MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Cynthia Villar continues to lead senatorial candidates in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted five months before the national and local elections.

She obtained a voter preference of 62 percent, estimated at over 37 million votes, followed closely by Sen. Grace Poe, who is the choice of 60 percent of voters or equivalent to about 36.4 million votes.

Sharing third to fifth places were Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano and Senators Sonny Angara and Nancy Binay, who all obtained 40 percent.

The nationwide poll was conducted from Dec. 16 to 19 using face-to-face interviews of about 1,500 respondents with a margin of error of plus or minus three percent.

Actor and former senator Lito Lapid was in solo sixth with 38 percent voter preference while tied at the eighth and ninth places were Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III and former senator Jinggoy Estrada, both obtaining 34 percent.

Former interior secretary and senator Mar Roxas placed 10th with 28 percent followed by Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos with 27 percent.

Capping the top 12 is Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, who obtained 27 percent voter preference, equivalent to over 15 million votes.

At 13th and 14th place were former senator Serge Osmeña and Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, respectively.

Former special assistant to the president Christopher Go ranked 14th to 15th with former Bureau of Corrections head Ronald dela Rosa.

Tied at 17th and 18th were former presidential political affairs adviser Francis Tolentino and former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile, who both obtained 16 percent.

Other senatorial candidates who obtained single-digit voter preferences were volunteer doctor and former STAR columnist “Doc Willie” Ong, singer Freddie Aguilar, former presidential spokesman Harry Roque, former broadcast journalist Jiggy Manicad, former congressman Neri Colmenares, Melchor Chavez, Dado Padilla, Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, Lemy Roxas, Larry Gadon, women’s rights advocate Samira Gutoc, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno and former interior chief Rafael Alunan.