MANILA – More than half of Filipinos were not in favor of amending the 1987 Constitution, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey.
Filipinos cannot be expected to support a plan they know “little” about, Malacañang said in response.
Sixty-seven percent of the respondents in the June 15-21 survey were against any move to amend the Charter.
Only 18 percent support the plan and 14 percent were undecided.
Moreover only 55 percent were aware of the proposal to amend the Constitution and shift to a federal government, showed the Pulse Asia survey.
Forty-three percent admitted having “little knowledge” while 31 percent had “almost none or no knowledge at all” about the 1987 Constitution.
Majority – 62 percent – were also against changing the present system of government to a federal system. Only 28 percent were in favor.
Malacañang blamed the lack of support for federalism for the “little awareness” on the proposed shift to federal government.
“For this reason, we cannot expect our people to support an initiative which they know only little about,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said.
“There is clearly much work to be done in terms of spreading awareness and knowledge on the aforementioned issue.
“We will therefore exert even more effort to inform and educate our citizens about federalism since the approval of the proposed changes in our current Charter ultimately lies in the hands of the Filipino people,” said Roque.
Reacting to the survey, Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV urged the Duterte administration to solve the rising prices of commodities first before pushing for Charter change (Cha-cha).
“Nakakahiya naman sa taumbayan na habang nalulunod sila sa taas ng presyo ay Cha-cha at No-El (no elections) ang inuuna ng gobyerno,” he said. “Unahin sana ng administrasyon ang interes ng pamilyang Pilipino.”
Sen. Francis Pangilinan warned that forcing Cha-cha upon the citizens may create a backlash. He said ordinary citizens found that “Cha-cha and federalism not only taste bad, they’re also not useful and satisfying.”
“We hope they don’t test the patience of the people by forcing Cha-cha, or the administration’s approval rating may fall further and their candidates may taste defeat in the coming elections,” he said.
Sen. Grace Poe cautioned against railroading the proposed Cha-cha.
“A document as important as the basic law should be rigorously studied and not railroaded,” she said. “I will block any Cha-cha express, especially one driven by people with expiring terms and fuelled by selfish interest.”
“There is no palpable popular clamor for a new Constitution, and neither there is proof that a brand-new one is the magical cure-all to the country’s manifold problems,” she added.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the survey confirms that “even if Congress rushes the procedure and passes a new charter that will pave the way for a federal form of government, people will reject it.”
“So why rush it when the resources and efforts that Congress – and the government – put into this Charter change movement can be channeled to other urgent matters affecting our countrymen such as inflation, unemployment and rising criminality?” he said.
The Ilonggo senator called on Congress leadership to consider the public sentiment on Charter change and federalism.
“The fact that opposition to Charter change increased in the last quarter despite the aggressive campaign and information drive on Charter change for the past months speaks of the people’s strong opposition toward amending our Charter,” Drilon said./PN
