Are Surveys China-Influenced?

By Herbert Vego

KUDOS to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). It has discovered important evidence alluding to China’s “interference” in our May 12, 2025 national election with the recent arrest of a Chinese national carrying a high-tech spy device near the Commission on Elections (Comelec) headquarters in Manila.

Identified as Tak Hoi Lao, was he engaged in casing the Comelec for an opportunity to hack its computers to enable pro-China senatorial candidates to win?

His fall substantiates the claims of Senator Sen. Francis Tolentino and National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya about a China-funded operation to manipulate the midterm polls through a “troll farm” in the social media.

My personal take is that computer hacking and “trolling” are not all there is to China’s expensive interference. With more extensive reach are the survey firms aimed at influencing public opinion to suit China’s interest.

Take note of a supposedly legitimate survey conducted by OCTA Research from April 2 to 5, where President Marcos’ trust rating had decreased from 65 percent to 60 percent; and his performance satisfaction rating also down by five from 64 percent to 59 percent.

In contrast, Vice President Sara Duterte’s trust rating jumped from 49 percent to 58 percent, while her performance satisfaction rating increased from 48 percent to 56 percent for the same period.

Pulse Asia, on the other hand, revealed that its March 23-29 survey placed Vice President Duterte’s approval rating at 59 percent and trust rating at 61 percent. In contrast, President Marcos’ approval rating and trust rating were both equally low at 25 percent.

Obviously, these incoherent ratings are meant to indicate Marcos’ supposedly declining popularity against Sara’s upward one.

It is public knowledge that the pro-China vice-president nurtures the ambition of running for president in 2028.

“Who were surveyed?” asked Malacañang press officer Claire Castro in a briefing with the Malacañang Press Corps. “Where did they survey?”

Both the Pulse Asia and OCTA surveys also showed that incumbent senator Bong Go ranks first in the “magic 12.” Why is that so? I see no reason why.

Other pollsters echo the same names in their latest surveys, namely Bong Go, Rep. Erwin Tulfo, Senator Lito Lapid, Sen. Pia Cayetano, former senator Tito Sotto, Sen. Bong Revilla, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay, Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar, former senator Panfilo Lacson, and former senator Manny Pacquiao.

It is understandable why Sen. Tolentino, a re-electionist, cried “Chinese interference”; he is not in that short list.

The frequent coverages of the “magic 12” even in the streamline media is alarming, since they serve as the most widespread propaganda for them, hence could be mind-conditioning and self-fulfilling

Are we to presume that those in the list are friends of China who would acquit VP Sara if they win and constitute themselves into impeachment court?

Alas and alack! What if nine of them who belong to President Marcos’ Alyansa ng Bagong Pilipinas are still friends of Sara?

-oOo-

WELCOME, ₱20/KILO RICE

YESTERDAY, the government rolled out for the first time the ₱20-per-kilo rice directly to the public through the Kadiwa stores in Cebu.

The rest of the Visayas, hopefully, would be so “blessed” within this week.

It is unfortunate that Vice President Sara Duterte has opted to call the program “politically motivated” and to describe the ₱20 rice as “good for pigs.”

Under the Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) program, government-subsidized rice will be made available as long as feasible. The budget for the subsidy is estimated to be between P3.5 and P4.5 million. If we heard it right, buyers of the cheap rice would be allowed to purchase only 10 kilos per week to prevent hoarding. Then what?

It goes without saying that it’s a temporary solution.

There is therefore a need to go beyond the “diwa” of Kadiwa, since it can’t go on forever unless rice production in our farms rise above consumers’ demand.  It would take a “miracle,” since we are still dependent on importation in accordance with the Rice Tariffication Act (RA 11203).

While intended to lower rice prices, the law has negatively impacted rice farmers because of decreased income, reduced profitability, and potential displacement.

Lest we forget, the author of the Rice Tariffication Act (RA 11203) is Senator Cynthia A. Villar, whose rice importing family stands to benefit from it.

Knowing the law to be flawed, concerned consumers now demand its repeal and the restoration of the power of the National Food Authority (NFA) to purchase palay from local farmers.

Let it be, Lord.