1998 Philippine presidential election

1998 Philippine presidential election
Turnout	86.5% 11.0%
	Presidential election results per province.
President before election; Fidel V. Ramos; Lakas	Elected President ; Joseph Estrada; LAMMP
	1998 Philippine vice presidential election
	Map showing the official results taken from provincial and city certificates of canvass. The inset shows Metro Manila.
Vice President before election; Joseph Estrada; LAMMP	Elected Vice President ; Gloria Macapagal Arroyo; Lakas

The 1998 Philippine presidential and vice presidential elections were held on May 11, 1998. In the presidential election, Vice President Joseph Estrada won a six-year term as President by a landslide victory. In the vice-presidential race, Senator Gloria Macapagal Arroyo won a six-year term as Vice President, also by a landslide victory. This was the third election where both the president and vice president came from different parties.

Background

At the tail-end of the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos, several politicians have been jockeying for the nomination of his Lakas-NUCD-UMDP party. This included Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., Defense Secretary Renato de Villa, and Cebu Governor Lito Osmeña.

The Lakas nominee is widely expected to face Vice President Joseph Estrada, who had been leading candidate in the various opinion polls. Estrada had earlier declared in 1992 that he will not run for president, stating that he intends to retire when he reaches the age of 60 in 1998,^[1] but he later recanted this decision.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, who considered herself to have been cheated out of the presidency by Ramos in 1992, was also expected to run again.

Former First Lady Imelda Marcos was also seen to run for the presidency. She was banking on the support of loyalists of deposed president Ferdinand Marcos.

Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani initially sought to run for president, launching her campaign on July 6, 1997, in Pasig City with Lito Osmeña as her running mate,^[2]^[3] but she eventually decided to back out and run for Governor of Pangasinan instead.^[4]

Senator Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who had topped the 1995 Senate election, was also seen to be a strong contender to the presidency, founding the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino party, with Tito Sotto, who himself topped the 1992 Senate election, widely seen to be her vice presidential running mate.

Senator Raul Roco, who had a noteworthy Senate career up to this point, had the strong backing of the youth via his Aksyon Demokratiko party.

The Lakas convention nominated de Venecia, Ramos handpicked successor. This led to de Villa and Osmeña bolting from Lakas and setting up their own parties. De Venecia picked Arroyo as his running mate.

The Liberal Party nominated Manila mayor Alfredo Lim. Meanwhile, the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) and Estrada's own Partido ng Masang Pilipino (the forerunner of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino) established an electoral pact and formed the Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino. Estrada chose Senator Edgardo Angara of the LDP as his running mate.

Weeks before election day, Marcos withdrew from the election. Estrada had widened his lead among other candidates at this point.

Candidates


Presidential candidate	Party	Vice presidential candidate	Party
Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.	Lakas-NUCD-UMDP	Senator Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	Lakas-NUCD-UMDP
Defense Secretary Renato de Villa	Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma	Pangasinan Governor Oscar Orbos	Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago	People's Reform Party	Senator Francisco Tatad	People's Reform Party
Santiago Dumlao	Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago	Reynaldo Pacheco	Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago
Vice President Joseph Estrada	Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino	Senator Edgardo Angara	Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino
Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim	Liberal Party	Senator Serge Osmeña	Liberal Party
MTRCB Chairperson Manuel Morato	Partido Bansang Marangal	House Secretary-General Camilo Sabio	Partido Bansang Marangal
Cebu Governor Emilio Osmeña	Probinsya Muna Development Initiative	South Cotabato Governor Ismael Sueno	Probinsya Muna Development Initiative
Senator Juan Ponce Enrile	Independent	none
Senator Raul Roco	Aksyon Demokratiko	Irene Santiago	Aksyon Demokratiko

Lakas nomination

There are three candidates who seek the nomination of Lakas–NUCD, they are House Speaker Jose De Venecia, Defense Secretary Renato "Rene" de Villa, and Bulacan Governor Roberto "Obet" Pagdanganan. De Villa was confident to be selected by the party, as like President Fidel Ramos, he is also a former constabulary general. But in a party meeting, the party selected de Venecia as their nominee for president. De Villa bolted to form Partido Reporma.^[5]

Opinion polling

Opinion polling, commonly known as "surveys" in the Philippines were administered primarily by Social Weather Stations in 1998.

The tables below graph the last three surveys conducted.

