Duterte, Angel Locsin are “most admired” man, woman in PH: poll

President Rodrigo Duterte (PCOO file photo); Angel Locsin (File photo: therealangellocsin/instagram)

“Thinking about people alive in the world today, which [man or woman] do you most admire?” This question was asked by the international internet-based research data and analytics group, YouGov, from January to March this year in 42 areas around the world.

With a compiled list of personalities, the question then was stemmed into two in the firm’s fieldwork conducted from May to September: “Who do you truly admire?” and “Who do you MOST admire?”

“By asking respondents two questions, we can understand both the breadth (i.e. global reach) and the intensity of a person’s support,” YouGov said.

(Screenshot from YouGov)

In the Philippines this year, results showed President Rodrigo Duterte to top the men’s category with an admiration score of 19.67%.

He was followed by Senator Manny Pacquiao at 10.65% and Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno at 7.96%. It can be noted that these three are the only Filipinos on the list of 26 men which included Jackie Chan, Pope Francis, Bill Gates, Keanu Reeves, and Barack Obama.

Meanwhile, actress and philanthropist Angel Locsin was at the highest spot for the women, garnering an admiration score of 15.03%.

She was followed by Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray at 11.09% and pop star performer Sarah Geronimo at 7.48%. The top three including actress Liza Soberano at 6th spot with an admiration score of 6.67% and Vice President Leni Robredo who landed at the 15th spot with 2.71% are the only Filipinas in the list of 25. The most admired women list included Taylor Swift, Angelina Jolie, Emma Watson, Queen Elizabeth II, and Oprah Winfrey.

Duterte and Locsin were also the most admired man and woman in the Philippines in last year’s edition of the survey.

From a global perspective, the Obamas dominated the poll with former President Barack Obama beating Bill Gates as the world’s most admired man for the first time since YouGov first started asking in 2014. His wife, Michelle Obama also holds the world’s most admired woman title, according to the results of the survey released on September 23.

“This year’s study is our largest ever with more than 45,000 people in 42 countries and territories being interviewed to compile the list,” YouGov wrote.

However, the firm noted that the pandemic caused “some figures associated with leading national efforts to counter the disease” to “not make it on to the national admiration lists.” It clarified that “This is unlikely to affect the global results, as such figures are generally only well-known in their own country and a candidate needs to be nominated in at least four countries to stand a chance of making the global top twenty (which it is less likely still they would have reached).”