A new nationwide survey conducted by Tangere reveals that three out of four Filipinos favor lowering the age requirement for presidential candidates to 35 years old—a shift that could dramatically reshape the 2028 election landscape.

The survey, conducted from August 27 to 30, shows that 75% of respondents support Senator Tito Sotto’s proposal to amend the age requirement, with the strongest support coming from Filipinos aged 18 to 48.

Without Vico Sotto, Duterte Leads the Field

In the current scenario, Vice President Sara Duterte leads the presidential race with 44% voter preference—a 9-point increase from the previous quarter. Her support is strongest in Central Visayas, Davao Region, and Northern Mindanao. Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo trails with 20%, backed primarily by voters from Metro Manila and the Bicol Region.

With Age Limit Lowered, Vico Sotto Emerges as Duterte’s Main Challenger

In an alternative scenario where the age requirement is reduced, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto garners 34% voter preference, statistically tying with VP Duterte. His support is concentrated in Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, Central Luzon, Northern Luzon, and Western Visayas.

The survey also found that:

About 20% of Duterte’s original supporters would switch to Sotto in the alternative scenario.

Roughly half of Robredo’s supporters would back Sotto if she does not run.

Robredo’s Endorsement Could Tip the Balance

Nearly 9 in 10 respondents who initially supported Robredo said they would vote for her endorsed candidate if she opts out of the race. This positions Robredo’s endorsement as a potential tie-breaker between Duterte and Sotto.

The non-commissioned survey used a mobile-based respondent application and sampled 1,400 participants nationwide, with a ±2.57% margin of error at a 95% confidence level. Respondents were distributed across NCR (12%), Northern Luzon (23%), Southern Luzon (22%), Visayas (20%), and Mindanao (23%).

As the 2028 race begins to take shape, generational shifts and strategic endorsements appear poised to play a defining role.