This research study on Voter’s Attitude Regarding Constitutional Change is being published at a crucial moment in our nation’s political history. This is the time when the body politic had just undergone another People Power uprising in EDSA II, a counterpoint mass uprising in the so-called “EDSA 3,” and a bruising power struggle in the Senate. The credibility of political and governance institutions, including the presidency and its cabinet, Congress, local governments, political parties, Commission on Elections, judiciary, bureaucracy, and military and police are at an all-time low.

Strangely, but not really incredibly, democracy in the Philippines is not really challenged. A recent study by Professor Jose Abueva revealed that more than 70 percent of the citizens affirmed their faith in the democratic system. Nineteen percent, however, have indicated that they have increasingly lost faith in the present edition of the system and are considering “voting with their feet” by emigrating to other countries.

The crisis of the political institutions of democracy largely fuels the present impetus for constitutional reforms among the people. This contrasts with the stiff opposition to constitutional change during the terms of Presidents Ramos and Estrada. Then, the public widely perceived the effort as synonymous with the self-interest of proposing politicians.

A Pulse Asia survey in December 2001 found out that 55 percent of the public are open to charter change now. However, a sharp increase of those opposed to immediate charter change was recorded in July 2002. A similar survey by the Social Weather Station this August 2002 revealed that 64 percent actually support charter change, with a majority supportive of a constitutional convention.

These seemingly contradictory results are reconcilable however. The present IPER study, which went beyond surveys and plumbed the depth of the voter’s reasoning on charter change, addresses the question of the actual substance of the citizenry’s views regarding constitutional reforms.

The study was done during the period of Estrada’s advocacy for charter change in 1999-2000. It does not therefore address the present situation regarding constitutional reform. However, it was not designed to be a reflection of the fleeting moment of a public opinion but is an attempt to read the logic of the people’s position on the matter. Thus, there is a continuing relevance of the study and the confidence of the contemporariness of the results.

The study addresses the questions of the relevancy of constitutional reform from the people’s perspective, and the people’s views regarding the mode of constitutional change, the substantive amendments or revision, the timing of the constitutional change, and their own role in the constitutional change process.

IPER offers this study as its contribution to the current discourse on constitutional reform. It hopes that this can enlighten our lawmakers and our citizenry regarding decisions on constitutional reform. As Congress nears the point when it decides on the various resolutions and bills on constitutional reform, it is an imperative that our legislators may be able to discern the real people’s voice amidst the babel that vested interests will surely portray as representative of the vast majority of the citizenry.

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