Public Opinion Polls , Governance and Democratization: The Philippines

Abstract

This paper seeks to describe, explain and analyze the 2000 Gallup Millennium Survey (hereinafter, GMS) data on democratic governance in the Philippines in comparison with other nine countries covered in the study. Organized along trust and governance issues, the GMS data allows for a useful-albeit tentative-comparative assessment of political values, norms and beliefs among Asian countries. Political and governance research with public opinion polls as primary material bears a lot of promise in understanding public affairs and promoting democratic governance. Democratic impulse is enhanced every time public views and sentiments are factored in policies, programs and decisions. It checks and qualifies overstatements of forceful yet impressionistic prescriptions and coherent yet technocratic views. If developed to a level of regularity and methodology such as those which now operate in Western democracies, opinion polls stand to be a valuable guide in good governance and citizenship in Asia.