Nobody, nobody but you! A Study on UP Manila – College of Arts and Science Students’ Preferences on the Qualities of a Presidential Candidate that should be elected An Undergraduate Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of Social Sciences College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Manila In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Bachelor Arts Major in Political Science By Rowen Alaine S. Rivera 30 March 2010
Transcript
Nobody, nobody but you!
A Study on UP Manila – College of Arts and Science Students’ Preferences
on the Qualities of a Presidential Candidate that should be elected
An Undergraduate Thesis Presented to
The Faculty of the Department of Social Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences,
University of the Philippines Manila
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of Bachelor Arts
Major in Political Science
By
Rowen Alaine S. Rivera
30 March 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Introduction i-ii
Objectives of the Study iii
II. Review of related Literature 1-3
III. Theoretical Framework 4-6
Conceptual Framework 7
IV. Methodology
A. Data Collection
A.1 Research Design 8
A.1.1 Quantitative Data (Sample Size and Sampling) 9-12
A.1.2 Qualitative Data (Sampling) 12-13
A.2 Data Collection Techniques 14-15
B. Data Analysis Methods 15-17
C. Ethics 17
V. Presentation of Data
A. Quantitative Data 18-31
B. Qualitative Data 31-35
VI. Analysis of Data 36-40
VII. Conclusion and Recommendation 41
List of References 42-43
Appendix A 44
Appendix B 45-46
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Proportion for each Stratum 11
Table 2: The actual number of respondents per stratum 12
Table 3: Interviewee’s Profile 13
Table 4: Gender Distribution of respondents 18
Table 5: Age distribution of respondents 18
Table 6: Distribution of awareness of students of the 2010 elections 19
Table 7: Distribution of registered voters and those actually voting 19
Table 8.1: Distribution of the sources of information 20
with regards to May 10, 2010 elections
Table 8.2: Distribution of sources of information with regards to 20
May 10, 2010 elections
Table 9.1: Distribution of presidential candidates that are 21
known/familiar to respondents
Table 9.2: Distribution of presidential candidates that are 21
known/familiar to respondents
Table 10: Distribution of presidential candidates that 22
respondents are most likely to vote for
Table 11: Distribution of the qualities of a presidential candidate 23-24
that made the respondents vote for them in Question No. 4
Table 12: Distribution of the qualities of a presidential candidate that 24-25
students consider desirable
Table 13: Distribution of the qualities of a presidential candidate that 26-27
students consider important
Tables 14.1-14.7: Table of Correlation for qualities charismatic, 28
intelligent, has done projects for the poor,has a vision for the
country and its people, not corrupt, has fear of God, and popular
Table 15: Summary Distribution of the relationship between desired 29
qualities and important qualities that students look for in a
presidential candidate.
Table 16: Distribution of the reasons why students consider 30
the said qualities desirable and important
Table 17: Distribution of factors that influence students’ 30-31
Preference on the qualities of a presidential candidate
Table 18: Table of qualitative data from in-depth interviews 33-35
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
My hard work, patience and determination in giving out the best in this thesis
proposal finally paid off. As I look at my work again, I can’t help but remember all the
people who helped me out in the completion of my work. These people are my parents,
family and friends who continuously motivated and inspired me to bring out the best that
I can make. They witnessed the times that I have been working for this thesis. They have
also helped me out even in simple things like giving words of encouragement to me.
There were also times wherein I want to renounce but then they believed in me that I
could make it. Without these people, this thesis will not be possible. That’s why I would
like to sincerely express my gratitude to them for all the times they stood for me.
I would also like to express my gratitude to my Thesis Adviser, Ma’am Jinky Lu,
who patiently read and checked my drafts to further improve this thesis.
Most especially, I would like to thank our Heavenly Father for giving me people
like them, for the wisdom as well as guidance that He had given. Everything I have, He
deserves all the glory.
Though my work is done, the times that I had spent in working with this thesis
will definitely won’t be forgotten. I will always recall those tiring, sometimes frustrating
yet challenging days that I had experienced. Again, I’d like to thank all the people who
brought out the best in me for the success of this thesis. I’ll always be grateful for your
faith and trust in me.
Rowen Alaine Rivera
i
I. INTRODUCTION
Last December 2009, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported that more than 49
million voters have decided, with conscious effort, to register for the upcoming 2010 elections.
The said number of registrants are said to be 2 million more than what was reported by the
agency few months ago.
Gregorio Larrazabal, Comelec Commisioner, confirmed that 49,225,089 Filipinos, in the
country and abroad, have registered for the 2010 national and local elections. The said number
was up by more than 4 million compared to those who registered last 2007 elections with 45.029
million and 2004 with 43.5 million. However, the said figure of 49,225,089 is not yet final since
there still municipalities and cities that are yet to submit their registration reports.
It is obvious that a high registration turnout took place for the upcoming 2010 elections
and some attribute this to the heightened interest of Filipinos to vote in presidential elections and
to experience the poll automation technology (Inquirer, 2009).
From the figures provided in the previous paragraphs, it can be seen that there is a
significant number of newly registrant voters which are mostly comprised by the youth. And that
goes to show that the Filipino youth have a significant role to play in the coming elections.
Furthermore, they are expected to make a stand for change as they exercise their right to vote for
the first time. In order to do so, it is important that students who are going to vote are
knowledgeable of the candidates' strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, they should know the
qualities that they want and do not want in a candidate.
ii
Situationer:
In line with the celebration of the Social Science Week, the UP Manila Political Science
Program together with the UP Political Science Society organized a UP Manila – CAS Mock
election last February 2, 2010. A total of 361 participated, voters included students, faculty and
employees. It is believed that more than 80% of those who participated are students. For the
presidential position, Gibo won with 93 votes and was followed by Villar with 83 votes and
Aquino with 80 votes. For the vice presidential race, Roxas won with 141 votes and was
followed by Binay with 97 votes and Fernando with 53 votes. Among the senatorial candidates,
Santiago ranked first with 221 votes and is followed by Drilon (191) and P. Cayetano (185). To
complete the top 12 are: Recto (166 votes), Maza (160 votes) S. Ocampo (159 votes), Enrile
(152 votes), S. Osmena (122 votes), Guingona III (111 votes), Hontiveros (107 votes), Remulla
(101 votes), and Marcos (100 votes). Lastly, for the partylist race, KABATAAAN won with 96
votes and was followed by Gabriel with 46 votes, and Bayan Muna with 27 votes (Brieva, 2010).
Research Question: What are the preferences of UP Manila – CAS Students with regards to the
qualities of the presidential candidate that should be elected?
