Now free of his responsibilities as Senate President, PDP Laban President Senator Koko Pimentel III is committed to persuading the public to support President Rodrigo Duterte’s efforts to amend the Constitution and adopt federalism as the country’s form of government.
This in light of what the senator from Mindanao said is “a clear lack of awareness about the rationale for charter change” and knowledge about the Constitution itself.
“The fact that the latest survey shows that almost a third of our people say they would never support moves to amend the Constitution is disturbing,” lamented Pimentel.
“Especially since the framers of the Constitution themselves recognized that at some point changes would have to be made, hence the insertion of provisions that allow for revisions and amendments,” Pimentel explained.
In a survey conducted by Pulse Asia from March 23 to 28, 32% of the respondents said that the Constitution should never be amended, sentiments that are understandable, said Pimentel, since a majority of Filipinos confess that they do not know much about the highest law of the land.
“Seventy-five per cent or three in four people admit they know little about the Constitution, and this is the root of the problem,” stressed the former Bar topnotcher.
If our people are ill-informed, they will make uninformed decisions.
“If our people are ill-informed, they will make uninformed decisions—and with something this important, our citizens must be armed with the information they need to appreciate and act on the steps the government is taking to improve our Constitution,” Pimentel added.
Our citizens must be armed with the information they need to appreciate and act on the steps the government is taking to improve our Constitution.
According to Pimentel, “this discussion regarding our Constitution is a conversation our country must have and PDP Laban is committed to contributing positively to the discourse.”
“I will personally lead the party’s efforts to open our countrymen’s minds and we will do our best to convince our people that charter change and the adoption of federalism is timely, necessary, and beneficial to all.”