‍(Editor’s note: This is the second of four stories on results from The Nerve’s survey exploring voter trends in the lead-up to the 2025 national and local elections.)

MANILA, Philippines – Rappler readers believe that honesty and integrity are more important qualities for a Filipino senator to possess over their respective party affiliation or even charisma, according to a survey conducted by data forensics firm The Nerve. 

The survey results showed that 73% of the total 2,700 people included in the online survey believe that honesty and integrity are the “qualities [that voters] consider most important in a senator.” Only 4% prioritized party affiliation, and just 2% valued charisma or personality.

At the same time, 59% believe that the ideal Filipino legislator should also have a solid track record and set of accomplishments. An ideal Filipino senator should carry a good platform and advocacy too, according to at least 49% of the survey respondents.

These results reflect responses to a separate question in the same survey, where Rappler readers were asked about the factors that influence their voting decisions.

These factors, the survey found, include candidates' proven track record, good reputation and education, and advocacies that matter to them. Rappler will dive into the question on factors that influence voters' decisions in the third part of this series. 

The survey, conducted on the Rappler website from September 19 to 30, 2024, took place before the filing of certificates of candidacy in October. The respondents include Rappler readers who are eligible voters for the 2025 national and local elections. 

Over half of the respondents are based in Luzon, with 38% from the National Capital Region, 12% from Central Luzon, and 17% from Calabarzon. At least 33% of respondents, meanwhile, are from other regions across the Philippines.

Important to be independent 

To the respondents, an important characteristic of an ideal Filipino senator is his or her independence. At least 34% of the survey respondents say that it’s important that a legislator is “independent and able to do oversight of the executive branch.” 

An independent legislator may be a rarity in Philippine politics. Politicians, particularly legislators, have long been criticized for operating as an extension of the president’s agenda, with Congress even earning the reputation of being Malacañang’s rubber stamp.

This dynamic has only been reinforced by politicians “jumping ship” or when they change allegiances to align with the incumbent president’s political party, effectively eliminating any semblance of oversight. 

For instance, after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was sworn into office in 2022, his allies formed “supermajority” blocs in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This consolidation effectively placed Congress at his disposal, enabling him to advance priority legislation and politically motivated initiatives. This is not unique to the Marcos administration as the same happened under Rodrigo Duterte and previous presidents.

Meanwhile, 17% of respondents believe that a Filipino senator should have had a good experience working in the government, while 11% say that he or she should have the ability to work with others. 

Aside from general voter trends, Nerve also dived into the survey data using a cohort analysis where it was able to identify distinct voter segments based on similarities in their answers. At least 28.7% of respondents belong to the “Practical Working Class” cohort, or individuals who are primarily lower to middle-income voters and are considered “economically vulnerable.” 

The chart below shows the other cohorts. Rappler will dive into these categories in the last story in this series. – Rappler.com

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This story was originally published on Rappler on November 29 2024.

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Decoded is a Rappler series that explores the challenges and opportunities that come with living in transformative times. It is produced by The Nerve, a data forensics company that enables changemakers to navigate real-world trends and issues through narrative and network investigations. Taking the best of human and machine, we enable partners to unlock powerful insights that shape informed decisions. Composed of a team of data scientists, strategists, award-winning storytellers, and designers, the company is on a mission to deliver data with real-world impact.