Specific Questions:
What are the qualities that UP Manila – CAS Students look for in a presidential
candidate?
What are the qualities of a presidential candidate that UP Manila – CAS Students
consider desirable?
iii
What are the qualities of a presidential candidate that UP Manila – CAS Students
consider important?
Why do students consider these qualities desirable and important?
Is there a relationship between the student’s preference on what qualities are desirable
and what qualities are important?
What are the factors that influence students’ preferences on the qualities that they look
for in a presidential candidate?
General Objective:
The purpose of this research is to study the preferences of UP Manila – College of Arts
and Sciences Students on the qualities of the presidential candidate that should be elected. It
would show the construction of the students of a leader, in this case a president.
Specific Objective:
This study aims to look further into the factors that influence how students construct the
image of the leader whom they would want to represent them and govern them.
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I. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Last December 2009, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported that more than 49
million voters have decided, with conscious effort, to register for the upcoming 2010 elections.
The said number of registrants are said to be 2 million more than what was reported by the
agency few months ago.
Gregorio Larrazabal, Comelec Commisioner, confirmed that 49,225,089 Filipinos, in the
country and abroad, have registered for the 2010 national and local elections. The said number
was up by more than 4 million compared to those who registered last 2007 elections with 45.029
million and 2004 with 43.5 million. However, the said figure of 49,225,089 is not yet final since
there still municipalities and cities that are yet to submit their registration reports.
It is seen that a high registration turnout took place for the upcoming 2010 elections and
some attribute this to the heightened interest of Filipinos to vote in presidential elections and to
experience the poll automation technology (Inquirer, 2009).
From the figures provided in the previous paragraphs, it can be seen that there is a
significant number of newly registrant voters which are mostly comprised by the youth. And that
goes to show that the Filipino youth have a significant role to play in the coming elections.
Furthermore, they are expected to make a stand for change as they exercise their right to vote for
the first time.
This research aims to know the preference that the youth, specifically the students of UP
Manila - College of Arts and Sciences, with regards to the qualities of the presidential candidate
that should be elected. Moreover, it aims to know which among these qualities students consider
desirable and important and if there is any relationship on the students' preference between the
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two. Also, this paper seeks to study the factors that can influence the students' preference on the
qualities of a presidential candidate.
Importance of voting
The Philippine constitution states that every citizen of the nation has the right to vote.
Furthermore, it guarantees the right to suffrage to every individual who have met the
qualifications and have the capability to exercise this right. Although the suffrage is guaranteed,
it does not mean that the right candidates will be elected for the reason that the decision still lies
at the hands of the voter. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the citizen to vote and elect the
candidate whom they consider to be best suitable for the office. In order to do so, citizens or
voters should be knowledgeable of the candidates' strengths and weaknesses. Also, it is
important that they are aware and familiar of the political environment that they are part of and
are actively participating or at least involved in the political arena even in the smallest way
possible.
Also, elections serve as the venue for people to enjoy their privilege and right to vote. In
addition, it is an important tool for the democracy to thrive as it is considered to be the force that
drives the political system in the country (Abot, 1998).
Qualities Sought After a Presidential Candidate
Several articles and books have been written that describes the qualities that a president
must possess in order to serve the people and carry out effective leadership. One of which is
having the vision for the nation and its people. Greenstein (2004) in his book, "The Presidential
Difference: Leadership Style from FDR to George W. Bush," defined vision as the
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"preoccupation with the content of policies, an ability to assess their feasibility, and the
possession of a set of overarching goals" Also, he, as well as Rove (2002) referred to vision as
something that encompasses a viewpoint that is consistent in order to allow him/her to stand
firm, to "set the terms of policy discourse, and lastly to serve as anchor for the rest of the
community.
Another quality is emotional intelligence or what others refer to as inner calmness.
Emotional intelligence or inner calmness allows a leader to cut through crisis and difficulties and
allows him to make decisions that are sound and based from a mature reflection (Greenstein,
2004; Rove, 2002; Time, 1963).
Another quality that is usually sought after a president is his/her strength of character that
makes his leadership and governance one of "principle, not expediency - a man who doesn't run
away when the going gets tough (Time, 1963). Greenstein (2004) also mentioned the importance
of intelligence especially when a president is formulating laws and entering into negotiations and
agreements with other nations. Also, intelligence is very helpful in coming up with effective
strategies and measures to counter unexpected obstacles that may arise during the time of
leadership.
Aside from the previously mentioned, several qualities have also been considered to be
important. These qualities would include those who have the ability to speak to audience/ those
who have good communication skills, impressive educational background, integrity, fear of God,
and lastly, those who have principles and strongly fights for it. (Ortiz, 2009).
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II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This research uses the concept of social constructionism as its framework. The
concept of social constructionism cannot be traced back from only one source since it was
influenced by different disciplines and traditions. Although it is founded in philosophical
developments more than three hundred years ago, it is said to have actually began in the recent
postmodern era.
At present, social constructionism believes that social reality is constructed through
human action and interaction and the interpretations of those actions (Howard & Hollander,
1997). Although it is closely linked with social constructivism, for the reason that they both deal
with the notion that individuals create a construct of reality, they are two distinct concepts which
should not be mixed-up. Social constructionism deals with the development of phenomena which
is relative to social contexts while social constructivism deals with individual's making meaning
of knowledge within a social context (De Koster et.al., 2004; Vygotsky, 1978).
According to De Koster et.al. (2004) of the Faculty of Psychology Vrije University of
Brussels, Belgium, social constructionism can be broken down into three core assumptions. First,
the concept of what is a "construct.” Social constructionism, just like constructivism, gives
emphasis on the construction that people make of reality. In simple terms, people construct
stories, ideas, perceptions and theories in order to help them deal with reality. Their knowledge
does not objectively reflect the external reality because it is always a creation which contains
their experiences, perceptions and values. Second, the concept of "social." In contradiction with
claims of constructivism, social constructionism believes that the constructs that people make of
the world around them can only be made through interaction with others. Furthermore, social
constructionism believes that knowledge only exists when it is shared with another person.
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Constructs are shared stories that allow people to function as a group in a larger setting. Social
constructionism gives emphasis on the idea that these constructs are pragmatic and that they
must be useful in day-to-day circumstances. That is the reason why people can consider them as
agreements made within a community to create an environment that will cater to the needs of all
its members. Also, in this concept, the importance of culture and history should be emphasized.
The knowledge that people have can be considered as a "negotiated creation of meaning",
strongly founded in previous and other agreements. Third and last, the role of language. Social
constructionism gives importance to the role of language because it is a given that all knowledge
is the result of negotiation through interaction. Without language, it would be very hard for
people to communicate which may also spell difficulty in sharing knowledge and developing
constructs. In short, social constructionism is believed to be focused on the creation of meaning,
on the existence, the development and the role of joint meaning.
