FILIPINOS believe that the three most important character traits in a candidate are strong leadership, honesty and intelligence, a recent Boses, Opinyon, Siyasat, at Siyensya para sa Pilipinas (BOSES Pilipinas) survey shows.
Based on their Voter Insights on the 2022 National Elections (VINE) survey, 69% said they prefer candidates who provide strong leadership while 55% said it is important that a candidate is honest. Being intelligent ranked as the third most desirable trait in a candidate for 42% of respondents.
The results of this survey can really help Filipinos in evaluating their candidates. Do their preferred candidates really fit the image they have in mind of a good Filipino leader? And hopefully with this framework, they would seek credible information about the candidates whom they think fit the qualities they aspire for.
BOSES Pilipinas conducted the survey in cooperation with Rakuten Insight, an independent research firm based in Singapore, using Rakuten Insight’s online panel from Nov. 29 to Dec. 14, 2021. The research firm asked 1,500 respondents to choose from a list the top three character traits that are most important for them in voting for a candidate.
Aside from strong leadership, honesty and intelligence, 37% of respondents also said they want someone who gets things done and 33% said they want someone who is morally upright. Nineteen percent (19%) said they prefer a compassionate leader.
With all the noise in media and social media platforms – as well as the highly-curated portrayal of the candidates in their campaigns, it is really important to ask the Filipino voters the qualities they are looking for in the candidates.
Apart from how they see the candidate’s position on certain issues, the voters also have certain images of the personal qualities and abilities of candidates that also form part of their voting decisions. This survey shows what is the Filipinos’ image of the leader they want.
The question is: Will this figure when they go the polling precincts on May 9, 2022?
