VOTERS CLAMOR TO HAVE PRE-ELECTION SURVEYS BANNED

A survey result recently released by the Social Weather Station (SWS) that was prejudicially commissioned by San Juan Representative Ronaldo Zamora, an ally of the Nacionalista Party standard bearer has only led to a horrendous and immature word war between presidential candidates Noynoy Aquino and Manny Villar and has only given embarrassment to the country.

Instead of just showcasing the general feel of public opinion with regard to the presidential candidates, surveys reports published by polling organizations such as SWS and Pulse Asia have only placed the already chaotic political atmosphere in a deeper quagmire given that political stakeholders rallying behind these presidential wannabes are now employing the services of these polling firms to undertake manipulative moves against their respective candidates’ competition. Apparently, those who pay better will surely have a better placement in these pre-election polls.

Surveys are now being employed as a highly destructive method of campaign strategy by various political parties, with each attempting to condition the public into accepting a specific notion about the government such as its supposed incapability to heed the public’s basic needs and the suitability of their candidate as a replacement. Such a distorted tactic should be stopped altogether since it does not speak of reality and the qualifications of presidential candidates, for that matter are only made inconsequential which we as voters ironically needs to be made aware of.

Another candidate, despite his low ranking in the SWS survey, was able to hit the nail right on the head. According to Senator Richard Gordon, it is the people who elect presidents and not surveys, as this can and will most assuredly be manipulated by unscrupulous quarters seeking to suit their personal needs. For one, a higher rating means higher campaign funds which in turn results to a heavily indebted and beholden candidate. Do we need to see another presidential wannabe who will commit his six years of “servitude” to responding to “utang na loob”?

Regrettably, we the voters are the ones always victimized by these pre-election surveys. Innocent and gullible voters who sadly proliferates our country are the ones easily swayed to believe the fabricated figures of these presidential preference surveys being commissioned by various public relation firms tapped by the different political parties. Take the cue from the two frontrunners of these surveys. Noynoy and Manny are now at each other’s throats and are now well into mudslinging, a fact that only exacerbates our country’s already dwindling international image.

Gordon despite appearing to be merely sour-graping though has a point in saying that surveys are mind-conditioning. I personally believe that this should be banned during election period as it is not really helping anybody, especially us the ‘common’ people.