Team Unity downplays SWS survey, goes on with daily campaign grind

TARLAC CITY — Unfazed over the latest survey results, the administration’s Team Unity senatorial candidates went on their daily campaign grind by reminding themselves of the benefits of the local machinery which could influence the outcome of the elections in their favor on May 14.

Candidates Juan Miguel Zubiri, Michael Defensor, Prospero Pichay and Luis "Chavit" Singson said it was too early to predict who among them will actually make it to the Magic 12.

Zubiri said the local machinery of the administration had barely started to work for them when the Social Weather Station (SWS) survey came up.

Zubiri noted most of his colleagues in Team Unity had dramatically improved their ratings since the start of the campaign when they began to move around the country and released their political advertisements.

"We believe that once the local machinery is at work from Aparri to Jolo, that will make the difference," Zubiri said. "But I am delighted that we are going up in the surveys," he added.

Zubiri noted his colleagues like Ralph Recto, Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Joker Arroyo are doing well in the surveys as a result of the collective and organized campaigning effort of the administration slate.

"We will see what happens after the local officials start to endorse us as they start their campaigning," Defensor added.

He said the local machinery accounts for about 20 to 30 percent of the survey ratings.

"In the end, as we continue with the campaign, we hope that the people would realize that we have a platform and the other side does not," Defensor said.

He said the latest survey has inspired them to work harder in their campaign.

"We know that there is still a lot of work to do, a lot of issues to answer and programs to explain to the voters," Defensor said.

The Team Unity candidates told a news conference here of their camaraderie and sincere desire to work together for the good of the country.

"I can’t believe it," candidate Jamalul Kiram said of the surveys.

He believed the Team Unity bets would have better chances in the coming elections.

Pichay, for his part, said the surveys are part of the strategy to increase people’s awareness and approval of a candidate.

Recto and Arroyo said they would want Team Unity to win because of the need to have a "working majority" at the Senate and work on vital measures to improve the country and the lives of the people.

Davao Rep. Prospero Nograles said the latest SWS survey serves no purpose since all that matters is the finish line.

Nograles said it is too early to tell since surveys usually differ from actual results.

The House Majority Leader compared the SWS surveys to horse racing.

"Leading and winning are two different things," Nograles pointed out.

"Much like a horse race, it’s good to lead from the start but it’s the finish line and final push that would make winning possible for the horses," Nograles said.

The Davao lawmaker, along with Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco, expressed confidence that Team Unity’s systematic and smooth campaign would actually spell victory for the administration slate in the May 14 elections.

The results of the SWS survey, according to them, are still "immaterial" since it was done too early to show any real trend of how the senatorial elections will turn out.

In a joint statement, they pointed out the administration candidates are "still in the first third of the campaign period, having more or less two more months to court votes, air their political ads and to make people aware of their platforms and agenda."

Even if the survey results was 8-3-1 in favor of the Genuine Opposition, Nograles said this will only make Team Unity and the administration coalition "work harder to create more push for their candidates all the way to the finish line."

"The start of the local campaign will further boost Team Unity’s campaign nationwide because in 95 percent of areas nationwide where the majority rules, the mantra will be 12-0 for Team Unity," Nograles said.

He said surveys are usually called indicators. He cited several cases where candidates who lag behind in surveys turn out to be topnotchers after votes have been canvassed.

When Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo first ran for senator in 1992, she ranked 32 in the surveys, but eventually topped the senatorial race, Nograles said.

So was Jamby Madrigal, he said, who ranked 20 plus in the 2004 surveys, but landed sixth in the senatorial race.

"Look at the line-up of the opposition, it’s all political compromise. Very clearly, these bets were against them (before). They were responsible for the ouster of (former President) Erap (Estrada)," he said. – With Delon Porcalla