Gordon: Surveys are mere propaganda

CEBU, Philippines - Presidential candidate Richard Gordon said surveys conducted by various polling firms are mere propaganda.

Gordon said voters should not base their decisions on survey results but on the track record of candidates.

“The surveys are nothing but propaganda,” he said.

Gordon said the survey firms should publish the names of people who commissioned the surveys.

“In the surveys, they don’t even publish who are paying for these surveys. They must. I demand that they show it. Every presidential candidate, every senator, every congressman, they must show. I demand it. In the United States, they do that,” he said.

Gordon also questioned the method used in the conduct of surveys, pointing out that when he ran for the Senate in 2004, the surveys placed him way out of the winning circle but he was elected anyway, even without votes from the Iglesia ni Cristo.

“I was number 29 when I ran for the Senate and landed number 5 even without the Iglesia,” he said.

Gordon said it is hard to believe that he has an approval rating of only one percent in the surveys when he got 13 million votes when he ran for the Senate.

“They have surveyed 1,500 people. Have you met anyone who was surveyed? How can I get only one percent when I got 13 million votes last time? I think at least I’ll get 10 out of 100,” he said.

 “Who are running the surveys? What questions are they asking? Is my name even there?” he said.

He also said that he will support to eradicate surveys. 

Gordon is also calling on the Commission on Elections not to allow voters to bring sample ballots during the May 10 elections.

Gordon added that sample ballots can jam the machine or cause a delay during the election.

“Walang tangang Pilipino, kayo ang nagtatanga sa Pilipino,” stressed Gordon, referring to those who insist that voters should bring sample ballots with them.

Gordon also promised to increase the monthly salaries for teachers to P40,000 if he will be elected president.

Current teacher’s salaries, Gordon explained, are around P12,000 to P15,000 a month, compared to P122,000 a month for teachers in Singapore.

“Gusto ko, P40,000 ang suweldo ng teacher kaagad in the next six years,” Gordon said.

Raising teacher’s salaries, he said, will attract skilled graduates to teach in schools.

Skilled teachers can raise students’ academic performance even at the kindergarten or elementary grade levels, Gordon added. — THE FREEMAN