Partido Reporma and presidential candidate Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Thursday said he doesn’t believe that the latest Pulse Asia survey accurately reflects the voters’ sentiments on the ground.
Lacson said he fully believes that the sovereign will of the people will be expressed on the Election Day itself, on May 9, 2022, that is why he and running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III will continue their goal of finishing the presidential and vice presidential race with the goal of winning the two top government positions.
“First, surveys do not represent the sovereign will of the people, ‘di ba (right)? Election does. And we’re 80 days away from Election Day,” Lacson said during a press briefing with Senate President Vicente Sotto III in Pasay City.
Lacson pointed out that the number of survey respondents are normally just a fraction compared to the number of registered voters.
He also said that while he understands that survey firms apply methodologies to generate the numbers reflected in their data, the senator said he is not convinced that they are an accurate measurement of public sentiments, citing his own personal experience when he first ran for president in 2004.
Lacson recalled an incident where a son of one of his supporters in Cebu was asked to participate in a survey conducted by a major polling firm at the time. He wanted to vote for Lacson, but his name was not included in the list of choices for presidential candidates.
But he clarified he is not accusing institutional survey outfits such as Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations (SWS) of deliberately conditioning the minds of the public by releasing voter preference results in favor of popular candidates.
Lacson pointed out the 2004 and 2022 national elections are two different landscapes.
“But then ang sinasabi ko lang... may mga ganoong pangyayari because remember itong Pulse Asia and SWS, ‘di ba, ina-outsource din nila ‘yung field work and these are human beings. They're only humans, ‘di ba, na after all pwedeng mapasukan ng mga operator (I’m only saying that things like that happen because remember Pulse Asia and SWS also outsourced their field work and these are human beings. They’re only humans and they can be influenced by political operators),” he explained.
“So, doon (ako) nanggagaling (that is where I’m coming from). Again, I’m not accusing Pulse Asia or SWS na sila ay (that they are) vulnerable sa ganyan (to things like that). But I’m just sharing with you my own experience in 2004, which has been documented by the way,” Lacson told reporters.
“Kaya di ako mapaniwalang 4 percent lang ako. Kasi ramdam ko sa ground. Hindi ako makapaniwalang 2 percent lang ako sa NCR. May pakiramdam din naman tayo kapag nasa labas tayo (That’s why I don’t believe I just got four percent. Because I feel it on the ground. I don’t believe I only got 2 percent in the National Capital Region. I also feel the pulse of the people whenever we are outside campaigning),” Lacson said.
Sotto agreed with his running mate’s estimate, saying he also believes the report some of the respondents were intimidated during the actual conduct of the surveys.
“Hindi ba, meron tayong mga nagsasabi sa atin na ‘yung mga kumukuha ng survey nag-re-report sila. Sinasabi ‘nung ano ayaw sumagot o kaya natatakot? ‘Di ba, merong mga ganoon e na nakarating sa amin (We were told there are survey conductors in the field reporting that some of the respondents refused to participate or were scared to do so, right? We received information to that effect),” noted Sotto.
“I still believe that what we call excellence or track record about issues of national concern will still be the winning vote on May 9, 2022,” added Sotto, vowing that he and Lacson will stick to their issues-based campaign against all odds.
The latest Pulse Asia survey showed UniTeam Alliance standard bearer former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. leading the race with Vice President Leni Robredo on far second.
Robredo is followed by Senator Manny Pacquiao, and Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno who are both at 8 percent, while Lacson follows at fifth place at 4 percent.