In a recent survey conducted by Argus Polls Inc. with a question, “If today were election day, who would you elect for the next position?” incumbent City Mayor Garbo is still favored, garnering a whopping 63 percent of the total number of respondents.
He was followed by former mayor Marino “Boking” Morales with 33 percent and Diosdado Pangilinan with only four percent.
Methods used by Argus are random sampling and face-to-face interviews of household-based respondents, most of who were from D and E classes, graduated from high school and were aged 31 and above.
Female respondents accounted for 52 percent and males 48 percent. The number of respondents represented two percent of voters in the barangays. The survey has a 0.63 percent margin of error.
Meanwhile, a preelection independent survey conducted from December 9 to 24, 2021 also showed Garbo, Vice Mayor Aquino, and the entire council slate of Team MCG on a big lead.
Participants were 5,238 Mabalaqueños comprising four percent of the total voting population.
Garbo was favored by the respondents with 74.97 percent or 3,927 of the total votes, ahead of Marino Morales’ 20.14 percent or 1,055 votes. Some 3.47 percent were undecided while Deng Pangilinan got 1.28 percent or 67 votes.
For the vice mayoral race, incumbent Vice Mayor Aquino had a clear lead of 64.17 percent or 3,361 total number of votes over Christian Halili’s 1,630 votes comprising 31.12 percent. Almost five percent of the respondents were undecided.
Outgoing City Councilor Win-Win Garbo who is seeking a Provincial Board Member seat at the Pampanga Capitol led the roster with 77.11 percent, accruing to 4,039 of the total responses. She was followed by Benny Jocson (43.62 percent or 2,285 votes) and Dwight Morales (35.45 percent or 1,857 votes).
All councilors under the Team MCG slate made it to the Top 10 cut. Leading the city council bets were Jun Castro (59.74 percent or 3,129 votes), Liza Pineda (53.09 percent or 2,781 votes), Jerry Magsino (51.36 percent or 2,690 votes), Cherry Manalo (51.26 percent or 2,685 votes), Noel Castro (45.74 percent or 2,396 votes), Timmy Dee (44.69 percent or 2,341), Marjorie Sambo (42.73 percent or 2,238 votes), Carlo Dizon (35.78 percent or 1,874 votes), Doc Cocoy Tiglao (35.57 percent or 1,863 votes), and Rox Peña (33.96 percent or 1,779 votes).
“Tunay pong nakakataba ng puso ang patuloy na tiwalang ibinibigay ng mga Mabalaqueños sa uri ng ating serbisyo publiko. Ang pangunguna natin sa mga survey ay pagpapatunay na marami sa ating mga ka-Mabalaqueños ang mataas ang kumpiyansa sa pangako nating Bayung Mabalacat,” said Garbo.
“Hindi po ako mahihiyang humarap sa ating mga mamamayan dahil lahat po ng ating ipinangako ay ating isinakatuparan, at kung mabibigyan po tayo ng panibagong mandato ay pag-iibayuhin at daragdagan pa natin ang ating mga laang programa upang maging dama ng lahat ang Bayung Mabalacat,” the city mayor added.