Senator Raffy Tulfo and former senator Grace Poe remain the frontrunners in the latest Tangere April 2026 senatorial preference survey, topping the “Magic 12” list ahead of the 2028 midterm elections. Tulfo led with 44.8 percent, while Poe followed with 40.1 percent, showing strong voter support despite slight declines from January.

The nationwide survey, conducted from April 1 to 3 among 1,500 respondents, revealed that Senator Loren Legarda secured third place with 39.3 percent. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno ranked fourth at 38.2 percent, while Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte and Davao City First District Representative Paolo Duterte placed fifth and sixth with 37.9 percent and 36.9 percent, respectively, underscoring the continued influence of Davao-based candidates.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian also maintained their positions in the top tier, with 29.2 percent and 24.8 percent, respectively. Their consistent ratings highlight steady public backing for administration figures.

The survey pointed to a tight contest for the final slots in the Magic 12. Broadcaster Ben Tulfo currently holds 12th place with 24.1 percent, but faces close competition from Akbayan Party-list Representative Chel Diokno at 22.3 percent, actor Dingdong Dantes at 21.7 percent, and former MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos at 21.3 percent. With only a few percentage points separating these candidates, the race for the last spot remains highly competitive.

Tangere Chief Executive Officer Martin Peñaflor explained that the results reflect an increasingly fluid electoral landscape. “Our April data reflects a highly dynamic electorate. While name recall is driving the top tier, the stability we see in the middle rankings suggests that voters are beginning to weigh performance and consistency,” he said.

The survey used a stratified random sampling method and had a margin of error of ±2.15 percent at a 95 percent confidence level, with respondents distributed across the National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

These findings indicate that while Tulfo and Poe continue to dominate voter preference, the competition for the remaining Magic 12 slots is intensifying, setting the stage for a closely watched senatorial race leading up to 2028.