Forty-one percent of Filipinos are in favor of the proposals to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution now, results of the latest survey of Pulse Asia revealed on Tuesday, April 4. Pulse Asia disclosed this in the March 2023 Ulat ng Bayan national survey conducted from March 15 to 19 among 1,200 respondents ages 18 years old and above. The pollster revealed that concerning 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 say they know enough about the 1987 Philippine Constitution while only 2 percent report having a great deal of knowledge Meanwhile, the survey also found that 45 percent are against constitutional reform. In particular, 31 percent of Filipino adults do not see the need for charter change now nor at any other time in the future while 14% are against charter change now but are open to it sometime in the future. The rest of the country’s adult population or 14 percent is ambivalent on the matter. Pulse Asia said that public support for charter change became more pronounced between September 2022 and March 2023 which is an increase of 10 percentage points.

Current and proposed amendments

Most Filipino adults (53 percent to 76 percent) are not in favor of the seven proposed changes to the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Small to huge majorities, according to Pulse Asia, expressed opposition to seven proposed amendments to the 1987 Philippine Constitution is lifting the prohibition on foreign ownership of communications companies at 53 percent, lifting the prohibition on foreign ownership of utilities like electricity at 55 percent, and extending the terms of office of national and local elective officials at 56 percent. This goes the same for allowing foreign individuals and companies equal ownership in mass media and advertising at 57 percent, 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.

Con-con

Pulse Asia also found that Filipinos are split regarding the creation of a constitutional convention to change the 1987 Philippine Constitution A little over one-third of Filipino adults or 34 percent agree with the creation of a constitutional convention to amend the country’s charter. A contrary opinion is held by nearly the same percentage of the adult population at 30 percent. Indecision on the matter is expressed by 28 percent of Filipino adults while 8 percent admit they do not know enough about it to state an opinion on the matter.