44% oppose, 37% support Charter change: Pulse Asia

August 3, 2016 at 11:44

44% oppose, 37% support Charter change: Pulse Asia

Posted on August 02, 2016

“A BIG PLURALITY of Filipinos” or 44% of the respondents polled by Pulse Asia oppose the revision of the 1987 Constitution, according to the polling group’s latest “Ulat ng Bayan” survey released on Monday, Aug. 1.

Pulse Asia said most of the respondents (73%) “admit knowing little/nothing at all” about the 1987 Charter — the basic law of the post-Marcos era Fifth Republic that has been subjected to calls for amendments in practically every administration since Fidel V. Ramos’s presidency.

Under the administration of Benigno S. C. Aquino III, however, the call for amendments was limited to the economic provisions of the Constitution — a legacy of the transition to post-Marcos democracy on the watch of his mother, the late president Corazon C. Aquino. The said provisions are widely understood to be the main focus of Mr. Duterte’s plans on Charter change.

SHIFT IN PUBLIC MOOD
The Pulse Asia survey was conducted on July 2 to 8, using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents 18 years old and above, with a ± 3% error margin at the 95% confidence level.

Of these respondents, 37% support Charter change and 19% expressed indecision on the matter.

“Almost the same percentages either support or oppose charter change in Metro Manila (47% versus 42%), the rest of Luzon (33% versus 42%), Mindanao (47% versus 36%), Class ABC (42% versus 43%), and Class E (39% versus 42%),” the survey said, adding:

“Big pluralities to small majorities in the Visayas (58%) and Class D (44%) do not think the 1987 Philippine Constitution should be amended now.”

The survey also noted certain trends in the public response to Charter change — a recurring issue since the Ramos and Estrada administrations during the 1990s, when opposition to amendments was marked by protest rallies led by Mrs. Aquino.

The protest actions at the time were informed by the public memory then — the 1970 constitutional convention called by Ferdinand E. Marcos that was compromised by the martial law regime that he established two years later.

But in recent years, there has been a shift in the public mood to Charter change.

“Between November 2014 and July 2016, support for charter change becomes more pronounced in Metro Manila (+24 percentage points), Mindanao (+15 percentage points), and Class D (+10 percentage points),” said Pulse Asia, which also noted: “Conversely, opposition to charter change eases in Metro Manila (-20 percentage points) and Mindanao (-13 percentage points).”

The survey also pointed out: “In November 2014, it may be noted that nearly half of Filipinos (49%) were of the view that the 1987 Philippine Constitution should not be amended at that time. This was the majority opinion among those aware of charter change proposals (60%) and those with a great deal/sufficient amount of knowledge about the 1987 Philippine Constitution (65%) in November 2014.”

“Additionally, basically the same percentage of Filipinos either supported charter change proposals (27%) or expressed indecision on the matter (24%) back then.”

FEDERALISM
“Virtually the same percentages of Filipinos either favor or do not favor a shift to a federal system of government (39% versus 33%),” the survey said.

“Ambivalence on the matter is expressed by 28% of Filipinos. Big pluralities to small majorities in Metro Manila (45%), Mindanao (54%), and Class ABC (48%) are supportive of the proposal to change the country’s system of government to a federal one,” it also noted.

“Public opinion is split three-ways in the Visayas and Class E (30% to 36% in favor, 35% to 38% not in favor, and 29% to 32% undecided). In the rest of Luzon and in Class D, almost the same percentages either support (33% to 38%) or reject the proposal (34% to 39%).”

The survey also found that “[a]round four (4) in 10 Filipinos (41%) say they have heard, read or watched something related to proposal to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution.”

“Across geographic areas and socioeconomic classes, the only majority level of awareness is recorded in Class ABC (57%),” the survey also said.

A poll conducted by Pulse Asia last month showed “concrete measures to change the Constitution” at the bottom of issues cited that the new administration should act on — of which the top were economic and peace and order issues.

Sought for comment, University of Santo Tomas political science professor Edmund S. Tayao said the 37% supporting Charter change “is still a remarkable figure… There has not been any campaign and any serious efforts to go around the country and involve the people to get their reaction or thoughts on Charter change.”

Mr. Tayao also distinguished present efforts to revise Constitution from the past, saying that Mr. Duterte’s initiative is “not geared toward extending himself in power.”

‘TOO EXPENSIVE’
Mr. Duterte himself maintained his stand on Charter change, particularly his preferred mode now to convene Congress into a constituent assembly — apart from the other constitutional options of calling either a people’s initiative or a constitutional convention.

In a press briefing on Monday, he cited a meeting with Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno where they had decided “it will take us billions” to call a constitutional convention. “Masyadong magastos (It’s too expensive),” Mr. Duterte said “Wala na akong pera (I have no more money).”

For his part, Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III said Congress can still “swing” the public mood on Charter change, noting that this issue has not been “fully-discussed” and many can still be “convinced” about its necessity.

House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez, for his part, said he would propose to Mr. Duterte “an executive order creating a constitutional commission composed of, let’s say, around 20 persons.” He said the 20-man commission would be composed of legal experts like retired chief justice Reynato S. Puno, former Senate president Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr., lawyer Reuben R. Canoy, and dean Ranhilio C. Aquino of San Beda Law School. Mr. Alvarez said he sees no legal impediment to organizing such a commission.The 1987 Constitution itself was drafted by a 50-member commission appointed by Mrs. Aquino under what was practically operating at the time as a revolutionary government. — with Raynan F. Javil