Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin (PPAB)

House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin said polling firm Pulse Asia should clarify whether or not there were groups behind the creation of its latest survey questionnaire.

“It’s difficult to presume but we believe that’s for Pulse Asia to answer kasi syempre nakasalalay din diyan iyong reputasyon ng kanilang organization (because of course your organization's reputation also depends on that),” she said.

Garin had this say during a recent press briefing, where she pointed out the supposed flaws of the Pulse Asia survey last month.

In a survey conducted from March 6 to 10, at least 88 percent of Filipinos were shown to be not in favor of amending the 1987 Constitution, for now.

Only eight percent were reportedly in favor of Charter change (Cha-cha)

Garin pointed out that there were some misleading aspects to this survey given that it mainly focused on political amendments and not economic amendments—which the House of Representatives had been staunchly pushing for.

The House leader said that about 72 percent of the respondents were not even aware or not well-informed enough of this current Cha-cha proposal. 

With this, Garin suggested that only those knowledgeable of proposal should have participated in answering the questions. 

“Dapat iyong mga respondents mo dapat naiintindihan nila iyong Konstitusyon kasi iyon ang pinag uusapan,” she said.

(Your respondents should understand the Constitution first because that is what we are talking about.)

“Hindi iyong tatanungin mo lahat ng tao, so iyong pagkuha ng sample dapat doon na nagbawas,” the lawmaker stressed. 

(You shouldn’t ask everyone, so your sampling should have been reduced.)

Some 1,200 respondents aged 18 years old and above participated in the Pulse Asia survey. was

One of the crucial developments that took place during the conduct of the survey was the Committee of the Whole hearings by the House of Representatives, which eventually approved the lower chamber’s Economic Cha-cha measure, Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 7.

Garin emphasized that the best way to educate the masses on the urgent need to amend the Constitution is through a plebiscite as to why they should be in favor or not.