Comelec Chairman George Garcia presides over the Raffle of Party-List Groups and Organizations or Coalitions' Order in the Official Ballot for the 2025 National and Local Elections  held at the Chairman's Hall, Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila  on October 18, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- The Commission on Elections said it will meet survey firms this week to lay down its regulations regarding its new rule requiring the registration of election pollsters.

COMELEC Chairman George Garcia said that based on the Fair Elections Act, they are mandated to regulate firms that conduct pre-election surveys.

"Ang Republic Act 9006 yung Fair Elections Act ay nagbibigay kapangyarihan sa Comelec para iregulate yung mga survey organization o firms," said Garcia in an interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo on Sunday.

"Kapag hindi nakapag rehistro, ilalabas namin lahat ng nakarehistro. Ang hindi makapagrehistro, ilalabas po namin yan dahi iyan ay mga bogus at hidi mapagkakatiwalaan. Kapag nakapagparehistro at hindi nagsubmit ng report kakasuhan ng election offense. In-affirm yun ng Korte Suprema sa Pulse Asia versus Comelec at SWS versus Comelec na may kapangyarihan kami na magcharge at magkaso laban sa mga iyan."

The election executive said there are several questions regarding the conduct of pre-election surveys, which has been prevalent ahead of the 2025 Midterm Elections.

"Sa sobrang dami na naglipana, hindi mo na madistinguish na alin ang mga survey na ang purpose lang ay ibenta sa mga kandidato... na sila ay lalabas kunyari na nasa top ganito kahit walang pinagbasehan, kahit walang scientific methodology man lang na inaadopt," he noted. "'Di natin alam kung sino ang nagcommission, sino ang nagbayad, paano pinili ang respondents, bakit hindi kumpleto ang pangalan ng kandidato sa mga survey?" Garcia said.

Those questions will eventually be answered once a pre-election pollster gets registered. Garcia said they will require firms to report whenever they conduct a survey.

"Sa linggo pong ito ay hopefully makapagpulong tayo a kanila upang sabihin kung paanong ilalatag namin para makapagparehistro sa amin," he said.

Garcia likened the registration to the processes being done with party lists and political parties.

"'Di ba ganoon ang party lists at political party? 'Pag nagcommercial sa radio, TV, dyaryo, nagrereport po sa amin. 'Di ba dapat sa survey nagrereport din sa atin upang malaman kung ang nag-commission niyan ay political party o partido, o tao, o kandidato. Nararapat na maireport yan sa statue of contribution and expenditure," he said.

"Dapat registered ka parang party list, o political party. Pagkatapos freely silang makapag-conduct ng survey nila kahit lingo-lingo, buwan-buwan, wala kaming problema. Pero kung anong resulta ng survey nila dapat maireport sa amin."

Garcia added they want to regulate survey firms to ensure fairness among candidates.

"Para maifix natin ano bang rate kapag nagpapasurvey? Bakit naman itong isa ilang milyon? 'Yung isa ganitong libo lang. 'Di ata fair yun parang may violation ng equal opportunity for all," he said.

But Garcia said there will be exceptions to the rule.

"Kung ang survey gagawin ay pampribado lang, para lang sa satisfaction lang ng isang kandidato, hindi namin cover yan. Private po iyan," he said. "Pero kung ang survey ang purpose ay ipublicize o isapubliko, pakikialaman po namin iyon."

Also beyond their rule are surveys conducted by media entities.

"Kung may mga program news program sa istasyon, parang katuwaan lang, hindi na naman kailangan iparehistro sa 'min kasi part po iyan ng news and public affairs program."