Comelec mulls voluntary registration of survey firms for 2025 polls
Commission on Elections Chairperson George Garcia INQUIRER.net file photo / NOY MORCOSO
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is studying to make the registration of survey firms disseminating election surveys voluntary for the 2025 elections, its Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Thursday.
This came after the poll body released Comelec Resolution No. 11117 which requires survey firms that publicly disseminate and conduct election surveys to register with the Political Finance and Affairs Department of the commission.
“Yung pagiging mandatory na pagpaparehistro, pagka pinag-aralan ng malalim, baka maconsider na tinatawag na prior restraint sa freedom of expression at freedom of speech,” Garcia said on the sidelines of the launching of Task Force on Regulation and Enforcement of Survey Practices for Election Credibility and Transparency (RESPECT) and Signing of the Pledge of Commitment.
(The mandatory registration, if studied thoroughly, can be considered as prior restraint to the freedom of expression and freedom of speech.)
READ: Comelec forms task force to regulate survey firms
“Kung kaya pinag-aaralan na namin, ikokonsulta natin sa mga survey organization kung ito ay gagawin na lang namin na directory o hindi mandatory. Voluntary on their part,” Garcia added.
(That’s why we are studying and we will consult the survey organization if we will make them directory or not mandatory. Voluntary on their part.)
He also said that if the survey firms signed on the pledge, it means that “they are so much willing to voluntarily register.”
Garcia noted that the poll body is studying the final wordings for the amendment, emphasizing that to avoid facing election offense, survey firms must register and submit reports to the commission.
He also reiterated that while the resolution on regulating survey firms in the past years may have been overlooked, now is the right time to strengthen the initiative.
“Ito yung tamang pagkakataon lalo’t maraming naglipana na mga nagsulputan na mga survey firms or organization na sa ating palagay ay ang purpose lamang ay lituhin or pagkakitaan yung mga survey na ‘yan,” he noted.
(This is the right time, especially because we believe that the only purpose of some survey firms is to deceive or make profit out of the surveys.)
He added that it will be unfair for those survey firms who are operating legitimately.
READ: Comelec to meet survey firms after releasing new resolution
During the launching of Task Force RESPECT, the Comelec also held a dialogue with several survey firms to know their sentiments on the resolution. Garcia previously said that the meeting will allow the poll body to know possible amendments to the resolution.
