Alvarez: Information campaign may urge Filipinos to support cha-cha

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez remains hopeful that Filipinos will support the proposed amendment of the 1987 Philippine Constitution despite a recent survey showing that more Filipinos oppose it.

A recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia showed that 44 percent of Filipinos do not favor charter change proposals while 37 percent support the amendment of the Constitution.

READ: Pulse Asia: 44% of Filipinos oppose charter change

The House Speaker said he is more encouraged by those who approve the amendment rather than discouraged by those who are not in favor of a charter change.

"I'm encouraged by the (37) percent that approves that the charter shall be revised," Alvarez said in an interview with ANC's Headstart on Tuesday morning.

Alvarez also noted that more Filipinos would support changing the Constitution from the presidential system to a federal-parliamentary form of government if they would get more information.

"Konting kampanya lang ito pwedeng ma-hit yung 80 percent, 90 percent. It's only a question of explaining to the people, especially the regions," Alvarez said.

The House Speaker added that he would propose to President Rodrigo Duterte to issue an executive order creating a constitutional commission.

The proposed commission will be composed of at least constitutional law experts that will draft the revised Constitution while the Congress is deliberating on the 2017 national budget.

READ: Alvarez urges Duterte to form 'council of wise men' for charter change