‘Survicious’

If you’ve every been a respon- dent to a political survey, you have probably been the victim of what I’ve termed as Survicious or Surveys Commissioned by Politicians for purposes of making themselves look good or to set a trend without your permission. Did survey firms ever ask your permission to use the results to promote or endorse a candidate?

Consider the fact that a survey is generally done to determine the “pulse” or the attitudes of the public or a specific group of people relative to a product or the intent of a politician. People agree to be part of the survey but I don’t know or recall a survey where people agreed to be used as endorsers for a certain politician. The problem is the research tool has now been turned into an instrument of endorsement with the active participation of print and media that carelessly or intentionally release survey results as gospel truth!

In the first place, survey results are generally used for “internal” purposes not for promotional purposes. They are indicators relative to a candidate who PAID for the survey and not a nationally staged activity by the government or independent authority with no pecuniary or monetary interest. In other words there is an ulterior motive or a political purpose. The sentiment of 100 people or even 1,000 respondents is never an accurate representation of 5 or 10 million voters spread out in 7,100 islands. If anything, claims or reported survey results are misleading or are used to mislead people into a trend or mindset!

Given how survey results have been used time and again to set trends or create “popular” misimpressions, gives all of us reason to challenge the conduct of surveys and survey firms.

It may be a shot in the dark, but it is time for Filipinos to demand that “political survey” results be kept confidential and not be reported by media because they create trends or misimpressions to favor candidates with a bigger party and has more money. If surveys continue to be misused by politicians, the media and the survey firms themselves, then, Netizens should do all they can to discredit these “user friendly” groups for manipulation and misrepresentation.

Corruption in our streets has taken a high-tech all time low especially along MacArthur Highway near the Malabon Zoo. A long time associate called me last week to tell me that his driver was arrested by an “MMDA” Traffic enforcer surnamed “Chato” in the CAMANAVA area. Given that the driver was a mere daily wage earner or pa-extra/extra driver, he did not have any cash to pay the demand of the enforcer and even showed the guy his wallet and emptied out his pants pocket to prove his point.

You would think that would be enough to draw pity or the pointlessness of soliciting a bribe. NO, it was not as the “MMDA enforcer” instructed the driver to call his boss and tell him to do a “SMART Padala” to cellphone # 091********. Corruption at the level of mobility?

Now the MMDA wants to implement the no-contact form of “arrest” for traffic violators. Is it convenience or lack of conviction to make the arrests and make them stick? Do we wait and let a traffic violator carry on with their wrong driving habits for months if not a year before we let them know they’ve been tagged? I say arrest them on the spot, spoil their day and make them learn as soon as possible.

Round and Round the Rotunda….? What Rotunda? In case you don’t know or have not heard about it the Shaw Boulevard Rotunda that used to be a major landmark between the old provincial capitol, Pasig’s motel row and Barrio Kapitolyo has been sneakily removed piece by piece in order to avoid a firestorm from possible oppositionists. They did it so well and so slowly that many motorists and pedestrians are now asking how much longer is this hide and seek going to take.

For starters, locals and motorists are wondering what the national or local authorities have decided on in terms of traffic management. Will there be a traffic light/intersection between Shaw Boulevard, Capitol Commons and Barrio Kapitolyo? Or will it be one of those organic intersections maintained by humans or organic personnel of the Pasig TPMO?

People are also asking about the huge diggings and unfinished concrete posts at various points “around” the intersection. Vendors in the area claim they are for an elevated platform for pedestrians. But how come they’ve stopped working on the project for the last three months, blocked walkways and shrunk the entry into the village? With people, motorcycles and cats fighting for space, this “construction site is now an “accident waiting to happen.”

It would help if the people or government offices both local and national came out to explain or clarify exactly what they intend to do and why on earth is the project taking so long and why were the contractors allowed to dig, dump, and wall the pedestrian walkway?

Still in the area of Pasig, as I drove down from Meralco Avenue to St. Paul Road, to St. Martin, I was surprised by a number of vehicles that would suddenly counter flow at high speed nearly coming into my lane head-on. I soon discovered that they were all avoiding driving over a speed hump by driving around it because the hump was only on half the road and not totally across.

These half-humps may seem practical cost cutting ideas but in truth they are an engineered invitation for accidents. A year or two ago three kids reportedly died in a car accident inside Alabang Village. According to one of the residents, the kids were doing exactly what the half-hump avoiders were doing. My guess is the kids drove one side of tires by the canal and the other side over the humps. Whatever the means or style, the St. Paul road half humps are too much of a temptation and a risk and should be completed across the entire road! The same should be done for humps in high traffic areas in Metro Manila.