.
“The collection of data was made online. Participation is voluntary and randomized,” he said.
Espina added that data-collection procedures include Google forms in data collection, and distributed Google forms to prospective respondents across the university through their emails.
