General Admission
Do you believe in surveys?
By Al S. Mendoza
SURVEYS have become hot topic again.
But that has always been the case.
Each time election fever comes around, the business of surveys shares the spotlight.
Binay leading. Poe leading. Duterte leading.
But never Roxas leading. Or Defensor leading. Or Seneres leading.
From survey leaders, this: “That means our platform is palatable to the people.”
From survey non-leaders, this: “The real survey happens only on election day.”
Each has his own unique way to explain survey results.
Are you sold to surveys?
Not me.
Surveys are nothing but business.
I own Pulse Asia, I need to earn bucks to stay afloat.
I own SWS (Social Weather Station), I need to earn bucks to stay afloat.
I own this or that survey outfit, I need to earn bucks to stay afloat.
As the saying goes, you don’t work you don’t eat.
Each to his own racket.
As when the Houston Rockets won the NBA some time ago, the catch-phrase was: “Kanya-kanyang Houston Rockets lang iyan.”
In short, survey outfits need work to survive.
Like virtually all money-making ventures, survey organizations go to candidates—or, do candidates go to them?
Always, the answer depends on who you are talking to.
Do Binay, Poe and Duterte commission surveys?
They won’t admit it, but their supporters do—in a rather oblique way.
One time, a big time businessman in Davao paid good money for a survey.
Duterte came out way ahead of the pack.
The businessman admitted he paid the survey outfit.
“Duterte is my friend,” he said. “And I want to know the pulse of the people”
Was there something wrong there? Nothing.
You are a friend of a candidate, it’s but natural to know how your friend fares with the voters.
Ah, voters. How many do we have in May 2016?
About 54 million.
We are lucky if 35 million of those would vote.
And how many voters are being surveyed each time a survey is held?
At the most, 1,500.
In the last survey Dec. 4-11 by Pulse Asia, Binay and Poe were tied at 26 percent each, Roxas 22 percent, Duterte 20 percent and Santiago 4 percent.
The SWS done Dec. 12-14 had Binay ahead with 33 percent, followed by Duterte 23 percent, Poe 21 percent, Roxas 17 percent and Santiago 4 percent.
As in previous surveys, questioned were 1,200 supposed voters with the query: “If elections were held today, who would you vote for President?”
How can the voice of a puny 1,200 be truly reflective of even one million voters—and we are talking here of nearly a total of 54 million voters?
If that is news—which is what our national papers, radio-TV seem to project—I don’t know what is.
Oh, well, this is a free country—now.
We always have the choice between believing and not believing.
Sadly, many believe.
Isn’t a sucker born every minute?
(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)
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