Politics may belong to the realm of science but even veteran politicians former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay still observe some customs for extra luck in the polls.

The former movie actor Estrada who is eyeing a happy ending to his storied political career – from his rise to the presidency to his being incarcerated for plunder – believes that voting at high noon when the sun is at its peak has helped him maintain his clean slate as politician.

“I vote at high noon. That's why I'm undefeated,” said the 73-year-old Estrada who will vote in San Juan, his.

Estrada has been in public service since he became mayor of San Juan in 1967. He had also served as senator and vice president before he bagged the presidency in 1998 via a landslide win.

His running mate, Binay, a mayor since 1986, said he seeks divine guidance before trooping to the precinct to cast his vote.

“Togther with my family, I pass by the church before I vote,” Binay said.

“I'm not a religious individual but I always pray when I wake up in the morning and before I sleep at night,” he related.

He said he always pray for a conduct of clean and honest elections.

Estrada who projects himself as a “champion of the poor” hopes he would pull off an upset against survey leader Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III so he could continue his abruptly-ended programs for Filipino masses.

On the other hand, Binay, who rose from a one percent rating in surveys at the beginning of the campaign period to topping pre-election polls at the end of campaign season, said he is “as optimistic of his chances in the May 10 polls as he was during his first time to run as the mayor of Makati.”