For president


Pollster	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Margin of error	de Venecia	de Villa	Defensor Santiago	Dumlao	Estrada	Lim	Marcos	Morato	Osmeña	Ponce Enrile	Roco	Undecided
Pollster	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Margin of error												Undecided
SWS	Apr 8–16^[6]	1,500	±3%	12	5	4	0.3	30	13	2	0.2	13	2	10	9
	Mar 16–21^[7]	1,500	±3%	14	5	7	0.4	28	14	2	1	9	2	11	7
	Feb 21–27^[8]	1,500	±3%	12	6	5	0.1	28	14	2.3	0.6	13	0.9	9	10

For vice president

Pollster	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Margin of error	Angara	Macapagal Arroyo	Orbos	Osmeña	Pacheco	Sabio	Santiago	Sueño	Tatad	Undecided
Pollster	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Margin of error										Undecided
SWS	Apr 8–16^[6]	1,500	±3%	16	45	8	14	0.1	0.3	0.9	3	2	9
	Mar 16–21^[7]	1,500	±3%	12	47	6	18	0.2	0.5	1	2	4	7
	Feb 21–27^[8]	1,500	±3%	13	44	5	14	0.1	0.2	2	2	2	10

Results

The 10th Congress canvassed the votes in joint session for a number of days before declaring Estrada and Arroyo as the winners; with Senate President Neptali Gonzales and Speaker De Venecia announcing the victors.

While the official canvassing did not start a fortnight after Election Day, the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) held a parallel and unofficial quick count which was released days after the election and was updated at irregular intervals. NAMFREL based their tally from the seventh copy of the election returns given to them.

In theory, the totals for the official canvassing (derived from the certificates of canvass, which are then derived from the election returns) and the completed NAMFREL quick count should be equal.

For president

Estrada carried the majority of the provinces, his hometown of San Juan City, and Metro Manila.

De Venecia carried his home province of Pangasinan as well as Siquijor, Roco carried his home province of Camarines Sur and the rest of the Bicol Region (excluding Masbate), and Osmeña got his foothold over his home province of Cebu and other provinces in the South.

Other candidates also carried their home provinces such as De Villa of Batangas, Enrile of Cagayan, and Defensor Santiago of Iloilo Province, as well as the neighboring province of Guimaras. Lim was the only major candidate who did not carry any provinces (with the exception of Batanes) and failed to capture his hometown of Manila.


Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Joseph Estrada	Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino	10,722,295	39.86
	Jose de Venecia Jr.	Lakas–NUCD–UMDP	4,268,483	15.87
	Raul Roco	Aksyon Demokratiko	3,720,212	13.83
	Lito Osmeña	PROMDI	3,347,631	12.44
	Alfredo Lim	Liberal Party	2,344,362	8.71
	Renato de Villa	Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa	1,308,352	4.86
	Miriam Defensor Santiago	People's Reform Party	797,206	2.96
	Juan Ponce Enrile	Independent	343,139	1.28
	Santiago Dumlao	Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago	32,212	0.12
	Manuel Morato	Partido Bansang Marangal	18,644	0.07
Total			26,902,536	100.00

Valid votes			26,902,536	91.86
Invalid/blank votes^[a]			2,383,239	8.14
Total votes			29,285,775	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			33,873,665	86.46
Source: Nohlen, Grotz, Hartmann, Hasall and Santos^[9]

^ Includes 232,714 votes for Imelda Marcos (Kilusang Bagong Lipunan) who withdrew after the ballots were printed.

Popular vote

Estrada			39.86%
De Venecia			15.87%
Roco			13.83%
Osmeña			12.44%
Lim			8.71%
De Villa			4.86%
Others			4.43%

NAMFREL quick count

Take note that Manuel Morato had a higher number of votes in the NAMFREL quick count than in the official congressional canvass.

NAMFREL quick count result (79.25% of precincts)^[10]
Candidate	Party		Results
Candidate	Party		Votes	%	Diff*
Joseph Estrada		LAMMP	8,239,823	39.47%	−0.39%
Jose de Venecia		Lakas	3,247,067	15.55%	−0.32%
Raul Roco		Aksyon	2,923,842	14.00%	0.17%
Emilio Osmeña		PROMDI	2,454,432	11.76%	−0.68%
Alfredo Lim		Liberal	1,815,664	8.70%	−0.01%
Renato de Villa		Reporma	1,028,854	4.93%	0.07%
Miriam Defensor Santiago		PRP	584,633	2.80%	−0.16%
Juan Ponce Enrile		Independent	297,801	1.43%	0.15%
Imelda Marcos (withdrew)		KBL	232,714	1.11%	N/A
Santiago Dumlao		Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago	29,327	0.14%	0.02%
Manuel Morato		Partido Bansang Marangal	23,208	0.07%	0.04%
Votes			20,877,365	100.00%	—

*Difference from the NAMFREL quick count from the official congressional canvass.

