No March survey favoring Rama

CEBU, Philippines - The University of San Carlos (USC) denied it conducted a recent survey showing reelectionist Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama winning the mayoralty race over south district Tomas Osmeña.

Copies of the results of the survey that the university allegedly conducted and commissioned by the Liberal Party were reportedly distributed at the City Hall yesterday.

The survey, allegedly conducted from March 23 to 31, 2013, revealed that Rama dominated Osmeña in 46 areas of the city.

The results reportedly showed Rama garnered 2,912 votes while Osmeña got 2,481 votes from respondents aged 19 to 88 years old in the two districts.

The survey was reportedly entitled Voter Preference Tracking Poll and released by University of San Carlos College of Advanced Studies, Cebu City.

It has a margin of error of 3.86 percent.

Complete opposite

But in a statement, USC acting president and vice president for academic affairs Fr. Anthony Salas stated that the alleged survey shows a complete opposite of the results released by the university's Department of Political Science and the Centre for Governance, Leadership and Development.

"The University of San Carlos would like to declare that our institution only conducted the Cebu City Political Survey done by the Political Science and the Centre for Governance, Leadership and Development (C-GoD Lead) the School of Law and Governance," Salas said.

Grace Magalzo, chair of the USC Political Science Department, said they conducted a survey in November last year and in March this year.

Rama won in the November survey but Osmeña dominated Rama in the March survey.

The results of the surveys were presented by the university last Monday

USC clarified that it does not have any unit bearing the name College of Advanced Studies.

It explained that the only unit authorized to conduct any political survey is the C-GoD Lead under the School of Law and Governance, saying its survey is done only for academic purposes.

"Let it be noted that as an academic institution, we are also responsible in shaping the political and development discourse of the local setting. Hence, we are utilizing all means possible to ensure the academic integrity of all information coming from us," Salas said.

"The independence of the university in the conduct of the survey has been strictly maintained from the phase of determining the survey design, the drafting and finalization of the survey questionnaire, to the actual conduct of the survey, the processing, analysis, and interpretation of data. Even up to the release of the data result, the integrity of the process is maintained and protected," he said.

Salas also clarified that the university or any of its units had not received any request for a survey from any local or national political groups.

Besides, USC is taking a non-partisan stand in all  its academic engagements, he added.

Questionable

Rama was thankful when the results of the alleged survey were presented to him during his regular press conference yesterday.

But he insisted that he does not rely on surveys.

Osmeña, on the other hand, questioned the reliability of the survey.

"Questionable kaayo. Ngano mayor ra? Mas interesado ang LP sa mayor? Dili mga senador? Walay congressman? Nganung naa may LP seal every page unless it was for public consumption? Ngano, dili moangkon ang USC nga sila ang naghimo?" Osmeña said in a text message.

Magalzo also made it clear that they do not make surveys that are commissioned by a political parties.

"Wala mi gi-commissioned og any other party. Dili mi modawat og commissioned nga survey," Magalzo said. 

"In so far as I know, walay gi-release lain, kato ra gyud ang gipresent namo sa presscon and it was not commissioned since it is independent and non-partisan," she added. -/LPM (FREEMAN)