As social reality is constructed, people tend to develop preferences which can be
influenced by certain factors. These factors include the agents of socialization. Sociologists,
social psychologists, anthropologists, politicians and educationalists used the term socialization
to refer to the process of acquiring norms, customs, and ideologies. It is believed to be capable of
providing individuals with the skills and habits necessary for them to participate in the activities
within the society. In fact, the society itself is a product of shared norms, customs, values,
traditions, social roles, symbols, and languages. In short, socialization is “the means by which
social and cultural continuity are attained (Clausen, 1968).”
Socialization is generally divided into two parts: primary socialization and secondary
socialization. On the one hand, primary socialization occurs early in life. It is when a child learns
the attitudes, values, and actions that are considered to be appropriate to individuals as members
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of a particular culture. On the other hand, secondary socialization usually takes place in during
teenage years and continues to adulthood. It refers to the process of learning the appropriate
behaviour as a member of a smaller group within a larger society. Furthermore, it involves
changes like entering a new job or moving to a new environment or society (Mortimer and
Simmons, 1978).
Aside from the two kinds of socialization, there are also the so-called agents of
socialization. Agents of socialization refer to the people and groups that influence one’s self-
concept, emotions, attitudes, and behavior. There are five major agents of socialization namely:
family, school, peers, media, and church. First, the family is considered to be the earliest and the
most influential agent of socialization. It is said that socialization via the family starts from
cradle to the grave because it starts at child birth, when a child is most helpless and dependent,
and continues to go for a whole lifetime. Second agent of socialization is school. Socialization
via school usually starts as early as the age of four when a child goes to kindergarten. This
agency is responsible for providing venues for young people to socialize in particular skills and
values in society. Third, peers/friends are agents of socialization which are usually of the same
age having the same social characteristics (e.g. students in a university, officemates etc.). Fourth,
the media includes television, radio, movies, music, books, magazines, and internet. This agent is
said to be very powerful since it could start as early as the age of two when a child learns to
watch children’s show, cartoons, and commercials on TV. Media remains to be strong during the
adolescent stage until the adult years. Finally, the church is seen as an agent that plays a major
role since the context is often synonymous with “indoctrination (Johnson, 1961).”
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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
HOME SCHOOL
IDEOLOGY FAMILY
CHURCH MEDIA
*** Qualities that students look for in a presidential candidate: Charismatic, experienced politician, intelligent, religious, disciplinarian, principled, popular, socialist-leaning, can uplift conditions for the poor, has done projects for the poor, has fear of God, has impressive educational background, has inner calmness, has integrity, has strong decision-making skills, has a vision for the country and its people, prioritizes economy, prioritizes education, prioritizes environment, not capitalist, and not corrupt.
UP Manila CASStudents
DESIRABLE
PREFERENCESon the Qualitiesthat a presidential (relationship)candidate mustpossess. ***
IMPORTANT
Social Constructionism
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III. METHODOLOGY
A. Data Collection
A.1 Research Design
This research will use the mixed research approach in studying the qualities that students
of UP Manila CAS look for in a presidential candidate. The mixed research approach refers to a
general type of research where quantitative and qualitative methods are both used in one study.
The researcher will use this approach because it integrates the strengths of both qualitative and
quantitative methods and it provides a more comprehensive view of the topic being studied
(Johnson & Christensen, 2007, p. 9; Hunt, 2007).
This research will use the quantitative method as its primary method, while the
qualitative method serves as its complementary method. The quantitative method refers to the
use of “a standardized approach so that the responses of people are limited to certain
predetermined response categories.” Its advantage is that it can measure the responses of the
subjects to a limited set of questions that help facilitate comparison and aggregation of data. On
the other hand, the qualitative method allows the researcher to study issues in depth and in detail.
Moreover, it produces a wealth of detailed data given smaller number of cases (Patton, 2002).
Qualitative and quantitative methods have their pros and cons. However, through the
mixed research approach, the researcher may combine the advantages of both methods and come
up with a more accurate and valid information, findings and conclusions about the research
(Hunt, 2007).
The research design that will be used in this study to gather data and information is case
study. According to Ritchie and Lewis (2003), a case study is characterized by having a detailed
and extensive set of data and information. On the other hand, according to Burns (2000), a case
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study design is used when “a rich descriptive real-life holistic account” is needed in order to
provide insights and illuminate meanings for a study. Moreover, a case study focuses on a
bounded subject or unit that can either be representative or atypical. The focus of the study is
dependent on the nature of work of the researcher; one may chose to focus on roles, while some
may wish to focus on individuals, organizations, particular programs, and even decision-making
processes (Burns, 2000). In this research, the unit of analysis will be the students from the
University of the Philippines Manila, limited only to those from the College of Arts and
Sciences. The researcher will conduct a survey with the said respondents because they are the
ones who can best provide the information and data needed for this study—the qualities that UP
Manila students look for in a presidential candidate.
A.1.1 Quantitative Data
Sample Size and Sampling
The sample population for this research is the College of Arts and Science in UP Manila
which includes 1,677 students, first year to fourth year. The College of Arts and Science has 9
different degree programs namely, Behavioral Science, Biochemisty, Biology, Computer
Science, Development Studies, Organizational Communication, Philippine Arts, Political
Science and Social Science (Area Studies). The sample frame that was used for this research was
the summary of the list of enrolled students in UP Manila College of Arts and Sciences,
Academic Year 2009-2010, Second Semester.
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In order to get the ideal sample size of the population, the research used the Lynch et al
formula:
n = NZ2 p ( 1 – p )
Nd2 + Z2 p ( 1 – p )
Where Z = 1.96 (the value of the normal variable for a reliability level of 0.95. This
means having a 95% reliability in obtaining the sample size)
p = .50 (the proportion of getting a good sample)
1 – p = .50 (the proportion of getting a poor sample)
d = .10 (sampling error)
N = sample population (1,677)
Given the said formula, a sample size of 91 (n) was obtained from the original sample
population of UP Manila – College of Arts and Science.
The sampling technique used for this research was probability sampling, specifically the
stratified random sampling. The population was divided among the degree programs / courses
that it offers. This technique was used in order to guarantee good representation and proportions
of the population (UP Manila – College of Arts and Sciences). This technique will also prevent
the researcher from obtaining data that are only from the same degree program. Moreover, the
distribution of sample units is in proportion with the total number of units in each degree
program (Neuman, 1997).
