Friday, August 01, 2008 Gov't to examine Pulse Asia survey methodology
AN ORGANIZATION of private professional groups are tasked to look into the methodologies and analysis made by Pulse Asia particularly in one of its surveys last month.
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza on Thursday said the survey was "subjective and misleading" instead of being objective and genuinely representing the public's opinion.
Dureza, in a letter to Gerald Bautista, president of the Marketing and Opinion Research Society of the Philippines (Mores), said the group should take a position on the activities of Pulse Asia, which he said "misrepresents themselves and their polls through biased questions and/or faulty survey methodology."
He said whether or not Pulse Asia is a member of Mores or not, the group should inform the public if there are such polling groups that "misrepresent themselves and their polls".
"We are looking to a professional organization such as Mores to ensure that the public is not manipulated by such unethical polling practices. I would also hope that you will do what you can to call attention to instances where polling organizations fall short of the high professional standards to which your organization and your members subscribe," he added.
Dureza's action stemmed from a Pulse Asia survey on the "July 2008 Nationwide survey on Presidential Performance and Trust Rating" that resulted in a negative 26 percent net approval rating and a negative 34 percent of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The survey also showed 46 percent of the respondents believing that the State of the Nation Address (Sona) of the President would be "untruthful".
The said surveys were done form July 1 to 14, covering 1,200 respondents aged 18 years old and above, nationwide.
"It is essential at anytime, but particularly in times of deep national economic and social distress, that public opinion research firms go the extra mile - whether Pulse Asia or other organizations - to dig deep to find out what is n the mind of the public, not merely scratch the surface for cheap sensational headlines," Dureza said.
Ana Tabunda, executive director of Pulse Asia, maintained that their surveys used random sampling, adding that there are government agencies where they go to different households and give out questionnaires to answer.
Tabunda said even other government agencies subscribed to their surveys while some even "requests" that their questions be included in Pulse Asia surveys. (JMR/Sunnex)
