Palace on SWS poll on federalism: Expected but gov’t should boost efforts

MANILA, Philippines — With three of four Filipinos still unaware of the proposed federal system of government, the government must be more aggressive in its campaign to inform the public of its benefits.

Malacañang stressed this point Thursday as a reaction to the latest Social Weather Stations’ poll, which found out that only 25 percent of Filipinos know about the federal system—“the cornerstone of the Duterte administration.”

“Everyone in the government should exert more effort on popularizing the need to shift to a federal form of government, its advantages to the people and effects to the lives of common people,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said.

The SWS survey also showed that only 37 percent favored the federal system of government, while 29 percent expressed opposition to it. Thirty-four percent were undecided about the matter.

READ: SWS: Only 1 in 4 Filipinos aware of federal government

Roque, however, remains upbeat despite the lukewarm reception. He said that the results are “expected,” noting that Filipinos are still waiting for the output of the Consultative Committee tasked to review the Constitution.

ANC reported that the Con-Com said it will reach out to more Filipinos through a nationwide information drive.

Duterte, the first president from Mindanao, championed the shift to federalism to topple the “Imperial Manila” in a bid to end conflicts and curb poverty in the countryside.