INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Originally published in The Manila Times on August 18, 2026. https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/08/18/opinion/columns/sara-dutertes-44-percent-solid-lead-or-early-ceiling/2406895 THERE is a number in the latest presidential surveys that deserves more attention than the rankings. It is 44 percent. OCTA Research’s Q2 head-to-head asked voters to choose between Vice President Sara Duterte and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo. Duterte received 43 percent; Robredo,…