by Alyanna Kassandra Orlina, Carla Joy Pagala, & Kathryn Gorgonia, PUP Interns

Manila, Philippines — Candidates from labor namely, Atty. Renato Arellano, Atty. Allan Montaño,  Atty. Sonny Matula, Atty Neri Colmenares and Leody de Guzman are virtually unknown to the voters from Mindanao in the survey conducted by Center for Peoples Media (CPM) and interns from Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP)  dated January 24 to February 3, 2019. Except for Neri Colmenares who collected 38.71%, the rest of the labor candidates did not reach a 2-digit mark when respondents where asked if they are aware of the 5 senatorial aspirants from the labor sector. The result also show that majority of the respondents believe  that none of them will enter the magic 12 as their experiences and exposure to politics are not enough and that they are not capable to be in the Senate.

SURVEY BACKGROUND

The data collection procedure was hard for us given that our team was assigned to survey people from the regions in Mindanao. In order to achieve our target respondents at a limited time, we used different types of data gathering methods such as face-to-face survey, survey through personal message via messenger, and survey through phone calls.

We all did this in accordance with our physical questionnaire. Trying to find possible respondents proved to be difficult. During our face-to-face survey, many people declined to spend a few of their time to participate,  some politely while a few explicitly signified distrust. Survey via personal messages and phone calls, came in easier than the first. We asked relatives and acquaintances to help us get contacts from the South and get them to participate in our survey.

A total of 62 respondents from the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato, Bukidnon, and Zamboanga participated of whom 58% are female and 42% male with a majority  aged 18 to 24 and mostly employed.

LABOR WIN SENATORIAL CANDIDATES 2019:

Atty. Allan Montano #49

Atty. Sonny Matula #49

Atty. Neri Colmenares #22

Atty. Ernesto Arellano #11

Leody De Guzman #23

CONCLUSION

It is sad that the Senate, in its long history, has yet to produce a legislator that comes genuinely from the ranks of the working people. Labor force in the Philippines amounts to more than 70% of the total population and as such could provide a labor vote that would bring representatives to Congress when seriously considered.  As it is now, it remains dismal that personalities and “trapos” still dominate the government and that voters seem not to care and numb about it. The bonding of 5 labor candidates from different unions is in itself a victory to the labor movement and could well initiate a change in the way they isolate themselves from one another. However, the results of the survey point to the fact that there is much to do for organized labor and their candidates to get the attention of the voting public and rally them to their cause.  Whatever may be the outcome in the coming May election as regards their fate, it becomes imperative that the union of the 5 labor candidates forged to challenge the system should continue and develop  into a strong political party for and of the workers. CPM