SWS SURVEY: MOST VOTERS DISSATISFIED WITH POLITICAL PARTIES
MANILA, MARCH 9, 2007 (STAR) By Pia Lee-Brago - Most Filipino voters are dissatisfied with political parties because not one "truly promotes their welfare," according to a new survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).Regardless of area or class, two-thirds (67 percent) of the 1,200 respondents in the SWS survey measuring their "attitude toward political parties in the Philippines" said no party promotes their welfare while 27 percent identified at least one political party that does. The 27 percent can be considered "party-leaning," which seems to increase with higher educational attainment, according to the SWS.
In his analysis, Ateneo School of Government associate dean Dennis Gonzalez said, "The lower percentage of Filipinos (who) are party-leaning suggests that parties have not sufficiently informed, inspired, and persuaded the citizenry about their political visions, policies and platforms."
"Unfortunately, party platforms are prepared mainly for submission to the Commission on Elections (Comelec). They are not meant to be a guide to political education of the electorate, nor to govern the conduct of those elected to public office under party emblems," Gonzalez said.
He proposed that the political parties take to heart the survey findings that show that the most preferred reason for party membership is the opportunity for political education (35 percent).
Lakas is the top choice of political party, followed by the Liberal Party and Bayan Muna, among respondents who have identified a party that possesses favorable characteristics such as "does many things to benefit the citizens," "has noble leaders," "has realistic platform," "recruits candidates who are truly qualified," "interacts with many sectors," and "faithful to the true will of the party members."
Klaus Preschle, country representative of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, said the SWS survey results show that the political parties in the Philippines should be strengthened and work more on their political profiles and recruitment strategies.
The survey on political parties was commissioned by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and conducted nationwide by the SWS from Nov. 24 to 29 last year.
The survey respondents were 1,200 voting-age adults divided equally among four major study areas: the National Capital Region, Luzon (outside NCR), the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Another major finding of the survey showed that party-shifting by politicians after elections seems to be widely accepted, with 49 percent of the respondents saying this is neither bad nor right. One-third (35 percent) said party-switching is bad (usually or always), while only 15 percent said this is right.
However, 44 percent of the respondents who are party members characterize party-shifting as bad. Sixty-five percent of the respondents who said party-shifting is bad want the political turncoats to be removed from their posts rather than be fined or left unpunished.
Negative opinion about party-switching is most pronounced in the Visayas (43 percent), in classes ABC (42 percent), and among college graduates (43 percent). Some 33 percent of class D respondents have a negative opinion of party-switching.
Gonzalez said the high plurality of respondents who are neutral or indifferent on the issue of party-shifting is one of the roots of weak party discipline.
When asked about the importance of the candidate versus the party in their voting decisions, many of the respondents, by area and educational attainment, said "the candidate and the party matter equally," whether one voted for a member of Congress (46 percent) or for a mayor (44 percent).
The connection between parties and prominent politicians is very weak in the minds of Filipinos, as shown by survey results indicating that 36 percent to 43 percent of the respondents said "none" when asked about which politicians came to mind when specific parties were mentioned while 35 to 38 percent said "don’t know."
The responses, Gonzalez said, showed low public awareness of the link of prominent politicians with their respective parties, suggesting that politicians do not promote their parties enough to the public.
Team Unity downplays SWS survey, goes on with daily campaign grind By Aurea Calica The Star 03/09/2007
TARLAC CITY — Unfazed over yesterday's survey results, the administration’s Team Unity senatorial candidates went on their daily campaign grind by reminding themselves of the benefits of the local machinery which could influence the outcome of the elections in their favor on May 14.
Candidates Juan Miguel Zubiri, Michael Defensor, Prospero Pichay and Luis "Chavit" Singson said it was too early to predict who among them will actually make it to the Magic 12.
Zubiri said the local machinery of the administration had barely started to work for them when the Social Weather Station (SWS) survey came up.
Zubiri noted most of his colleagues in Team Unity had dramatically improved their ratings since the start of the campaign when they began to move around the country and released their political advertisements.
"We believe that once the local machinery is at work from Aparri to Jolo, that will make the difference," Zubiri said. "But I am delighted that we are going up in the surveys," he added.
Zubiri noted his colleagues like Ralph Recto, Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Joker Arroyo are doing well in the surveys as a result of the collective and organized campaigning effort of the administration slate.
"We will see what happens after the local officials start to endorse us as they start their campaigning," Defensor added.
He said the local machinery accounts for about 20 to 30 percent of the survey ratings.
"In the end, as we continue with the campaign, we hope that the people would realize that we have a platform and the other side does not," Defensor said.
He said the latest survey has inspired them to work harder in their campaign.
"We know that there is still a lot of work to do, a lot of issues to answer and programs to explain to the voters," Defensor said.
The Team Unity candidates told a news conference here of their camaraderie and sincere desire to work together for the good of the country.
"I can’t believe it," candidate Jamalul Kiram said of the surveys.
He believed the Team Unity bets would have better chances in the coming elections.
Pichay, for his part, said the surveys are part of the strategy to increase people’s awareness and approval of a candidate.
Recto and Arroyo said they would want Team Unity to win because of the need to have a "working majority" at the Senate and work on vital measures to improve the country and the lives of the people.
Davao Rep. Prospero Nograles said the latest SWS survey serves no purpose since all that matters is the finish line.
Nograles said it is too early to tell since surveys usually differ from actual results.
The House Majority Leader compared the SWS surveys to horse racing.
"Leading and winning are two different things," Nograles pointed out.
"Much like a horse race, it’s good to lead from the start but it’s the finish line and final push that would make winning possible for the horses," Nograles said.
The Davao lawmaker, along with Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco, expressed confidence that Team Unity’s systematic and smooth campaign would actually spell victory for the administration slate in the May 14 elections.
The results of the SWS survey, according to them, are still "immaterial" since it was done too early to show any real trend of how the senatorial elections will turn out.
In a joint statement, they pointed out the administration candidates are "still in the first third of the campaign period, having more or less two more months to court votes, air their political ads and to make people aware of their platforms and agenda."
Even if the survey results was 8-3-1 in favor of the Genuine Opposition, Nograles said this will only make Team Unity and the administration coalition "work harder to create more push for their candidates all the way to the finish line."
"The start of the local campaign will further boost Team Unity’s campaign nationwide because in 95 percent of areas nationwide where the majority rules, the mantra will be 12-0 for Team Unity," Nograles said.
He said surveys are usually called indicators. He cited several cases where candidates who lag behind in surveys turn out to be topnotchers after votes have been canvassed.
When Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo first ran for senator in 1992, she ranked 32 in the surveys, but eventually topped the senatorial race, Nograles said.
So was Jamby Madrigal, he said, who ranked 20 plus in the 2004 surveys, but landed sixth in the senatorial race.
"Look at the line-up of the opposition, it’s all political compromise. Very clearly, these bets were against them (before). They were responsible for the ouster of (former President) Erap (Estrada)," he said. – With Delon Porcalla
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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