BY PRINCE GOLEZ and ADRIAN STEWART CO
MANILA – Majority of Filipinos do not support the proposed shift to a federal system of government, the latest Pulse Asia survey said.
Of the 1,200 respondents in the March 23-28, 66 percent was against the proposed charter change, 27 percent approved of it while 6 percent was undecided.
Federalism proponents must “endeavor into a massive information dissemination campaign” so the people “could make an informed opinion,” Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said.
“Many of us – including myself – are not well-versed on how a shift to federalism can be smoothly done,” he admitted.
Meanwhile the Consultative Committee (Con-com) reviewing the 1987 Constitution approved on Wednesday a revised Preamble.
The Con-com en banc unanimously approved the insertion into the Preamble of phrases on building a “permanent and indissoluble nation,” a “united and progressive society under a federal government,” and “shared ideals and aspirations.”
“The Preamble of the Constitution is not just a grandiose display and play of words but a pledge by all our people, a promise by all our constituent regions not to secede from the new federal republic,” said Con-com chair Reynato Puno.
Proposed by Professor Eddie Alih, the revised Preamble reads:
“We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God, to build a permanent and indissoluble nation and establish a just, humane, united and progressive society under a federal government that shall embody our shared ideals and aspirations, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of independence and democracy under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution of the Federal Republic of the Philippines.”
The Preamble in the 1987 Constitution reads:
“We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God, in order to build a just and humane society, and establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our posterity, the blessings of independence and democracy under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.”
The Con-com will submit its recommendations to President Rodrigo Duterte before his State of the Nation Address in July. Congress may or may not approve the committee’s proposals.
For his part, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said the results of the federalism survey mean “rushing Charter change and forcing it upon the citizens is not the way to go.”
Pangilinan cited the lack of awareness among Filipinos on the current Constitution as one of the reasons that majority do not favor the proposed charter change.
“Isa pang common na sentiment sa mga hearing na pinahayag ng mga eksperto at batayang sektor ay: unahin muna ang mga problema sa trabaho at presyo ng bilihin, iyong mga araw-araw na problema ng karaniwang Pilipino,” he said.
Sen. Franklin Drilon said the survey is a “wakeup call” for the Duterte administration that what the public needs is a “real solution to the problems that confront then daily” and not “term extension to justify a shift to a federal system.”
Congress should instead prioritize measures addressing unfair labor practices and expanding health and social protection coverage, he said.
“If we were to submit the Charter change to the people for ratification today, it only means people won’t ratify it and Charter change is dead,” the Senate minority leader said.
“I do not see the figures changing in favor of Charter change or federalism unless the government and the Congress intensify their efforts to provide solutions to the country’s problems,” he added./PN
