Please Resist the Surveys

By Herbert Vego

ACCORDING to senatorial candidate Erwin Tulfo, there are eight political survey firms in the county, and all of them rank him “No. 1” among the 12 frontrunners.

But the latest word is that he has already been overtaken by Bong Go in most surveys, except that of WR Numero Research, where he still leads.

Without these periodic, nearly identical surveys that have been played up in the media since December 2024, would you believe that Tulfo and Go would be so popular?

Can’t we see that the pollsters are there to make money from their unnamed sponsors? They constitute the most influential propaganda machine for beneficiary candidates.

For example, consider WR Numero’s latest survey where Tulfo garnered 48.7 percent while Go followed closely at 45.3 percent.

We are made to believe that the percentages represent the public pulse. But as WR Numero revealed, its survey covered only 2,413 unnamed face-to-face respondents. In a nation of 68,618,667 registered voters, that proves nothing.

Surprisingly, the senatorial candidates outside of the surveys’ “magic 12” have yet to cry “foul”.
They should have listened to the Malacañang press officer, Undersecretary Claire Castro.

When asked by a member of the Malacañang Press Corps for her take on the senatorial surveys, she asked back, “Who were surveyed? Where did they survey?”

Nobody could answer.

Anyway, it does not matter whether we believe or doubt the surveys. What matters is that we vote straight from the heart.

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MORE POWER READY FOR ELECTION

MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) is well-prepared to meet head-on the energy demand of Iloilo City for the forthcoming May 12 election.

Engr. Christopher Serojano, the company’s deputy head for network development and operations, said, “We have response teams in sites located near schools, which will be deployed in case of minor troubles like low voltage.”

Two shifts of MORE Power inspectors will be fielded to monitor power conditions before and during election.

Moreover, a “line-gang team” will be around with equipment that can be installed to trouble-shoot in case of power failure.

MORE Power’s command center is now in close coordination with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Philippine National Police (PNP) command centers for immediate action.

MORE Power has completed its maintenance activities to ensure an “all systems go” to tackle the increased power demand in Iloilo City, recently recorded at 13 percent.

No maintenance-related power interruptions will be allowed two weeks before and after the election period, barring unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the power utility.

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CLOSE ENCOUNTERS IN ANTIQUE

VICE-GOVERNOR Edgar Denosta can’t help but scratch his head.  He could have been a shoo-in for the post of governorship.  But because of many other wannabes running for governor, winning is no peanuts. His tough opponents are former congressman Paolo Everardo Javier,  Jonathan Tan, and Vicente Fedelicio.

It’s a blessing in disguise for Denosta that a stronger aspirant, Ray Roquero, has backed out to be a second nominee of the AnaKalusugan party-list.

For vice-governor, a close three-cornered fight is expected among Edward Dy Buco, Nene Maye Plameras and Genevive Lim.

Re-electionist congressman Antonio Agapito Legarda is defending his seat against his former ally, outgoing governor Rhodora Dodod Cadiao – a case of “pangayaw” versus “tumandok,” since Legarda, a brother of Senator Loren, is an “import” from Malabon.

I am not campaigning for any of the above.  But there’s a good friend I am happy for, Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Pio Sumande, an independent candidate for mayor of Hamtic who stands a good chance in a one-on-one bout against the incumbent, Julius “Junjun”  Pacificador. Maka-masa kasi.

Sumande owes a debt of gratitude to another mayoral wannabe, Jason Javier, who recently backed out to support him.