The population was divided into 9 strata namely: Behavioral Science students,
Biochemisty students, Biology students, Computer Science students, Development Studies
students, Organizational Communication students, Philippine Arts students, Political Science
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students and Social Science (Area Studies) students. On the one hand, the proportion/percentage
for each stratum was obtained by dividing the population of each stratum by the total number of
sample population. See computation and figures in Table 1.
Table 1: Proportion for each Stratum
Behavioral Science students: 172/1677 = 10%
Biochemisty students: 100/1677 = 10%
Biology students: 168/1677 = 18%
Computer Science students: 180/1677 = 11%
Development Studies students: 148/1677 = 9%
Organizational Communication students: 262/1677 = 16%
Philippine Arts students: 87/1677 = 5%
Political Science students: 239/1677 = 14%
Social Science (Area Studies) students: 121/1677 = 7%
On the other hand, the actual number of respondents per stratum were obtained by
multiplying the percentage of each proportion by the sample size (n=91). See computation and
figures in Table 2.
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Table 2: The actual number of respondents per stratum
Behavioral Science students: 91*.10 = 9.1 or 9
Biochemisty students: 91*.10 = 9.1 or 9
Biology students: 91*.18 = 16.6 or 16
Computer Science students: 91*.11 = 10
Development Studies students: 91*.09 = 8.2 or 8
Organizational Communication students: 91*.16 = 14.6 or 15
Philippine Arts students: 91*.05 = 4.6 or 5
Political Science students: 91*.14 = 12.7 or 13
Social Science (Area Studies) students: 91*.07 = 6.4 or 6
Total Sample Size (n) = 91
A.1.2 Qualitative Data
Sampling
In order to support and strengthen the data gathered though survey, the researcher
conducted in-depth interviews which basically covered the same topic, only giving more
emphasis on the qualitative phase of the research. Purposeful sampling will be used in
conducting the in-depth interviews among chosen students UP Manila – College of Arts and
Science. One type of purposeful sampling is the intensity sampling where the researcher will
choose participants that can provide rich information that can explain why do students prefer one
or several qualities over another and why do they consider them desirable and important (Patton,
2002). Table 3 shows the profile of the students who were part of the in-depth interviews.
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Table 3: Interviewee’s Profile
Name Year/Course Affiliation/Position
Rich Alamario IV – BA Social Science Member, Organization of Area
Studies Majors
Darcy de Ramos IV – BA Political Science Former Secretary General, League
of the Filipino Students – UPM,
Secretary General, Pre-Law
Society, UPM
Yfur Porsche Fernandez IV – BA Development Studies Member, Development Studies
Society
Jeanne Carla Ferrer IV – BA Political Science Former Chairperson, League of the
Filipino Students – UPM
Alfred Miguel Aguado IV – BA Organizational
Communication
Minister for Externals, UP Manila
Debate Circle; Features Editor,
Aninag 2010; Member,
Organizational Communication
Society, UP AdHere, Junior
Marketing Association UP Manila
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A.2 Data Collection Techniques
The quantitative phase of this research seeks to know the preferences of the UP Manila –
College of Arts and Science when it comes to the qualities to look for in a presidential candidate.
According to Neuman (1997), a survey is a process in which the researcher is able to translate
research problems into questionnaires, and then use these with respondents in order to generate
data. The researcher will come up with questionnaires having both closed and scale items.
According to Burns (2000), “closed items usually allow the respondents to choose from two or
more fixed alternatives while the scale items include a set of verbal items to which the
respondent responds by indicating degrees of agreement or disagreement.” Basically, the
questionnaire will ask the respondents questions that are answerable by a yes or a no. Also, there
are questions where respondents are asked to choose from a list of provided answers and rank
them – these apply to the questions regarding a student’s preference on the desired and important
qualities in a presidential candidate. As already mentioned, this survey will use the stratified
sampling method as its sampling technique.
The qualitative phase of this research will use In-depth Interviews as technique for
gathering information that are more detailed. Also, in-depth interviews will be used in order to
generate rich focused data from individuals that are assumed to be well informed about the topic
that will be studied. The in-depth interview is a short-term face-to-face interaction, which will
probably last for about 10 to 15 minutes each, between the interviewer and the interviewee
having the purpose of obtaining specific information from the latter.
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Finally, the researcher will conduct document analysis which includes books, journals,
news clippings, articles from the internet. According to Burns (2000), these documents are
important in gaining preliminary data or information about the study. In this paper, the researcher
will use these documents in order to gather additional information about the study.
B. Data Analysis
Document Analysis
In organizing and analyzing data and information gathered for this research, the first step
that should be done is to read all the information obtained from books, journals, articles, and
other documents. After reading all the obtained information, it is important to make comments
and jot questions related to the information and data gathered on a separate paper (first paper).
From the initial comments and questions written in the first paper, it is now time to organize the
information and data gathered by regrouping them according to themes or topics and transferring
them onto another sheet of paper (second paper). Once the information are regrouped and
arranged according to topics and emerging themes, the researcher, then, reads again the
information on the second paper, this time, with a deeper understanding. Again, the researcher
writes ideas, comments and questions and writes it to another paper (third paper). This way, it
will be easier for the researcher to identify the quality of information obtained, the important data
needed for the paper as well as the information that the researcher still lacks.
The researcher can now use the third paper in looking for patterns, experiences, events,
and even problems that come out from the list and eventually use them to generate
interpretations and analysis of the data gathered. The final output for the document analysis will
be kept and stored for future use.
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Survey
Once the questionnaires have been returned, the researcher will reproduce copies and
keep the originals. Shortly after, the researcher will encode the data in a computer statistical
program called SPSS. The data gathered from the questionnaire will be described, summarized
and explained using statistical analysis (i.e. tables and graphs). Moreover, frequency distribution
table will be created along with the corresponding graphical representation and interpretation of
the data. Lastly, to show the relationship between the desirability and importance of the qualities
preferred by the students, the researcher will compute for pearson chi square, still, with the use
of SPSS.
In-depth Interviews
Aside from the information and data gathered from books, journals, articles, and other
documents, the researcher has to organize the data obtained from the in-depth interviews
conducted. The said in-depth interviews conducted among the selected UP Manila CAS students
were recorded with the use of a voice recorder. The first step that needs to be done to analyze the
data obtained from the in-depth interviews is to transcribe the recorded data word-for-word or in
verbatim. After transcribing the data, the researcher will now produce a hardcopy of the
transcription and read all the data obtained. While, and after, reading the data gathered from the
interviews, the researcher makes comments and assigns topics to parts of the interview. It is
important that these comments and notes are transferred into a new paper (first paper) to avoid
confusion. It is also important for the researcher to highlight exact words and phrases said by the
interviewees. The researcher makes sense of these quotations, again, by making comments,
assigning topics, noting questions, and identifying problems and writing them on a separate sheet
of paper (second paper). From the second paper, the researcher will be able to identify the
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emerging themes from the transcribed interview and eventually be able to interpret and analyze
the said themes.
