Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Senator Manny Villar are closing in on surpassing candidate Benigno Aquino III of the Liberal Party.

This was revealed last Monday by survey group StratPOLLS, Inc. which organized its survey from January 16 to 22, 2010. Based on the returns of the survey Aquino is on leading with 36 percent, followed by Villar, 26 percent; former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada of the Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), 15 percent; and Teodoro, 11 percent, said Prof. Alberto S. Sureta Jr., StratPOLLS, Inc. executive director, in a press conference.

"One of the most significant findings of the survey was the perception by 26 percent of the respondents that Sen. Villar seems to have found a 'second wind' in his uphill battle against frontrunner Sen. Aquino who remains 'stagnant' with 36 percent," Sureta said.

Closing in at fifth spot in the presidential race was Sen. Richard "Dick" Gordon with five percent; evangelist Eduardo "Eddie" Villanueva, four percent; Sen. Jamby Madrigal, one percent; and John Carlos "JC" de los Reyes with 0.25 percent.

In the same survey, Senator Mar Roxas of the Liberal Party widened his lead over his rivals in the vice presidential race with 47 percent. His closest rival, Sen. Loren Legarda of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), posted a rating of 25 percent.

Sureta, a political science professor in the University of Santo Tomas (UST), said the survey, a non-commissioned undertaking, involved some 2,400 respondents of voting age from 30 key cities of the country - from Vigan City in the north to General Santos City in the south.