DO YOU believe on the surveys being conducted periodically on who are in the winning circle and who are lagging behind? I know many politicians do, particularly if they are in the win column. But for those who are not in the circle, they just don’t.
Out of curiosity, many times these past few months I asked friends if ever they were interviewed by a pollster of either Social Weather Station (SWS) or Pulse Asia, or any survey groups for that matter. It was always a flat no. Any of you readers got interviewed once in your lifetime? Please respond. There must be at least one who met a SWS or a Pulse Asia pollster).
I remember a discussion then with veteran newsmen friends, Dik Pascual of the Philippine Star and Ernie Tolentino, former business editor of the defunct Daily Express and now a very successful and most sought after public relation man talked about this. Both expressed doubts if all those released surveys are impeccably true and were really result of an honest to goodness feeling the pulse of people.
Maybe we can ask the survey groups to name their respondents, their background, the place of residence, their work and some more details.
Senatorial candidate lawyer Larry Gadon is also one of those doubting Thomases. Despite we know he is only sourgraping because the many surveys conducted and published on metropolitan newspapers seemingly doesn’t give him even the Chinaman’s chance, nonetheless he is correct on his observations. He said most of the surveys are bogus. Paid for by moneyed candidates. A survey will only truly reflect the public pulse if 16,500 respondents will be asked if their preference, since there are 55 million voters. And not 1,800 which is the common number, according to Gadon.
Again as usual, every election season comes I asked my friends in Monday Club, Wednesday Club, Rotary Clubs, tong-its group at Villa Angela Tennis Club in Angeles City and even newsmen friends whom they believe will make it in the Angeles City mayoral race. (I was surprised of their choice) Sino? Secret. The Monday Club composed of several members meet weekly at Ribeye. My Wednesday Club group is composed of 18 persons and my tong-its group including those tennis players is a big crowd. The three groups represent a cross section of the entire constituency. I believe my personal survey is better than those Manila based polling groups.
TIDBITS: Farewell my friend. Philip “Flip” Ocampo was always a man in a hurry. He hurried his journey in this mortal world. Too young to die at 26. We worked together for almost a year at Brigada. He was a writer in our show I co-anchored with John Susi and he was good in his craft. Farewell my young friend. And it is also farewell to Porac Mayor Carling De La Cruz. It will be his last term as the town executive and he will take a respite for three years and may stage a comeback. He has done a lot for the town. Not too many people are in accord with the Pamintuan administration borrowing such a huge amount for a P635-million sports complex. Me, I agree on the purchase of garbage trucks, the construction of a city hall and multi-level parking building, but not on the sports complex. Waste of good money. The city government should have tried first asking Clark Development Corporation to establish one and to be co-managed by both like the Bayanihan Park. A marginal note from President Duterte, Mayor Edpam’s will do the magic. Ask CDC President Noel Manankil, the Freeport is awash with cash and they will immediately comply if there’s a note from the president. I should know I was with CDC for nine years. Kapag nag-utos ang presidente, comply agad at nangingnig pa.