C. Ethics
In this study, the researcher seeks to know the preferences of UP Manila - College of Arts
and Science students regarding the qualities of a presidential candidate. Moreover, the researcher
aims to know which among those qualities students consider desirable and/or important.
Participants for the in-depth interviews are informed through letters delivered personally. These
letters basically contained a request to participate in an in-depth interview. Together with the
letters were informed consent forms in which the research made clear to the participants the
purpose of the research—to obtain rich-information data on the qualities of a presidential
candidate that students prefer and deem desirable and important, the reasons behind these
preferences, and the factors that influence these preferences. The researcher will include in the
form an explanation that all opinions and information that will be disclosed during the discussion
will be used solely for the purpose of thesis-writing.
The researcher will also inform the respondents of the possible risks or harm that might
confront them when they agree to participate in the research. One risk that may happen would be
the possible intrusion into the respondent’s privacy in the event that conflict or misunderstanding
arises.
Given the possibility of risks that may arise, it will be guaranteed by the researcher that
the identity of respondents will remain anonymous and that all information, including audio and
video files of conversations and survey questionnaires, obtained from them will be treated as
confidential, unless specified.
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V. DATA PRESENTATION
A. Quantitative Data (Survey)
The gender profile of the respondents is shown in Table 4. There were 36.2% more
females (68.1%) than males (31.9%). Per degree program/course, Behavioral Science has the
highest female to male ratio of 10 is to 1.
Table 4: Gender Distribution of respondents (N=1677)
In Question No. 9 of the survey questionnaire, the researcher asked the respondents to
rank the qualities that they consider as important. In Diagram 3, it is shown that the quality that
was ranked first most was “has a vision for the country and its people” with 14.3% votes. The
quality that was ranked second most was “intelligent” with 13.2% votes. Lastly, the quality that
was ranked third most was “not corrupt” with 11% votes.
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Tables 14.1 to Tables 14.7 showed the relationship between the desirability and
importance of the selected qualities namely: charismatic, intelligent, has done projects for the
poor, has a vision for the country and its people, not corrupt, has fear of God, and popular.
Table 14.1: Charismatic (N = 1677)
Important
TotalYes NoDesirable Yes 6 23 29
No 6 56 62
Total 12 79 91
Table 14.2: Intelligent (N = 1677)
Important
TotalYes NoDesirable Yes 64 20 84
No 1 6 7
Total 65 26 91
Table 14.3: Has done projects for the poor (N = 1677)
Important
TotalYes NoDesirable Yes 33 25 58
No 5 28 33
Total 38 53 91
Table 14.4: Has a vision for the country and its people
Important
TotalYes NoDesirable Yes 53 20 73
No 8 10 18
Total 61 30 91
Table 14.5: Not corrupt (N = 1677)
Important
TotalYes NoDesirable Yes 64 9 73
No 5 13 18
Total 69 22 91
Table 14.6: Has fear of God (N = 1677)
Important
TotalYes NoDesirable Yes 32 19 51
No 4 36 40
Total 36 55 91
Table 14.7: Popular (N = 1677)
Important
TotalYes NoDesirable Yes 2 3 5
No 1 85 86
Total 3 88 91
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The distribution of the relationship between the respondents’ preferences on the qualities
that are desired and considered as important is shown in Table 15. The desirable qualities that are
considered as important qualities of a political candidate include these qualities: intelligent, has a
vision for the country and its people, not corrupt, has fear of God, and popular (p=.001). The
quality “has done projects for the poor” is also considered as significant because its value of
0.023 (p) is still less than 0.05. However, a value above 0.05 is not significant. Charismatic, with
p-value of 0.148, is not significant meaning it may be a quality that is desirable but not important.
The distribution of the reasons why students consider the said qualities desirable and
important is shown in Table 16. Among the four choices, A (These qualities will help a candidate
become an effective president) was most checked with 87.9% votes. It was followed by D (If a
candidate possesses these qualities, s/he can serve as a good example to her/his people) with
70.3%, then by C (These qualities will make the people trust the candidate more) with 48.4%
votes, and finally by B (These qualities will improve a candidate’s character and personality)
with 31.9% votes.
Table 15: Summary Distribution of the relationship between desired qualities and important qualities that students look for in a presidential candidate.
(N = 1677)Pearson
Chi Square value P-value/Significance
Charismatic 2.093a 0.148
Intelligent 12.133a 0.001
Has done projects for the poor 15.071a 0.001
Has a vision for the country and its people 5.181a 0.023
Not corrupt 28.257a 0.001
Has fear of God 26.084a 0.001
Popular 22.356a 0.001
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Table 16: Distribution of the reasons why students consider the said qualities desirable and important (N=1677)
Total 80 87.9 29 31.9 44 48.4 64 70.3Legend:A* - These qualities will help a candidate become an effective presidentB* - These qualities will improve a candidate’s character and personalityC* - These qualities will make the people trust the candidate moreD* - If a candidate possesses these qualities, s/he can serve as a good example to her/his people.
The distribution of factors that influence the students’ preferences on the qualities that
they look for in a presidential candidate is shown in Table 17. Among the six choices provided in
the survey questionnaire, respondents considered school (80.2%) as the major factor that
influences their preferences on the qualities they look for in a presidential candidate. School is
followed by home with 67% of the respondents preferring it and then lastly by media with 60.4%
respondents’ preference. The least influential factor was the church (17.6%)
Table 17: Distribution of factors that influence students’ preferenceon the qualities of a presidential candidate (N=1677)
B. Qualitative Data (In-depth Interview)Basically, the in-depth interviews conducted by the researcher revolved around the
qualities that the interviewees look for in a presidential candidate that they are most likely to vote
for, the reasons behind these preferences and the factors that influence these preferences.
When asked on the qualities they look for in a presidential candidate, among the five
students interviewed, three mentioned the importance of being results-oriented and having a
clean public service record. On the one hand, according to interviewees, a clean public service
record is important because a presidential candidate, in order for him to become a good and
effective leader of the country, he/she must have performed well in his previous positions, at
least in terms of projects implemented and laws passed. On the other hand, they consider being
results-oriented important because people, especially the youth, are already fed up with the kind
of leadership that the past, and even the present, administrations have been offering-- that kind of
leadership which presents its people with nothing but poor results, if not none at all, and broken
promises.
