A research firm and its Singapore-based partner released a list of 16 potential presidential candidates for the 2022 national and local polls.
BluPrint.PH and its Singapore-based partner on Data Mining and Artificial Intelligence included Vice President Leni Robredo, Senators Manny Pacquiao, Risa Hontiveros, Bong Go, and Grace Poe, businessman Ramon Ang, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, former House Speaker Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, Senate President Tito Sotto, Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla, Sen. Pia Cayetano, former Senators Bongbong Marcos and Manny Villar, Leyte Rep.Lucy Torres-Gomez, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.
According to BluPrint.PH, the sentiment analysis was based on social media data gathered from June 1, 2020 to Nov. 30, 2020 which scanned a total of 344,761,479 data points. The points were determined through Facebook engagement such as likes, shares, reactions, and comments.
“If we go by our big data metrics, about 16 names are frequently being mentioned on social media, particularly Facebook, as potential presidential candidates,” said Eero Brillantes, Chief Executive Officer of BluPrint.PH.
“All have paths to the presidency. Social media networking activities alone through Facebook can generate 22 percent to 35 percent of the votes in 2022,” he added.
Brillantes said there are four elements of a serious campaign — “the ground game, the air war through mainstream media, network engineering (social media), and big data for decision support.”
Presidential bets for 2022
He added all of the 16 presidential bets for 2022 have at least one of these components but not have met all four elements.
Blueprint.PH said the politicians with the highest media coverage on traditional media and posted on Facebook are Robredo, followed by Pacquiao and Moreno.
The research firm added Moreno also topped the ability to engage social media influencers to promote ideas that could generate interest and potential votes, followed by Robredo, Go, Pacquiao, Duterte, Marcos, Remulla, Hontiveros, Sotto, Poe, Cayetano, Diokno, Gomez, Cayetano, Ang, and Villar.
Meanwhile, Gomez, Ang, Remulla, and Hontiveros ranked highest in the 16 candidates with the most growth potential on social media. This means they have a small number of followers but have good potential.