Daven Tamayo

Comelec walks back registration requirement after meeting with survey firms

Article (news)

Johnson Manabat

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/11/17/20211111-comelec-building-jc-013613450.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt="The Commission on Elections headquarters in Intramuros, Manila. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File" style="width:960px"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Commission on Elections headquarters in Intramuros, Manila. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Commission on Elections said Thursday that it will no longer require organizations conducting election surveys for the 2025 midterm elections to register with its Political Finance and Affairs Department </p><p>Comelec Chairman George Garcia told media the commission doesn&#x27;t want to violate freedom of expression of speech and other rights guaranteed by the Constitution.</p><p>&quot;Iko-konsulta natin sa mga survey organizations kung ito’y gagawin na lang namin na directory o hindi mandatory. Voluntary on their part,&quot; Garcia explained.</p><p>(We will consult survey organizations on whether we will just create a directory, so it won&#x27;t be mandatory. It will be voluntary on their part)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/23/why-comelec-requires-registration-of-poll-firms-2107">Why COMELEC requires registration of poll firms</a></div><p>The Comelec had wanted to require survey firms to disclose how much candidates and political parties had paid them to conduct surveys or to subscribe to their result releases.</p><p>“Only pre-registered entities shall be authorized to conduct and publicly disseminate election surveys,&quot; the resolution the Comelec issued Wednesday reads.</p><div><strong>RESOLUTION STILL BEING REFINED<br/></strong></div><p>Commissioner Rey Bulay, who is in charge of Comelec Task Force on the Regulation and Enforcement of Survey Practices for Election Credibility and Transparency (RESPECT), said the poll body has not yet implemented its resolution on the registration of survey firms.</p><p>&quot;You can say it is still in the development stage and we are still polishing it. We withheld its implementation. We passed it but subject to amendments that will come from the inputs we gathered today,&quot; Bulay said.</p><p>Bulay said, the commission will listen to the suggestions of survey firms and amend the resolution if it needs to.</p><p>OCTA Research founder and CEO Ranjit Singh Rye raised their concerns on different provisions on the guidelines, including pre-registration being a requirement.</p><p>&quot;The intention is good, but Comelec has so much to do... they have so many things to look after…its not necessary at this moment,&quot; Rye said.</p><p>Rye also cited non-disclosure agreements that might be breached by compliance with the registration requirement.</p><p>For Pulse Asia Inc. Research Director Ana Maria Tabunda, the commission should ensure the anonymity of its respondents.</p><p>&quot;We are willing to cooperate... we&#x27;re concerned about the anonymity of the respondents,&quot; Tabunda said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/26/admin-bets-dominate-wr-numero-s-newest-pre-election-survey-1559">Admin bets dominate WR Numero&#x27;s newest pre-election survey<br/></a></div><div><strong>&#x27;BANDWAGON EFFECT&#x27;</strong></div><p>Malou Tiquia, founder and CEO of survey firm PUBLICUS Asia said pollsters should not be blamed for the alleged bandwagon effect from survey results, referring to how these supposedly affect public opinion.</p><p>&quot;Surveys are not bandwagon... bandwagon are from media, it is not us,&quot; Tiquia said.</p><p>Social Weather Station (SWS) president and CEO Linda Guerrero meanwhile said surveys do not cause a bandwagon effect on the public.</p><p>&quot;Sa totoo po, hindi ganoon kalakas ang magiging impact ng mga resulta ng survey,&quot; she said.</p><p>(To be honest, survey results will not have much of an impact)</p><p>Surveys provide a snapshot of public sentiment at the time they were conducted. This sentiment can and often does change over time.</p><p>With some reservations, polling firms signed the pledge of commitment with Comelec that aims to ensure reliable, credible and transparent survey practices.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/26/erwin-tulfo-still-leads-senatorial-bets-revilla-biggest-gainer-sws-1326">Erwin Tulfo still leads senatorial bets; Revilla &#x27;biggest gainer&#x27; — SWS<br/></a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TNtYouwOfe8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Comelec Chairman George Garcia told media the commission doesn't want to violate freedom of expression of speech and other rights guaranteed by the Constitution.</p>

Comelec Chairman George Garcia told media the commission doesn't want to violate freedom of expression of speech and other rights guaranteed by the Constitution.