Other qualities that they mentioned include being consistent and principled. Two out of
the five interviewees noted that it is important for a candidate to have a firm stand on the issues.
He/she should not be like the political butterflies who switch parties in order to survive in the
political arena. One of the interviewee said that consistency worked hand-in-hand with being
principled because one would be able to establish his/her consistency through the set of
principles he/she lives by.
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Next to consistency and principle-oriented position, two interviewees also mentioned
about the importance of not becoming a "trapo." They made it a point to mention that the
candidate should be able to put forward change in the government. Genuine, systemic, and
structural change that will help lift the poor condition of the country. In relation to this, they also
noted that a candidate must possess a vision for the country and its people. A vision that will
allow the candidate to lay out long-term plans and projects that will able to withstand difficulties
and obstacles along the way.
Aside from the previously mentioned, three of the interviewees also noted the importance
of intelligence, credibility and ideology on the part of a presidential candidate. Intelligence to be
able to come-up with sound decisions, credibility to gain the respect of your people, and
ideology for the people to know where the candidate stands, whether he/she is pro-poor, pro-
mass, pro-marginalized etc.
Lastly, one interviewee mentioned that it is important that a presidential candidate
prioritizes the economy alongside with promoting the environment. He went on further saying
that an effective president should be able to drive the economy of the country out of poverty
without neglecting its responsibilities when it comes to environment preservation and
conservation.
Aside from the qualities sought after a presidential candidate by the interviewees, the
factors that influence the said preferences were discussed. Four out of five interviewees said that
school is the primary factor that influences their preferences on the qualities they look for in a
presidential candidate. If I may quote one interviewee, he said that, "My education at UP makes
me critical about the candidates since the environment here fosters external political inquiry."
Another factor which was considered to be shaping their preferences was the media, more
importantly the so-called "new social media" in the form of social network sites like Facebook,
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Twitter, and the likes. Aside from school and media, one interviewee said that family is
also a factor that shapes one's preferences, while the other interviewee answered ideology.
A summary of the qualitative data gathered from in-depth interviews are shown in
Table 18.
Table 18: Table of Qualitative Data from In-depth Interviews
TOPIC THEMES QUOTATIONS
Qualities that students prefer for a presidential candidate
Results-oriented “Results-oriented kasi sawa na ang kabataan sa kawalan ng magagandang resulta ng gobyerno.”
Has a clean public service record
“Kailangan meron siyang magandang track record, meron siyang magandang nagawa.”
“unang-una mahalaga kasi eh track record”
Principled and consistent ‘…una sa lahat jan ay yung may paninindigan. Yung meron siyang,meron siyang, prinsipyo…”
“… yung dalawa magkaugnay siya kasi yung consistency, uh, gusto mong makita kung paano niya, sa pag-iral niya sa pulitika, ano yung mga nagiging stand niya sa lahat ng issue. Ito ay may direktang kaugnayan sa principle, sa prinsipyo niya kasi hindi niya mabi-build, hindi niya mae-establish yung consistency kung wala siyang pinapanigang principle. “
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Qualities that students prefer for a presidential candidate
Not "trapo” “of course, siyempre, hindi siya trapo. Kasi diba? Sawang-sawa na sa mga trapo.”
“Yung tinitingnan talaga ng kabataan ay ang isang pinuno na makapagdudulot ng pagbabago para sa bansa… hindi siya dapat simpleng pagbabago lang, isa dapat siyang makabuluhan na pagbabago na kung saan ito ay naka-anchor sa structural at chaka sa systemic na pagbabago mismo, hindi lang sa indibidwal at sa mismong pamumuno.”
Intelligent “Matalino, kasi, feel ko, ang mga inaadore ng kabataan ngayon ay ‘yung may kakayahang makapag-isip kung ano ang magagawa sa isang bayan na halos lugmok na.”
Has credibility “Intelligence, Credibility and Clean Public Service Record because I believe that these qualities are needed for someone to be a good leader.”
Has ideology “Uhm, basically, kailangan meron siyang ideology na tumutugma dun sa ideology ko...for the masses.”
prioritizes the economy “…driver of the economy… siguro mali-lift natin yung nasa poverty level, para, para ma-address yung mga ganyan.”
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Factors that influence students’ preferences
School “Unang-una yung pamantasan... kung paano tayo hinuhubog ng pamantasan at ito ay relatibo kung ano ang katangian ng kurso mo.”
“My education at UP makes me critical about the candidates since the environment here fosters external political inquiry.”
Media “Pangalawa, media. Siyempre, tayo ay kasalukuyang nasa media generation na kung saan all forms of media ay meron tayong access.”
“New Social Media. Facebook, Twitter, you name them all: I could see a lot of commentaries and reactions in this section of the world wide web so new social media is an important factor that shapes my preferences.”
Ideology “Basically, yung ideology ko, uhm, on national democracy.”
Family “I respect and listen to my parents so they influence my standards in choosing the next leaders of our country.”
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V. DATA ANALYSIS
Registered voters and those who are actually voting
From the data obtained through the survey conducted, it turned out that 70.3% of the
respondents are registered voters and are actually voting on 2010 National Elections. This can be
considered as relatively high given the fact that 16.5% of the respondents are not yet qualified to
vote because of their age (16 y/o and 17 y/o come May 10, 2010). This statistics can be seen as a
reflection of the high registration turnout reported by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Last December 2009, the Comelec confirmed that 49,225.089 Filipinos have actually registered
for the 2010 national and local elections.
Students’ Awareness of the upcoming 2010 elections and their knowledge about
presidential candidates
Although not all the respondents are registered voters, when asked if they aware of the
upcoming elections, everybody answered “yes.” The 100% awareness of the respondents
regarding the 2010 elections can be linked to the role of the media as an agent of socialization.
When the respondents were asked about the source of information regarding the 2010 elections,
96.8% of them answered media, followed by school (85.5%), and then family (80.3). From there,
we can see that the media have been effective in performing its job, particularly in information
dissemination, of course, without disregarding the contribution of the school and the family.
Another thing that we can link to media is the respondents’ knowledge about the presidential
candidates who are running for office. The results showed that while 100% of the respondents
were knowledgeable that Aquino, Estrada, Gordon (is short by 3%, only 97% of the respondents
know that he is running for office) Madrigal, Teodoro, Villanueva, and Villar are running for
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office, there are still candidates who are not that known to people. These candidates are Acosta,
delos Reyes and Perlas who received 7.7%, 17.6%, and 37% respectively. This can be related to
the fact that they don’t have commercials and ads as compared to the other presidential
candidates.
