House panel OKs bill requiring pollsters to disclose financiers

MANILA, Philippines - The House committee on public information has approved a bill mandating survey outfits to disclose financiers or sponsors of their polls to give the public a fair and educated judgment on its results.

The committee chaired by Misamis Occidental Rep. Jorge Almonte passed House Bill 3188 or “An Act Mandating Full Disclosure of Source of Funding and Financing of Surveys” authored by Leyte Rep. Sergio Apostol.

Apostol said the conduct of surveys affects the lives of Filipinos and “can be a shining light that may guide the citizenry to decide better for themselves and their respective families.”

“However, some surveys may just confuse and mislead the general public altogether, leading to speculations and unwarranted conclusions as to the truth of a matter of public concern,” he said.

He said revealing the true source of funding and financing of surveys “rightfully apprises the public of who may be truly behind the conduct of the same and their intention of doing so.”

He said the measure aims to stop the practice of unscrupulous persons who may use their wealth through surveys to advance “their not-so-noble intention of misinforming the public only for their personal gain.”