Filipino voters prefer Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and President Rodrigo Duterte to be the respective president and vice president of the country in 2022, according to the pre-election survey conducted by private polling firm Pulse Asia.

Pulse Asia, in its February 10 to 19 poll, disclosed that the possible Go-Duterte tandem is the team to beat in the 2022 national and local elections.

The Go-Duterte tandem earned the highest voter preference, getting the nod of 32 percent of the respondents nationwide.

The pair received the highest score in Mindanao (62 percent), followed by the Visayas (39 percent), Metro Manila (21 percent), and Balance Luzon (18 percent).

The possible pairing of Senator Grace Poe and Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd is second on the list of voters’ preferred presidential and vice presidential candidates, obtaining 32 percent.

Next to the Poe-Sotto pair are the possible tandems of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao (17 percent), as well as of Senator Panfilo Lacson and Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (11 percent).

The possible tandem of Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo and Senator Francis Pangilinan got the lowest voter preference at 8 percent.

In his commentary show “Counterpoint” aired Wednesday, Presidential Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said he believed that Go is already “ripe” for the 2022 presidential derby.

Panelo said Go, being Duterte’s long-time aide before getting elected as a senator, has been able to acquire all the qualities needed to be the country’s leader.

“He is already ripe to become president because the President has been able to pass on to Go all the qualities he has),” he said partly in Filipino.

On February 26, Panelo first floated the possible Go-Duterte tandem, saying Go is also qualified to be Duterte’s successor in 2022 and can continue the President’s legacy.

He said Go’s competence should not be underestimated, noting that the senator has had an “on-the-spot” training with Duterte.

“Do not belittle Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go when he runs for president. It would be a mistake do that,” he said partly in Filipino.

Duterte, in a speech delivered in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental on March 5, praised Go and even called the senator “president.”

In a March 5 statement issued in response to Duterte’s statement, Go said he has no plan to run for president in 2022.