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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Comelec: No need for survey firms to register

Comelec: No need for survey firms to register

Published Feb 28, 2025 05:37 am

At A Glance

  • The registration of firms conducting surveys this election season is no longer mandatory, says Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia.

The registration of firms conducting surveys this election season is no longer mandatory.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said Friday, Feb. 28, that the poll body decided not to require survey firms to register following their discussions.

Garcia said registration "should not be mandatory" because doing so would be considered as prior restraint to the exercise of the freedom of expression and of speech, as well as the freedom to information of the people.

"So iiwasan po namin. Tutal naman, nag-commit lahat sila na kahit 'di mandatory (So, we will avoid requiring it, since all of them already committed to register anyway), they will register," he said during the poll body's regular briefing.

Garcia said those who will register will be subject to Comelec's regulation.

This will require the firms to reveal to the poll body details like who commissions the survey, the scientific method used, and how the respondents have been gathered, among others.

Meanwhile, surveys conducted by the education sector, religious groups, civic society and the media will not be included in the regulation.

"Pero 'pag nagbayad, pagkatapos nag-publish [sa media], ibang usapan na 'yan, because the purpose is to influence the voters (But if someone commissions the survey and asks for its publication, it's a different story, because the purpose is to influence the voters)," Garcia said.

"[That] is allowed, wala tayong problema. Pero kailangan, i-reveal samin sino nag-commission baka naman maya maya po, kunya-kunyarian na may sumulpot na ganyan survey (That is allowed, we don't have a problem with it. But they need to reveal to us who commissioned the survey because maybe it's just not true)," he added.

On Feb. 20, the Comelec issued Resolution No. 11117, which stated that during the election period, any person, whether natural or juridical, candidate, or organization that conducts and publicly disseminates an election survey must register with the Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD) of the Commission.

The resolution shall apply during the election period for national and local candidates for the May 2025 polls.

Under the same resolution, the poll body said that only pre-registered entities shall be authorized to conduct and publicly disseminate election surveys.

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