NOV.

29, 2013

NR # 3302

House leader seeks mandatory disclosure of funding source of surveys

A House leader is seeking the mandatory disclosure of the source of funding and financing of surveys to rightfully apprise the public of who are behind their conduct and their intention of doing so. House Deputy Speaker and Leyte Second District Rep. Sergio Apostol said while surveys can be a shining light that may guide the citizenry to decide better for themselves and their families some surveys may be misleading and confusing. !"he conduct of surveys is a regular occurrence which regularly affects the lives of many #ilipinos. However some surveys may $ust confuse and mislead the general public altogether leading to speculations and unwarranted conclusions as to the truth of a matter of public concern % Apostol said. "he lawmaker added that his proposal embodied in House &ill '()' seeking the mandatory disclosure of the source of funding and financing of surveys will stop the practice of unscrupulous persons who may use their wealth through surveys to advance their not so noble intention of misinforming the public for personal gain. !House &ill '()' seeks to reveal the identity of the person or persons using his or their money to conduct these surveys. &y doing so the general public will have a fair and an educated $udgment as to the veracity and legitimacy of these surveys % said Apostol. "he bill provides that any person firm entity or group of persons who shall conduct or is regularly conducting a survey or a series of surveys for the purpose of disseminating or spreading for or informing the general public or a certain community of the results thereof through the mass media print media or any other means of written verbal visual *nternet or mobile communication shall fully disclose publicize and reveal the truth and complete source of funding of such survey. "he measure defines survey as !a gathering of a sample data or opinions from a group or a cluster of people regarding a certain sub$ect matter which sample data may give a reasonable representation of the general opinion or sentiment of a whole population of which such group or cluster of people is a part or a member.% A survey may be conducted by means of a written +uestionnaire *nternet on,line +uestioning S-S messaging house,to,house or impromptu +uestioning or any other means the purpose of which is to disseminate or inform the public of the results thereof according to the bill. "he proposal provides that the liability for any person or a group of persons who

shall not fully disclose publicize or reveal the complete and truthful source of funding and financing of a survey shall be si. months to one year imprisonment or a fine or not less /01 111. "he liability of a firm or entity shall fall upon those who actually and directly participated in the conduct of the survey whether or not employees of such same firm or entity as well as to its president manager or supervisor who actually and directly authorized sanctioned or ordered to conduct the same survey. *t is presumed the result of the survey was purposely made for the knowledge and information of the public when the same result has become public through the television radio newspaper or web 2internet3 the bill provides. #urthermore the bill provides any survey made relating to the conduct of any regular national or local election in violation of the provision of the proposed Act shall be treated as an election offense and prosecuted under the authority and supervision of the 4ommission on 5lections 246-5L543. 6n e.ceptions the bill provides the obligation to disclose publicize or reveal the truthful and complete source of funding of a survey shall not apply to the following7 surveys for purely scholastic work and educational purposes as re+uired by academic institutions8 surveys for personal use and information only8 and surveys where the sub$ect matter conduct and results thereof are directly and actually connected only to a specific entity or group conducted at the instance of the same entity or group as aforementioned for the purpose of compiling an entity or company data system for employment or human resource or for formulation of company policy. 2'13 rbb