The Political Survey Transparency and Accountability Act (Proposed)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Transparency, integrity, and accountability are the bedrock of a functioning democracy. In the Philippines, pre-election surveys conducted by private polling firms have significantly influenced public opinion, media narratives, candidate viability, and ultimately, electoral outcomes. For decades, these surveys have operated without standardized oversight, third-party auditing, or public access to raw regional, provincial, and city-level data — despite their substantial impact on the democratic process.

This proposed legislation arises from a series of unanswered public questions directed to the leadership of major survey firms. Among them are concerns regarding consistent inaccuracies in candidate rankings, delayed publication close to election day, lack of transparency in sponsorship disclosures, potential conflicts of interest, and the absence of consent from all named aspirants. The 2025 elections, in particular, revealed stark disparities between survey predictions and actual results — raising urgent doubts about whether these surveys are shaping opinion more than reflecting it.

The open letter, signed by a private citizen, calls attention to troubling patterns: consistently underreported candidates like Bam Aquino, Kiko Pangilinan, and Rodante Marcoleta; the mechanical presence of five names in the “Magic 12” despite their eventual defeat; and the highly concentrated sampling methodology — wherein one respondent may statistically represent over 17 barangays. These raise legitimate questions about sample representativeness, data tabulation practices, regional granularity, and the influence of survey sponsors.

To safeguard public trust and prevent the manipulation of electoral perceptions, this proposed measure seeks to institutionalize the regulation of political survey firms. It will require:

• Full transparency on sponsorships and cost disclosures,
• Mandatory regional breakdowns of survey results,
• Auditable tabulation systems with third-party access,
• Clear consent protocols for named candidates,
• A system for validating voter preference alignment post-election.

Echoing the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago’s warning that survey firms act as "kingmakers", this bill aims to reclaim electoral agency from unregulated private influence and restore credibility to democratic decision-making.

This measure is not an attack on freedom of expression but an act of democratic self-defense. It is a citizen’s assertion that the truth must not only be spoken — but proven.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. XXXX

AN ACT MANDATING THE REGULATION, THIRD-PARTY AUDIT, AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF POLITICAL SURVEYS, INCLUDING SPONSORSHIP DETAILS, REGIONAL, PROVINCIAL, AND CITY-LEVEL BREAKDOWNS, AND CANDIDATE CONSENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Section 1. Short Title.

This Act shall be known as the "The Political Survey Transparency and Accountability Act".

Section 2. Declaration of Policy.

It is hereby declared the policy of the State to ensure the integrity, transparency, and accountability of public election-related survey data. Survey firms operating within the Philippines shall be subject to public interest regulation, particularly when their outputs are disseminated nationally and have the potential to influence electoral outcomes.

Section 3. Definition of Terms.

For the purposes of this Act, the following terms are defined as follows:

1. Political Survey - refers to any public opinion poll or statistical study conducted and disseminated before any electoral process, which measures voter preference, name recall, or likelihood of voting for a candidate.
2. Survey Firm - refers to any private entity, institution, or group that conducts and/or publishes political surveys.
3. Sponsor - any individual, candidate, organization, or institution that funds a survey wholly or partially.
4. Survey Participant - any person interviewed or surveyed as part of a political survey.
5. Survey Result - refers to the published outcome of a political survey, including rankings, percentages, awareness, and statistical findings.
6. Third-Party Audit - refers to an independent validation of survey methods and results by a qualified, neutral organization.

Section 4. Coverage.

This Act shall apply to all political survey firms, sponsors, and media outlets that commission, conduct, or publish election-related surveys within the territory of the Philippines, whether for internal or public release.

Section 5. Core Provisions.

1. Mandatory Disclosure of Sponsors and Costs - All published political surveys must include the full name of the sponsor, the amount paid, and the purpose for which the data was gathered.
2. Publication of Regional, Provincial and City Breakdown - Survey results must include disaggregated data per region, province, and city to allow voters, candidates, and analysts to compare results post-election.
3. Consent of Named Candidates - Candidates must give explicit written consent before their name, rank, or voter preference percentage is included in any publicly disseminated survey.
4. Auditability and Transparency - Survey firms must maintain a verifiable chain of custody of raw survey data and allow random audits of at least 10% of survey participants by a third-party audit body certified by the Commission on Audit (COA) or the Supreme Court. The Commission on Audit (COA) itself may also serve as the third-party auditor.
5. Prohibition of Mass Publication Without Disaggregation - No national survey result shall be published without clear regional, provincial, and city disaggregation and sampling demographics (e.g., age, income, occupation of respondents).
6. Tabulation System Disclosure - Firms must publish the method of tabulation, whether centralized or regional, and name the individuals or teams responsible for computing and compiling results.
7. Survey Delay Accountability - If a survey is published more than 5 days after data collection, the reason for the delay must be stated in the publication. If the delay exceeds 10 days, the survey must not be published online or reported in news media outlets.

Section 6. Rights of Candidates.

Any candidate named in a survey may request the raw data concerning their own rankings and preference metrics and may object to its publication if consent is not given. If the candidate does not give consent, their name will be replaced with the word “anonymous” in all survey results shared with the public.

Section 7. Regulatory Oversight.

A Survey Integrity and Accountability Divisions (SIAD) shall be created under the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and Commission on Audit (COA) - to enforce this Act, issue regulations, receive public complaints, and certify third-party audit entities.

Section 8. Release of Final Audit Reports.

The final audit reports conducted by third-party audit bodies certified by the Survey Integrity and Accountability Division (SIAD) shall be released on their respective official social media accounts on the same day, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. This schedule shall enable the public to compare independent audit findings in a timely and transparent manner.

Section 9. Penalties.

Any survey firm that violates this Act shall be subject to the following:

• First offense - Fine of not less than ₱100,000.
• Second offense - Fine of not less than ₱250,000.
• Third offense - Suspension of publication license for 6 months.
• Fourth offense - Suspension of publication license for 12 months.
• Fifth offense - Permanent disqualification from publishing political surveys.

False disclosure of sponsorship or denial of audit access shall be grounds for criminal investigation and prosecution under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Section 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and Commission on Audit (COA), in consultation with media organizations, academic institutions, and civil society groups, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.

Section 11. Separability Clause.

If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 12. Effectivity.

This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Final Proposed Law

Muñoz, J. P. (2025). The Political Survey Transparency and Accountability Act (1.0). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15532246

Drafted and Authored by Jonelle Peter Muñoz

Proponent of The Political Survey Transparency and Accountability Act.

All rights reserved. This proposed measure was conceptualized, structured, and written under the sole authorship of Jonelle Peter Muñoz. Any assistance from language tools or editors was under direct guidance and does not alter authorship.

Originality Verification Reward

To uphold the integrity and originality of this initiative, I am offering a ₱550 or $10 reward to anyone who can prove that any proposed bill on this site is at least 80% similar to an existing law. This reward system reflects my commitment to transparency and invites public scrutiny to help refine and improve these legislative ideas for the nation.

To participate, simply create a public post on Facebook comparing the proposed bill with the existing law you believe it resembles. Include clear points of comparison, such as purpose, scope, and legal mechanisms, and tag my name: Jonelle Peter Muñoz. This makes the process transparent and allows both the public and myself to fairly assess the claim.