Nograles wants election surveys regulated

House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles proposed yesterday that the government regulate election surveys such as those that Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations (SWS) now conduct regularly in the run-up to the May balloting.

Administration senatorial candidate Mike Defensor, on the other hand, suggested that "credible" media organizations should join Pulse Asia and SWS in conducting surveys.

In proposing regulation, Nograles, without naming names, claimed that poll-taking projects "have become a potent propaganda and trending tool for some politicians and political groups."

"There’s nothing wrong with these surveys, but there should be transparency on how they are done, who commission them, the line of questioning used, the demographics, and other circumstances needed for us to make a valid analysis of the true intentions of the surveys," he said.

In the last month’s Pulse Asia and SWS surveys, the Genuine Opposition senatorial ticket continued to clobber the administration’s Team Unity. Only three to four candidates of President Arroyo were making it to the Magic 12. The same result was reflected in another survey commissioned by Malacañang and its Team Unity.

The Commission on Elections had banned the conduct of surveys immediately before the May vote but later lifted the ban when poll-taking groups questioned it before the Supreme Court.

In urging media organizations to conduct their own surveys, Defensor said the involvement of these groups would make polling activities more fair and reliable.

"Right now, what we have is a virtual duopoly of pre-election polling. We have absolutely nothing against SWS and Pulse Asia. Except that it would be great if polling activities in the country have become multi-centered, rather than centered on just two entities, no matter how autonomous they may be," he said.

He noted that in the United States, major media organizations owned by New York Times Co., Washington Post Co., Time Warner Inc., and News Corp. have grown their institutional capability to engage in independent pre-election and exit polling.

"News organizations are highly and widely regarded for their independence and fairness. Thus, they are in a superior position to conduct their own surveys in the interest of public service," Defensor said. – Jess Diaz