A news item this week in a national publication stated that no less that Prof Jose V. Abueva objected to a result of a poll regarding the opinion of the people on the proposed charter change. The question was loaded. The query was stated thus: “Are you in favor of the charter change as proposed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo?” Or words to that effect. If there is a real answer to that kind of question, the number would be insignificant.

Had the question had been:” Are you in favor of charter change?” the answer might have some honest response but it would be unlikely. But since the phrase “as proposed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo” is added, the context of the question has changed. It tried to add partisanship to the query. To the opposition Pres Arroyo cannot do anything right. They down play any good that she has done and magnify any error that she had committed. For those inclined to the administration, they make excuses for any controversial act of the President and lavish praise on any perceived good achieved.

To the opposition inclined responder, the answer to that question would be invariably negative. To those in favor of the administration, the answer would be positive. There response therefore does not truly reflect the acceptance or rejection of the proposed change but of the mentioned proponent of the change, which is not the aim of the survey. Had the last phrase “as proposed by etc” not included the answer would not still be conclusive.

Without the last phrase, the true query is addressed. However if the survey were made on those who matter most, the ordinary tao, the answer would still not be conclusive. The best degree that the tao could achieve is functional literacy. He is seldom conversant in the unitary presidential, federal presidential, parliamentary and federal parliamentary forms of government. As a whole, he cannot be capable of giving a conclusive answer how much more if he is asked a loaded question?

There was once a survey of product performance of certain merchandise. Researchers surveyed a cross section of rural sarisari stores of the sales performance of the product and related products on the shelf. Investigators asked for the volume of sales and preferences of the customers. There was no instant where they revealed for whom and for what they are doing. Elicited answers were summarized and the results were thoroughly reliable to form a basis for company decision. That is survey in the true sense of the word. Opinion polling is a tricky business. Politicians, the main source of polling jobs, do not want the truth. They only like results to bolster their stand. If the result is unfavorable, ignore it or change it. Any pollster relying on that source for business would think twice in submitting opinion contradicting that of the client. To assuage the conscience, loaded questions are crafted so the responses would not stray from the required answers.

Then, there is an ad in television sponsored by One Voice airing objections to charter change. The short plug plays up the disadvantage of the change such as politicians perpetuating themselves in the proposed parliamentary form of government. There are those who prefer the present chaos. The perpetual conflict between the administrative and legislative stops economic progress. The meddling of politicians in the judiciary hampers administration of justice. Members of the powerful Committee of Appointment and Committee on Appropriations can force anyone to toe the line. Unequal distribution of wealth prevails. The masses must be kept poor and ignorant so political mobilization would be easy. Why change that?