Voter demographics

1998 presidential vote by demographic subgroup
Demographic subgroup	Estrada	de Venecia	Roco	Osmeña	Other	% of total vote
Total vote	39	16	13	12	20	100
NCR	33	11	28	4	24	9
CAR	47	24	12	0	17	5
Region I - Ilocos	33	61	2	0	4	6
Region II - Cagayan	44	13	4	1	38	5
Region III - Central Luzon	50	15	17	1	17	7
Region IV - Southern Tagalog	45	10	12	1	32	12
Region V - Bicol	14	8	75	0	3	5
Region VI - Western Visayas	40	12	3	9	36	9
Region VII - Central Visayas	20	12	5	52	11	7
Region VIII - Eastern Visayas	48	18	1	23	10	4
Region IX - Western Mindanao	39	19	4	20	18	6
Region X - Northern Mindanao	33	20	3	31	13	5
Region XI - Southern Mindanao	44	12	3	30	11	8
Region XII - Central Mindanao	52	18	3	15	12	6
ARMM	63	25	1	2	9	6

Source: Exit polls conducted by Social Weather Stations on May 12, 100% total (margin of error: 1.3%)^[11]

For vice-president

Arroyo also carried most of the provinces including her home province of Pampanga. Other candidates also carried their home provinces such as Angara of Aurora, and Quezon being mother province, Orbos of Pangasinan, Tatad of Catanduanes and Sueno of South Cotabato.

Only Osmeña of Cebu failed to capture the votes of their home provinces.


Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo	Lakas–NUCD–UMDP	12,667,252	49.56
	Edgardo Angara	Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino	5,652,068	22.11
	Oscar Orbos	Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa	3,321,779	13.00
	Serge Osmeña	Liberal Party	2,351,462	9.20
	Francisco Tatad	Grand Alliance for Democracy	745,389	2.92
	Ismael Sueno	PROMDI	537,677	2.10
	Irene Santiago	Aksyon Demokratiko	240,210	0.94
	Camilo Sabio	Partido Bansang Marangal	22,010	0.09
	Reynaldo Pacheco	Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago	21,422	0.08
Total			25,559,269	100.00

Valid votes			25,559,269	87.28
Invalid/blank votes			3,726,506	12.72
Total votes			29,285,775	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			33,873,665	86.46

Popular vote

Arroyo			49.56%
Angara			22.11%
Orbos			13.00%
Osmeña			9.20%
Others			6.13%

NAMFREL quick count

Take note that Reynaldo Pacheco had a higher number of votes in the NAMFREL quick count than the official congressional canvass.

NAMFREL quick count result (79.25% of precincts)^[10]
Candidate	Party		Results
Candidate	Party		Votes	%	Diff*
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo		Lakas	9,624,397	48.85%	−0.71%
Edgardo Angara		LDP	4,380,991	22.24%	0.13
Oscar Orbos		Reporma	2,651,184	13.46%	0.46
Sergio Osmeña III		Liberal	1,183,998	9.21%	0.01
Francisco Tatad		PRP/Gabay Bayan	582,548	2.96%	0.05
Ismael Sueno		PROMDI	409,966	2.08%	−0.02
Irene Santiago		Aksyon	196,386	1.00%	0.07
Reynaldo Pacheco		Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago	23,107	0.12%	0.04
Camilo Sabio		Partido Bansang Marangal	19,555	0.10%	0.01
Votes			19,702,132	100.00%	—

*Difference from the NAMFREL quick count from the official congressional canvass.

Voter demographics

**1998 vice presidential vote by demographic subgroup**
Demographic subgroup	Arroyo	Angara	Orbos	Osmeña	Other	% of total vote
Total vote	50	21	12	10	7	100
NCR	32	21	33	12	2	9
CAR	60	19	17	3	1	5
Region I - Ilocos	53	15	30	1	1	6
Region II - Cagayan	62	26	10	2	0	5
Region III - Central Luzon	66	16	11	6	1	7
Region IV - Southern Tagalog	45	29	17	7	2	12
Region V - Bicol	48	14	4	5	29	5
Region VI - Western Visayas	46	28	4	15	7	9
Region VII - Central Visayas	45	17	2	25	11	7
Region VIII - Eastern Visayas	67	18	1	13	1	4
Region IX - Western Mindanao	59	18	5	15	3	6
Region X - Northern Mindanao	58	21	3	16	2	5
Region XI - Southern Mindanao	50	20	5	13	12	8
Region XII - Central Mindanao	56	21	3	9	11	6
ARMM	58	30	6	4	2	6

