Liberal Party (LP) standard bearers Senators Benigno Simeon “Noynoy’’ Aquino III and Manuel “Mar” A. Roxas II remain the top choices for the country’s two highest elective offices based on the latest Social Weather Station (SWS) pre-election survey.

In the survey conducted from January 21 to 24 by the SWS for the BusinessWorld, 42 percent among 2,100 respondents said they would vote for Aquino for president while 49 percent would vote for Roxas for vice president if the elections were held today.

Senator Manuel Villar, Nacionalista Party (NP) president and official NP standard bearer, occupied the second place with a rating of 35 percent.

The latest survey showed that Villar continues to inch up the ladder after a long struggle that began with an almost 50 percentage points deficit from the lead of young  Aquino which was established following the death and burial of his mother, the late President Corazon “Cory” C. Aquino.

The seven percent difference between Aquino’s and Villar’s ratings would translate to about three million votes. Former President Joseph Estrada placed third with 13 percent while former

Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro was in the fourth with four percent. Sen. Richard J. Gordon and evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva both got two percent each.

In the vice presidential race, Roxas further widened his lead over his closest rival, Sen. Loren Legarda who got 28 percent. The gap between Roxas and Legarda is a huge 21 percentage points that is equivalent to nine million votes.

Third placer Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay got 16 percent, followed by former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando and former Optical Media Board (OMB) chairman and actor Edu Manzano who each got two percent.

The same SWS survey showed that reelectionist Ramon ‘‘Bong’’ Revilla Jr. topped the list of senators running in the May polls with 58 percent.

Senator Pilar Juliana “Pia” S. Cayetano and Senate President Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada shared the second place with 57 percent apiece.

The three others in the senatorial Top 5 are reelectionist Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago with 50 percent, former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon with 47 percent and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile with 42 percent.

Survey results on the other senatorial bets showed former Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto on solo sixth place with 41 percent; former Sen. Ralph Recto with 40 percent; Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with 39 percent; former Sen. Sergio Osmeña III with 38 percent; Rep. Teofisto Guingona III with 31 percent; and businessman Jose “Joey” de Venecia III with 30 percent.

In the last December 27-30, 2009 survey commissioned by NP ally Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, Roxas was chosen by 47 percent of the respondents followed by Legarda with 31 percent. Binay got 14 percent, Fernando had three percent and Manzano had two percent.

An LP press statement said the Aquino-Roxas tandem has been enjoying huge leads in all pre-election surveys conducted by credible polling firms in the country, including mock polls in various schools nationwide.