Do You Believe In Candidates' Rating Survey Results?

April 14,2010
Do You Believe In Candidates’ Rating Survey Results?
By Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.

The survey that we are about to talk here is not a survey on land done by the Geodetic Engineers. This is a survey on who among the presidential and Vice-presidential candidates are popular or well-known and have the higher or the highest edge. There are some people who believe in survey rating results. There are also many and I believe a great majority, who do not believe in survey results. Why? Because most of the surveys conducted were only done mostly in some areas in Metro Manila and few in Luzon if ever, and only also few in other places of the country.
There are plenty of places, cities, and provinces in the whole country that are not subjected to surveys.
.Besides, if a survey group is not independent and was only contacted by a certain candidate or candidates there’s the tendency that such survey results would be padded with favoritism. This is the reason why we should not allow ourselves to be influenced by survey results.
I myself do not believe in survey results. We should not base our voting to any candidate on survey results. This is not the proper way to do. What is important is that, are the candidates for the presidency having the necessary experiences and skills for the position they are aspiring for? We should also examine the agenda and programs of each candidate for President, Vice-President, Congressman, Governor and City Mayor. If there would be an open forum for the presidential candidates including their Vices and candidates for other lower positions whom we could ask questions it would be better.
On similar vein, Vice-presidential candidate Jamby Madrigal and presidential candidate Dick Gordon both do not also believe in survey results. Gordon divulged that during his senatorial candidacy he was too far behind in survey results. But when the day of the National Elections arrived, he was number 5 in the winning senatorial lineup garnering 13 millions votes.
In conducting the current surveys, Gordon asked who are the people conducting it and who paid them for their works? What particular places or areas they have gone to do their legworks? What are the names of those who did the surveys? And why the results of the surveys were not published? He stressed that the name of the firm or establishment that conducted the said surveys on candidates, the names of those who did the surveys, the name or names of candidates who paid them, and the publications of the results are necessary for the information of the electorate.
Some of the questions that need to be asked and be answered by the candidates themselves are the following: 1) If you are elected as President/Vice-President in the coming May 10, 2010 national election what will you do to eradicate graft and corruption in the government offices? 2) What will you do to improve our weakening education system so that students in the public schools including the state colleges can become competitive in the international level of learning? 3) What will you do to improve the services of our public hospitals where some if not most have inadequate supply of medicines particularly for the admitted poor patients? 4) There is a Cheaper Medicine Act of 2009 authored by Pia Cayetano,but it ‘s not conscientiously implemented. What will you do to reduce the prices of prohibitive medicines in the country? 5)What will you do so that the millions of poor Filipinos could have their own house and lot thru an affordably low monthly installment payment that they can own after 10 years regular payment? 6) What will you do to abolish political dynasty and private armies in the country? 7) What will you do to improve our agricultural output/production so that the Philippines can really attain its goal of food security so that the government will not be importing rice anymore?
Besides the aforesaid questions you can also ask some other questions you want to ask. It’s also important as well to really study and evaluate each candidate’s agenda and programs of government before we make a final list of candidates to whom we are going to entrust our votes this coming May 10 national elections. It’s also important to look at the candidates with good family background and good track record. Moral issues must also be included in choosing candidates for any position in the government they aspire for. Like is he a one-man,one-woman?Is he/she not a gambler? A drunkard? A womanizer? A woman with another man besides her man? Morality issue is not to be overlooked by the electorate because a President or Vice-President including Senators, Congressmen Governors and City Mayors are supposed to be good models for our youth.
Our National Hero Jose Mercado Rizal said that “the youth is the hope of the land”. Rizal’s pronouncement regarding the youth indicates that they need some older but dynamic and strong leaders to look up to as a paragon of example worthy of emulation. The youth shall take the place of older people of today when the time comes. So our youth really need good models as source of inspiration and strength to reach their aspirations so that they can rule our country with integrity and dignity.
Another thing which is much more equally important is to remember that our right of suffrage is sacred. Sacred if we have to understand it in the spiritual sense means priceless. It’s our individual right that cannot be sold out to any candidate. We must give value to our right to vote during elections. This right is not for sale. Why should some voters sell their rights to vote because of quick bucks? Why should we sell our votes because of poverty? Is selling your votes for several hundred of pesos worth the price of our sacred right? I don’t think so.
Selling your votes for three days happiness and enjoyment is so cheap a bargain that cannot be reciprocated if we happen to elect candidates who lack integrity, dignity and capacity to serve the constituents. We should go for candidates whose agendas are doable, achievable and are beneficial for the upliftment of our people-rich and poor- and pro-poor candidates who have the hearts and the minds to improve the Filipinos’ lot.
Again selling our sacred right to elect would eventually lose it sacredness. The price you put in your gift/privilege to vote has become very cheap to the point that it violates the principal of humility and sincerity thus blurring your conscience. Reiterately, we must go for the deserving and capable candidates, who are supposed to serve our country to the best of their ability and capability.
Being poor or in the threshold of poverty is not enough reason to sell your votes. There are many poor Filipinos who earn little income for their respective families but did not sell their votes for a few hundred pesos. Although tempted due to poorness and lack of means they have resisted the urging temptation to sell their rights. Not selling our votes for any amount also means that we are providing a leveling playing field for all the candidates whether rich or poor but qualified candidates for the position they are aiming for. We are also indirectly contributing to the reduction of graft and corruption in our country. What is important is that the candidates to whom we have favored and entrusted our votes are those who are really sincere and have the tag of priority to serve best the people and where under their regime the rule of law prevails and peace and order reigns.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)