The presidential candidate respondents are most likely to vote
When respondents were asked about the presidential candidate whom they are most likely
to vote, Teodoro got the highest vote of 30.8%. The qualities that made the respondents vote for
him were intelligent (75.8%), has vision for the country and its people (70.3%), and principled
(63.7). This preference of the respondents for Teodoro can also be considered a reflection of the
results of the mock elections organized by the Political Science Committee and the Political
Science Society which took place in UP Manila – College of Arts and Sciences last February 2,
2010. Teodoro received the highest vote of 93, closely followed by Villar with 83 votes and then
by Aquino with 80 votes.
UP Manila – CAS Students’ preferences on the qualities of a presidential candidate that
should be elected
On the one hand, the respondents were asked about the qualities of a presidential
candidate that they consider desirable, and the top 3 answers were intelligent (93.4%), has strong
decision-making skills (86.8%), and has vision for the country and its people (83.5%). On the
other hand, when asked about the qualities that they consider as important, they answered not
corrupt (73.6%), intelligent (71.4%), and has strong decision-making skills (70.3%). As we can
see, qualities intelligent and has strong decision-making skills are considered by the respondents
as both desirable and important.
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From the answers provided by the students who answered the survey and those who were
part of the in-depth interviews, we can observe that mostly gave preference on intelligence,
credibility and ideology on the part of a presidential candidate. Intelligence to be able to come-up
with sound decisions, credibility to gain the respect of your people, and ideology for the people
to know where the candidate stands, whether he/she is pro-poor, pro-mass, pro-marginalized etc.
Aside from these three, quite a number also gave emphasis on the importance of being results-
oriented and having a clean public service record. Being results-oriented because the students
believe that the people, especially the youth, are already fed up with the kind of leadership that
the past, and even the present, administrations have been offering-- that kind of leadership which
presents its people with nothing but poor results, if not none at all, and broken promises. Having
a clean public service record because the students believe that in order for him to become a good
and effective leader of the country, he/she must have performed well in his previous positions, at
least in terms of projects implemented and laws passed. Other qualities that were mentioned by
the respondents included being consistent and principled. Most of the interviewees noted that it
is important for a candidate to have a firm stand on the issues. He/she should not be like the
political butterflies who switch parties in order to survive in the political arena. One of the
interviewee said that consistency worked hand-in-hand with being principled because one would
be able to establish his/her consistency through the set of principles he/she lives by. Last but not
the least, mentioned about the importance of not becoming a "trapo." They made it a point to
mention that the candidate should be able to put forward change in the government. Genuine,
systemic, and structural change that will help lift the poor condition of the country. In relation to
this, they noted that a candidate must possess a vision for the country and its people. A vision
39 | R i v e r a
that will allow the candidate to lay out long-term plans and projects that will able to withstand
difficulties and obstacles along the way.
The qualities mentioned above, which are from the survey and interviews conducted,
reflected the qualities described in the review of related literature (e.g. has a vision for the nation
and its people, has principles, has integrity etc.)
Relationship between qualities that are considered desirable and qualities that are
considered important
To check if there is really a relationship between desirable and important qualities, the
researcher computed for the correlation among the following qualities: charismatic, intelligent,
has done projects for the poor, has a vision for the country and its people, not corrupt, has fear of
God, and popular. The researcher found out that the qualities that were considered by the
respondents as both desirable and important were intelligent, has a vision for the country and its
people, not corrupt, has fear of God, and popular (p=.001). The quality “has done projects for the
poor” is also considered as significant because its value of 0.023 (p) is still less than 0.05.
However, a value above 0.05 is not significant. The quality charismatic, having a p-value of
0.148, is considered to be insignificant meaning it may be a quality that is desirable but not
important. This only goes to show that the qualities that are deemed to be desirable by the
respondents may not necessarily be important.
Social constructionism and students’ preferences
Social constructionism tells us that social reality is constructed through human action and
interaction and the interpretations of those actions (Howard & Hollander, 1997). In this
particular research, the preferences that the students have can be considered as a social construct
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since the said preferences on the qualities of a presidential candidate vary from one society to
another, from one nation, to another. Moreover, its core idea claims that some objects are caused
or maybe controlled by social and cultural factors. Having that said, we can connect the
preferences of the students on the qualities of a presidential candidate to the factors that
influence these preferences.
Factors that influence students’ preferences
From the survey and the interview, school (80.2%) is considered to be the most
influential factor that affects the students’ preferences on the qualities that they look for in a
presidential candidate. School is followed by home with 67% of the respondents preferring it and
then lastly by media with 60.4% respondents’ preference. The least influential factor was the
church (17.6%).
From the qualities preferred by the students of UP Manila –CAS namely, intelligent,
principled, consistent, results-oriented, not corrupt, not “trapo,” has clean public service record,
has strong decision-making skills, and has a vision for the country and its people, we can see that
the institution (UP Manila - CAS) have greatly influenced how the students view the future
leader of the country.
“My education at UP makes me critical about the candidates since the
environment here fosters external political inquiry.”
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VI. CONCLUSION
Considering the definition of social constructionism, individuals have the ability to
construct their own sense of reality which can manifest in different ways, one of which is
through preferences. Individual preferences may vary from one society to another just like, in
this research, how some students would prefer a specific set of qualities over another. For this
particular research, having the students of UP Manila – CAS as its unit of analysis, the researcher
found out that among several qualities of a presidential candidate that a student can prefer,
intelligence, principles, consistency, results-oriented position, not corrupt, not “trapo,” has clean
public service record, has strong decision-making skills, and has a vision for the country and its
people remain to be the dominant considerations. Students believe that these qualities are
important because it will help the candidate, once he/she is elected, to become an effective leader
and also for the reason that having these qualities, the elected leader can serve as a role model for
his/her people. Furthermore, the study reveals that not all qualities that students consider
desirable are necessarily important (e.g. charismatic). Lastly, through this study, the researcher
was able to find out that the students’ preferences are mostly influenced by school, media, and
family.
Recommendation
The youth has a major role to play in the coming elections and it is very important that they
recognize, enjoy, and practice their right to vote come May 10, 2010. Having known that the school, as
well as the media, plays a major role in influencing and shaping the preferences of the youth, it is very
important that these agents of socialization (school and media) be very responsible in what they present to
the youth. The school and the media should continue to be effective means of fostering external political
inquiry. Also, they should continue to be venues for the youth to socialize and express themselves.
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LIST OF REFERENCES
49M voters exceed Comelec's forecast on turnout. (2009, December 11). Retrieved December
Patton, M. (2002). Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. California: Sage Publications.
