Most Filipinos reject Charter change, lifting foreign ownership restrictions

MANILA, Philippines — An overwhelming majority of Filipinos oppose changing the 1987 Constitution at this time, according to a new Pulse Asia Survey, with results showing Filipinos in all regions and all socio-economic classes did not support the lifting of foreign ownership restrictions in key industries.

According to private pollster Pulse Asia's latest survey, a whopping 88% of Filipinos do not support revisions to the Charter at this time, wich dips only slightly for those who are not in favor of Charter change whether now or in the future (74%).

Only 8% said that they believe that the Constitution should be amended now, according to the Pulse Asia survey.

The survey, which gathered 1,200 responses from March 6 to 10, also found that Filipinos are more aware this time about the issue of Charter change compared to last year, but those well-informed about the contents of the Charter itself remains virtually unchanged.

This year, 72% said they have heard of current proposals to change the Charter before answering the survey — higher than last year's 47%. 

Meanwhile, around 75% said they had little or no knowledge about the 1987 Constitution at all — which is "essentially unchanged" from last year's 79%, according to Pulse Asia.

The survey also found that regardless of socio-economic background, majority of respondents were not in favor of current proposals to lift foreign ownership restrictions in the 1987 Constitution as contained in the House' and the Senate's resolutions to amend the Charter.
 
For instance, just less than a quarter or 24% were in favor of allowing foreigners to own schools or universities, followed by foreign ownership in media and advertising (19%) and communications and internet companies (19%). 

Other previous proposals to change the Charter that focused on political amednments also did not garner much support.

Only 18% were in favor of shifting to federalism — at least 20 points lower than last year, when 38% said they backed the pivot to a federal system of government. 

Just 18% were also in favor of allowing term extensions for national and local officials.

A measly 6% were in favor of allowing foreigners to "exploit our natural resources" — the least popular constitutional amendment on Pulse Asia's list.

'Paid' to support PI 

The survey also asked respondents about whether they participated in the people's initiative campaign to change the Charter, which was launched early this year and has since triggered a Senate probe into alleged irregularities committed by its proponents.

Plagued by vote-buying allegations, the people's initiative campaign had reached just 7% of respondents, with 93% saying they were not given the petition about changing the Charter.  

Of those who said they received the petition, 24% said they signed it while 76% said they did not. A slightly higher proportion of Filipinos from the National Capital Region (NCR) said they signed the petition (77%) compared to Balance Luzon (33%), Visayas (10%) and Mindanao (7%).

Among those who signed the petition, 55% were not given an incentive, while 45% said they received an incentive for signing.

Those rewarded for signing the petition were highest in NCR (68%) followed by Balance Luzon (47%) and Visayas (30%). 

No one who signed the petition in Mindanao was given an incentive, according to the survey.

The House of Representatives has passed on final reading Resolution of Both Houses 7, which proposes economic amendments to the 1987 Constitution and mirrors the same proposed amendments by the Senate version.

Compared to last year, the Cha-cha train in Congress generated more buzz this time as leaders from the House and the Senate traded barbs over their preferred method and schedule for amending the fundamental law.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has repeatedly expressed his support for liberalizing the 1987 Constitution's economic provisions, said that he wants the Cha-cha plebiscite to be held simultaneously with the 2025 midterm elections.