Thanks to surveys, now we're really confused

Recently, 153 members of the House of Representatives (HoR)- which is more than half of the entire group - participated in a mock presidential elections conducted by Commission on Election (Comelec) staff.

Here are the results:

Sec.Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) - 90 /153 votes
Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party) - 25/153 votes
Sen.Francis Escudero (Nationalist People's Coalition) - 20/ 153 votes
Sen. Benigno Aquino III (Liberal Party) - 7 / 153 votes
Sen. Richard Gordon - 4 / 153 votes
Former President Joseph Estrada - 2/153 votes
Vice President Noli De Castro - 1 / 153 votes
Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane - 1 / 153 votes
MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando - 1 / 153 votes
Evangelist Eddie Villanueva - 1 / 153 votes

On another survey conducted by the Social Weathers Station (SWS) to 1, 600 respondents, however, the results are way different.

#1 Senator Benigno Aquino III (Liberal Party)
#2 Senator Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party)
#3 Former President Joseph Estrada
#8 Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)

It appears that the people and those who are supposed to represent these people are polarizing. They do not have the same impulses and preference for their leaders. The people, as far as the SWS survey is concerned, prefers the suddenly popular Aquino. However, the Comelec-run HoR survey reveals that the less popular Teodoro is topping the list.

People are getting more and more confused as the election day is drawing near. And one major contributor for this confusion are the surveys.

Whether or not the people and the HoR choose Teodoro or Aquino, the surveys were nothing but, well, surveys - an attempt to imitate reality; not absolutely true.

Surveys, to me, are unhelpful methods that different parties and organizations employ - they all add up to the confusion that is already present during elections. I think that's one of the reasons why most people refuse to be politically engaged: because politics - especially during elections - is making a lot of mess.


BY: RYAN LOUIE MADRID
Photo credit: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2486/3905110833_24718a2160.jpg