Pulse: Voters firm up choices 1 month before polls

MANILA, Philippines — Many Filipino voters may still change their minds on who to vote for less than a month before the May 9 elections, according to Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes.

Speaking with “The Chiefs” aired on Cignal TV’s One News last Monday night, Holmes said the support of voters remains fluid at this time based on previous experience.

“In 2010, when we did an exit poll, we asked them when they decided on who to vote for president… It showed that they decided about less than a month before the elections,” Holmes said in Filipino.

He added that almost half of the respondents in their most recent poll said either they might still change their votes or were unsure if they would do so.

“That means that their decision can still change,” he said.

Over the weekend, Pulse Asia released its latest non-commissioned survey showing former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. solidifying his significant lead against his rivals.

Marcos obtained support from 60 percent of the respondents, followed by Vice President Leni Robredo with 16 percent, Sen. Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso with eight percent and Sen. Panfilo Lacson with four percent.

All other presidential bets obtained less than one percent of support.

Holmes also noted that the impact of the recent presidential interviews has yet to reflect in the latest Pulse Asia survey, which was conducted from Jan. 19 to 24.

Marcos drew criticism online after he refused to participate in the Jessica Soho presidential interviews aired on GMA Network on Jan. 22.

“It is possible that those who were interviewed (by Pulse Asia) in the last two days (of the survey period) have yet to process what happened during the Soho interview, (including the) feedback on the absence or refusal of former senator Bongbong Marcos to be interviewed,” Holmes said.

Pulse Asia said it would conduct monthly pre-election surveys until April, with the next results expected to be released early to middle of this month.

Compliant

Pulse Asia also expressed openness to a plan of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to issue additional guidelines on conducting election surveys.

In the same interview with “The Chiefs,” Holmes said they have been compliant with existing regulations regarding conducting pre-election surveys.

He cited Supreme Court (SC) decisions that outlined rules on their publication, including the disclosure if these were commissioned by a specific person or group.

“The SC has decided in the past that it is unconstitutional to ban the publication surveys. There’s an SC decision that binds us (polling) organizations to be transparent about our questions and whether we are conducting commissioned surveys,” he said.

“We have adhered to these regulations, so we will just wait for what are the new regulations on the part of the Comelec,” he added.

Last Sunday, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the poll body might craft additional guidelines to require election survey groups to publish poll questions and reveal the identities of those who commissioned them.

While recognizing that there are “legitimate and honest” polling firms, Jimenez warned the public against bogus groups that might not be releasing accurate results.