Pulse Asia Research Inc. is a public opinion polling body in the Philippines. It was founded by professor emeritus Felipe B. Miranda (M.A. Political Science, University of Chicago) of the University of the Philippines Diliman.
Pulse Asia Inc. was founded in 1999 as a for-profit private company. In 2013, the company re-formed into a nonprofit organization and changed their name to Pulse Asia Research Inc.
Ownership dispute
Starting in late 2009, Pulse Asia was accused of publishing biased or inaccurate polling, and of having close ties with Benigno Aquino III, who was elected President of the Philippines in June 2010. SEC documents and a research paper indicated that Rafael Cojuangco Lopa and Antonio "Tonyboy" Cojuangco, blood relatives of Aquino, were involved in the establishment of Pulse Asia as well as Social Weather Stations, another polling group. Senatorial candidate Francisco "Kit" Tatad claimed Aquino was using these connections to his advantage, stating, "This suggests that there was a plan from the beginning by the Aquinos to control public opinion polling in the country."
In October 2013, Pulse Asia issued a press release responding to these allegations. They stated that Cojuangco and Lopa were involved in establishing Pulse Asia in 1999, but were never involved in the research work of the organization, and no longer have shares in the company.