Ritchie, J. & Lewis, J. (2003). A guide for Social Science students and researchers. London:
SAGE Publications
Vygotsky, L. S. 1978.Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
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Appendix A: Sample Informed Letter of Consent for In-depth Interview
Informed Letter of Consent for In-depth Interview
I, Rowen Alaine S. Rivera, a fourth year BA Political Science student of the University of the Philippines, Manila is currently doing a research on the qualities of a presidential candidate that students of UP Manila-CAS look for. The research is aimed towards finding out the qualities that students look for in a presidential candidate and the reasons behind these preferences.
In line with this, the researcher would like to invite you for an interview regarding the subject matter. At the event that you agree to participate, rest assured that all information that you will disclose will be treated as highly confidential and will be used solely for the purpose of this thesis-writing. Also, the researcher guarantees that your identity will remain anonymous, unless your consent is given to do otherwise.
The purpose of this Letter of Informed Consent is to confirm that you are willing to participate in the research. With your consent, the researcher would like to record and do note-taking during the interview.
Should you have any question, concern, or request, do not hesitate to contact the researcher at (02) 742-4988 or (+63) 917-433-5153.
I hereby give my consent to participate in the Focus interview. I am assured that all information I will disclose will remain private and confidential. I permit the researcher to record (through audio-tape and/or video-tape) the whole interview. Also, the presence of a note-taker is permitted.
_________________________ (Key Informant's Signature over printed name)
Rowen Alaine S. RiveraResearcher
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Appendix B: Sample Survey QuestionnaireGood day!
I am Rowen Alaine S. Rivera, a 4th Yr BA Political Science Student conducting a survey on the qualities of a presidential candidate that students of UP Manila look for. Through this survey, I would like to know the qualities of a presidential candidate that students consider important and desirable and the reasons behind the said preferences. This survey is essential in the completion of my seminar paper/ thesis. It would be greatly appreciated if you will answer the following questions. Rest assured of the confidentiality of your response.
NAME (optional):_____________________________ YEAR: _____ COURSE:____________ SEX:_____ AGE:______REGISTERED VOTER: YES ___ NO ___If yes, are you actually voting on May 10, 2010? ___Yes ___No
1. Are you aware of the 2010 Presidential Elections? __YES __NO
2. Who/what are the sources of your information with regards to the 2010 presidential elections? (Kindly check ALL that applies)_____ FAMILY _____ SCHOOL _____ TV _____ CHURCH_____ RADIO _____ NEWS _____ FRIENDS/PEERS
3. Among the list below, who are the candidates that you know or at least you’ve heard of? (Kindly check ALL that applies)_____ Vetellano Acosta _____ Noynoy Aquino_____ John Carlos de los Reyes _____ Joseph Estrada_____ Richard Gordon _____ Jamby Madrigal_____ Nicanor Perlas _____ Gilberto Teodoro_____ Eddie Villanueva _____ Manny Villar
4. From the candidates listed in No. 3, who are you most likely to vote? _________________________________
5. What are the qualities of that presidential candidate (your answer to No. 4) that made you decide to vote for him? (Kindly check ALL that applies)_____ Charismatic _____ Disciplinarian _____ Popular_____ Intelligent _____ Principled _____ Experienced politician_____ Religious _____ Has fear of God _____ Has inner calmness_____ Can uplift conditions for the poor _____ Has done projects for the poor _____ Has integrity_____ Has impressive educational background _____ Has strong decision-making skills _____ Has a vision for the country and its people_____ Not corrupt _____ Not capitalist _____ Socialist -leaning_____ Prioritizes economy _____ Prioritizes education _____ Prioritizes environmentOTHERS: _____________________________________
6. Among the qualities listed below, which characteristics do you consider desirable? (Kindly check ALL that applies)_____ Charismatic _____ Disciplinarian _____ Popular_____ Intelligent _____ Principled _____ Experienced politician_____ Religious _____ Has fear of God _____ Has inner calmness_____ Can uplift conditions for the poor _____ Has done projects for the poor _____ Has integrity_____ Has impressive educational background _____ Has strong decision-making skills _____ Has a vision for the country and its people_____ Not corrupt _____ Not capitalist _____ Socialist -leaning_____ Prioritizes economy _____ Prioritizes education _____ Prioritizes environmentOTHERS: _____________________________________
7. Please rank answers in Number 6 (1 as the highest)_____ Charismatic _____ Disciplinarian _____ Popular_____ Intelligent _____ Principled _____ Experienced politician_____ Religious _____ Has fear of God _____ Has inner calmness_____ Can uplift conditions for the poor _____ Has done projects for the poor _____ Has integrity_____ Has impressive educational background _____ Has strong decision-making skills _____ Has a vision for the country and its people_____ Not corrupt _____ Not capitalist _____ Socialist -leaning_____ Prioritizes economy _____ Prioritizes education _____ Prioritizes environmentOTHERS: _____________________________________
8. Among the qualities listed below, which characteristics do you consider important? (Kindly check ALL that applies)_____ Charismatic _____ Disciplinarian _____ Popular_____ Intelligent _____ Principled _____ Experienced politician_____ Religious _____ Has fear of God _____ Has inner calmness_____ Can uplift conditions for the poor _____ Has done projects for the poor _____ Has integrity_____ Has impressive educational background _____ Has strong decision-making skills _____ Has a vision for the country and its people_____ Not corrupt _____ Not capitalist _____ Socialist -leaning_____ Prioritizes economy _____ Prioritizes education _____ Prioritizes environmentOTHERS: _____________________________________
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9. Please rank answers in Number 8 (1 as the highest)_____ Charismatic _____ Disciplinarian _____ Popular_____ Intelligent _____ Principled _____ Experienced politician_____ Religious _____ Has fear of God_____ Can uplift conditions for the poor _____ Has inner calmness_____ Has done projects for the poor _____ Has integrity_____ Has impressive educational background_____ Has strong decision-making skills_____ Has a vision for the country and its people_____ Not corrupt _____ Not capitalist _____ Socialist -leaning_____ Prioritizes economy_____ Prioritizes education_____ Prioritizes environmentOTHERS: _____________________________________
10. Why do you consider these qualities important and desirable? (Kindly check ALL that applies)_____ These qualities would help a candidate become an effective president (leader)_____ These qualities will improve a candidate’s character and personality_____ These qualities would make the people trust the candidate more._____ If a candidate possesses these qualities, he/she can serve as a good example to his people.OTHERS:__________________________________________
11. What are the factors that influence your preferences on the qualities of a presidential candidate that you consider important and desirable? (Kindly check ALL that applies)_____ Home _____School _____ Church_____ Community _____ Media _____ IdeologyOTHERS: __________________________________
