MANILA – Forty-one percent of Filipinos are now supportive of amending the 1987 Constitution, according to the new survey results released by Pulse Asia on Tuesday.
The nationwide survey, conducted from March 15 to 19 and polled 1,200 respondents aged 18 years old and above, showed that public support for charter change increased by 10 percentage points from the last survey conducted in September 2022.
However, the March 2023 survey found that opposition to amending the Constitution is still higher with 45 percent of Filipinos against such proposals.
Of the 45 percent, 31 percent do not see the need for charter change now or at any other time in the future, while 14 percent are open to it someday.
Pulse Asia noted that less than half of the country's adult population, or 47 percent, have prior awareness of proposals to change the Constitution, while around 53 percent have not heard, read, or watched any charter change motions before they were surveyed.
Sentiments on the proposed constitutional changes
More than half of the respondents are not in favor of some proposed amendments to the country’s charter, particularly related to foreign ownership and term extension for elective officials.
In particular, the survey showed that around 53 percent are against the proposal to lift the prohibition on foreign ownership of communications companies, 55 percent do not want to lift the prohibition on foreign ownership of utilities like electricity, 57 percent are not in favor of allowing foreign individuals and companies equal ownership in mass media and advertising.
Other proposed constitutional amendments that received opposition include removing limits on shares of stocks in Philippine corporations that may be owned by foreign individuals and companies at 67 percent, allowing foreign individuals and companies to own residential and industrial lands at 72 percent, and allowing foreign individuals and companies to utilize Philippine national resources at 76 percent.
Meanwhile, a politically-related proposal to extend the terms of office of national and local elective officials was thumbed down by 56 percent of the respondents.
As for the mode of amending the Constitution, only 34 percent of the respondents agree with the creation of a constitutional convention.
As regards their knowledge of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, 44 percent of Filipino adults admit knowing little about it while 34 percent have almost or completely no knowledge about the charter.
On the other hand, 19 percent said they know enough about the 1987 Philippine Constitution while only 2 percent said they have a great deal of knowledge.
The survey has a ± 2.8% error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.
Growing awareness
House Committee on Constitutional Amendments chair Rufus Rodriguez said he is pleased with the results of the Pulse Asia survey as "more and more Filipinos are now realizing the need to amend the Constitution to help the country move forward and to attract more investments".
A constitutional convention to amend the Constitution was the mode chosen by the House of Representatives with the approval of House Bill 7352 and Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 6 in March.
He said awareness regarding proposals to amend the Constitution could still be increased through information campaigns.
He said various constitutional caravans all over the country will be held to further increase awareness and inform the people of the benefits of amending restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution. (PNA)
