By Genalyn Kabiling
The government intends to intensify the public information campaign about federalism after a survey showed majority of Filipinos opposed to moves to amend the 1987 Constitution.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque recognized that much work needs to be done to raise public awareness about proposed shift to a federal government since people have little knowledge about it.
"The Palace takes note of the results of the latest Pulse Asia survey on Charter change and Federalism showing 18% of respondents agreed that the Constitution should be amended now and 28% of respondents in favor of changing the system of government in the country to federalism," Roque said.
"There is clearly much work to be done in terms of spreading awareness and knowledge on the aforementioned issue. We will therefore exert even more effort to inform and educate our citizens about federalism since the approval of the proposed changes in our current Charter ultimately lies in the hands of the Filipino people,” he added.
A Pulse Asia survey showed 67 percent of the respondents were opposed to amending the Constitution now, 18 percent agreed while 14 percent did not know or could not say.
In the same poll conducted last month, 62 percent said there were not in favor of the proposed shift to federalism, 28 percent agreed, and 10 percent were undecided.
In citing the need for intensified information drive, Roque pointed out that the survey showed only 55% of respondents have heard, read, or watched anything about the proposals to change the 1987 Constitution before the survey was conducted. Another 69% of respondents admitted little awareness of the proposed federal system of government, he added.
"For this reason, we cannot expect our people to support an initiative, which they know only little about," Roque said.