RESISTANCE to Charter Change has declined, with 44 percent of Filipinos saying they oppose amending the Constitution in the July 2016 survey of Pulse Asia Research Inc., down from 49 percent who were against it in November 2014.
Those opposed to Charter change, however, were still more than those who supported it (37 percent) or were undecided (19 percent).
The latest Pulse Asia survey was based on face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents from July 2 to 8, with a ± 3 percent margin of error at the 95 percent confidence level.
Less than half of Filipinos (41 percent) said they were aware of proposals to amend the Constitution, while 73 percent admitted knowing little or nothing at all about the Charter.
Even among those aware of Charter change proposals, most (56 percent) said they had little or no knowledge at all about the 1987 Constitution. This lack of knowledge was consistent in all geographic areas, Pulse Asia said.
The same survey showed that public opinion was split three ways on changing the form of government into a parliamentary form, with 37 percent being opposed to the proposal, 33 percent supporting it, and 30 percent undecided.
Among those with at least enough information about the Constitution, 41 percent were in favor of shifting to a parliamentary form of government, higher than the overall figure (33 percent).
Virtually the same percentages of Filipinos either favor (39 percent) or do not favor (33 percent) a shift to a federal system of government.
Support for a federal form of government was more pronounced among those who said they had a great deal or sufficient knowledge of the Constitution.
House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez expressed skepticism over the Pulse Asia finding that 44 percent of Filipinos were opposed to Charter change.
Suarez said discussions on the proposal to amend the Constitution have to be given a chance and that the public should also look at results of other surveys.
Kabayan party-list Rep. Harry Roque, who opposes Charter change, said he would file a resolution that would subject the proposal to amend the Constitution to a referendum in 2019.
“Let us ask the Filipino people in 2019 whether they want changes in the Charter,” Roque said.
Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting said Congress should play an active role in enlightening the people on the proposed amendments to be done.
Tambunting filed House Resolution 32, or a “resolution calling on the House committee of constitutional amendments to study how the 1987 Constitution can best be revised considering the clamor for a shift to federalism and possible amendments to the constitution’s economic provisions.”
“Definitely, the way we will be amending our Constitution will affect the kinds of amendments we can get through. I hope the proper House committee can be convened to thoroughly study how best we can proceed,” Tambunting said.
Last week, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, a staunch ally of Duterte, said the administration now favored a constituent assembly rather than an elected constitutional convention to amend the Constitution.
Charter Change is among the priorities of the 17th Congress.
During the term of former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2009 sought to convene Congress into a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution. But many lawmakers opposed the idea for fear that it would extend term limits of incumbent officials.
