88% of Filipinos against Cha-cha –Pulse Asia survey

At least 88% of Filipinos are against amending the 1987 Constitution “right now,” the latest Pulse Asia survey showed.

The survey revealed that only 8% are in favor of Charter change (Cha-cha), while 4% responded that “they don’t know.”

The latest poll results showed a 43% increase of those opposing Cha-cha now compared with the 45% who are in favor based on the March 2023 survey.

The question was: “In your opinion, should the 1987 Constitution be amended or not amended at this time?”

Meanwhile, the same survey showed 74% believe the Constitution “should not be amended now nor any other time,” while 14% said the charter “should not be amended now, but it may be amended sometime in the future.”

Of the 14%, only 6% agreed that Cha-cha should be done under the current administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., while another 8% said Cha-cha should be done during the next administration.

Pulse Asia conducted the survey from March 6 to 10, 2024  using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 respondents aged 18 years and above. It has a ± 2.8% error margin at the 95% confidence level.

Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following error margins: ± 5.7% for Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The opposition against Cha-cha is highest in Mindanao at 91%. It is 89% in Balance Luzon, 85% in Visayas, and 81% in the National Capital Region.

The Pulse Asia poll was done using face-to-face interviews on 1,200 respondents aged 18 years and above. It has a ± 2.8% error margin at the 95% confidence level.

Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following error margins at 95%  confidence level: ± 5.7% for Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Among the critical developments that took place in the weeks leading up to and during the conduct of the interview were the constitution of the Hose of Representatives as a Committee of the Whole to discuss Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 pushing for Cha-cha to amend the economic provisions; the signature drive led by the People’s Initiative for Reform, Modernization, and Action; the Senate inquiry into the alleged controversies involving Apollo Quiboloy; and the continuing tension in the West Philippine Sea.

No to changes

The same survey found that 48% of Filipino adults know little about the Constitution, which is “essentially unchanged” compared to the March 2023 results.

The survey also said that most Filipino adults (68% to 86%) are not in favor of the 10 proposed amendments to the Constitution.

These are:

• allowing foreigners to own schools or universities (68%);
• allowing foreign individuals and companies to have foreign equity in mass media and advertising (71%);
• lifting the prohibition on foreign ownership of communications (71%);
• changing the unitary system to a federal system of government system of government (71%)
• terms extension for national and local elective officials, except for barangay officials (73%)
• removing limits on shares of stocks in Philippine corporations that may be owned by foreign individuals and companies (78%)
• change of the presidential system to a parliamentary system of government (71%)
• shift from bicameral to a unicameral legislature (74%) 
• allowing foreign individuals and companies to own residential and industrial lands (81%)
• allowing foreign individuals and companies to exploit Philippine natural resources (86%)

—LDF, GMA Integrated News