Source: Exit polls conducted by Social Weather Stations on May 12, 100% total (margin of error: 1.4%)^[12]

Notes

References

^ Maragay, Fel V. (August 25, 1992). "Would'ya believe: Erap's not running in '98". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 3. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
^ Macaspac, Joem N. (July 6, 1997). "Letty launches presidential candidacy today". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 1. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
^ Maragay, Fel V. (July 7, 1997). "Shahani declares bid for presidency". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 1. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
^ Azarcon-dela Cruz, Pennie (March 26, 2017). "Leticia Ramos-Shahani: The accidental politician". Inquirer News. INQUIRER.net. Retrieved June 15, 2023. ...lost her bid for the governor's post in Pangasinan in 1998.
^ Diaz, Jess (June 12, 2001). "Roco, De Villa back JDV opponents". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
^ ^a ^b "ERAP'S LEAD STRENGTHENS AS LIM, OSMEÃ'A, JDV TIE FOR 2ND". SWS.org.ph. 1998-04-22.
^ ^a ^b "ERAP LEADS LIM AND JDV BY 28-14; GLORIA HITS 47". SWS.org.ph. 1998-03-23.
^ ^a ^b "ERAP'S LEAD UNCHANGED; GLORIA'S LEAD WIDENS". SWS.org.ph. 1998-03-05.
^ Dieter Nohlen; Florian Grotz; Christof Hartmann; Graham Hassall; Soliman M. Santos.
Elections in Asia and the Pacific: A Data Handbook: Volume II: South East Asia, East Asia, and the South Pacific.
^ ^a ^b "Report on the Philippine General Elections 1998" (PDF). NAMFREL.com.ph. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 30, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
^ "COMPARING SWS EXIT POLL RESULTS WITH NAMFREL COUNT BY REGION". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
^ "VICE-PRESIDENTIAL VOTES FOR THE MAY 11, 1998 ELECTIONS: SWS Day-of-Election 'Exit Poll'". Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.

External links

[9] Includes 232,714 votes for Imelda Marcos (Kilusang Bagong Lipunan) who withdrew after the ballots were printed.

[1] Maragay, Fel V. (August 25, 1992). "Would'ya believe: Erap's not running in '98". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 3. Retrieved October 16, 2021.

[2] Macaspac, Joem N. (July 6, 1997). "Letty launches presidential candidacy today". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 1. Retrieved June 15, 2023.

[3] Maragay, Fel V. (July 7, 1997). "Shahani declares bid for presidency". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 1. Retrieved June 15, 2023.

[4] Azarcon-dela Cruz, Pennie (March 26, 2017). "Leticia Ramos-Shahani: The accidental politician". Inquirer News. INQUIRER.net. Retrieved June 15, 2023. ...lost her bid for the governor's post in Pangasinan in 1998.

[5] Diaz, Jess (June 12, 2001). "Roco, De Villa back JDV opponents". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2024-10-05.

[:0-6] "ERAP'S LEAD STRENGTHENS AS LIM, OSMEÃ'A, JDV TIE FOR 2ND". SWS.org.ph. 1998-04-22.

[:1-7] "ERAP LEADS LIM AND JDV BY 28-14; GLORIA HITS 47". SWS.org.ph. 1998-03-23.

[:2-8] "ERAP'S LEAD UNCHANGED; GLORIA'S LEAD WIDENS". SWS.org.ph. 1998-03-05.

[10] Dieter Nohlen; Florian Grotz; Christof Hartmann; Graham Hassall; Soliman M. Santos.
Elections in Asia and the Pacific: A Data Handbook: Volume II: South East Asia, East Asia, and the South Pacific.

[namfrel-11] "Report on the Philippine General Elections 1998" (PDF). NAMFREL.com.ph. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 30, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2011.

[sws_exit_poll-12] "COMPARING SWS EXIT POLL RESULTS WITH NAMFREL COUNT BY REGION". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.

[sws_exit_poll_vp-13] "VICE-PRESIDENTIAL VOTES FOR THE MAY 11, 1998 ELECTIONS: SWS Day-of-Election 'Exit Poll'". Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.

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Background

Candidates

Lakas nomination

Opinion polling

For president

For vice president

Results

For president

NAMFREL quick count

Voter demographics

For vice-president

NAMFREL quick count

Voter demographics

See also

Notes

References

External links