Pulse Asia accused of using 'leading questions' in Cha-cha survey

A House leader on Saturday questioned the latest Pulse Asia survey on public acceptance of amending the 1987 Constitution, claiming that “leading questions" were utilized to influence the poll’s outcome.

In a news release, Deputy Speaker David "Jay-jay" Suarez of Quezon claimed that the survey questions appeared to blur various aspects of constitutional reform, potentially causing confusion among respondents.

"The phrasing of the questions by Pulse Asia seemed crafted to steer respondents towards a specific viewpoint on Charter amendments," Suarez said.

In response, Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes told GMA News Online that ''the questions were arranged so we asked respondents general to specific questions.''

''Specifically, they were asked whether they were in favor of changing the Constitution before their opinion was elicited on specific current and prior amendments,'' he added. 

Conducted from March 6–10, 2024, the Pulse Asia survey showed that 88% of Filipinos are against amending the Charter, while only 8% are in favor of it, and 4% responded, “They don’t know.”

The survey asked respondents, “In your opinion, should the 1987 Constitution be amended or not amended at this time?"

The poll also found that most Filipino adults (ranging from 68% to 86%) are not in favor of the 10 proposed amendments to the Constitution.

Suarez slammed Pulse Asia for including in the survey what it termed “proposed amendments,” as these do not align with those currently under discussion in Congress. 

Among the proposed amendments to which respondents expressed opposition were the following:

allowing foreigners to own schools or universities (68%);

allowing foreign individuals and companies to have foreign equity in mass media and advertising (71%);

lifting the prohibition on foreign ownership of communications (71%);

changing the unitary system to a federal system of government system of government (71%)

term extension for national and local elective officials, except for barangay officials (73%)

removing limits on shares of stocks in Philippine corporations that may be owned by foreign individuals and companies (78%)

change of the presidential system to a parliamentary system of government (71%)

shift from a bicameral to a unicameral legislature (74%) 

allowing foreign individuals and companies to own residential and industrial lands (81%)

allowing foreign individuals and companies to exploit Philippine natural resources (86%)

"The survey questions, particularly those addressing contentious issues such as term extension, foreign exploitation of natural resources, and a shift from a presidential to a parliamentary system of government, may have inadvertently skewed responses and fostered opposition to Cha-cha," Suarez said.

The lawmaker said that ongoing efforts to amend the 1987 Constitution are focused on the economic provisions and not the political provisions.

He also emphasized the importance of accurately reflecting the content of proposed amendments in survey questions.

"The wording of survey questions should accurately reflect the actual provisions being proposed for amendment," Suarez said.

He cited the need for precision and neutrality in survey questions.

"Surveys play a crucial role in gauging public opinion, but they must be conducted in a fair and unbiased manner," he said.

Moreover, Suarez expressed concern about the potential impact of ''biased survey questions'' on the public discourse surrounding constitutional amendments.

"Biased survey questions can distort public perception and hinder meaningful dialogue on constitutional reform," he said.

The lawmaker also stressed the importance of specificity and transparency in surveys, particularly on matters of national importance such as constitutional reform.

"Surveys on complex issues like Cha-cha require clarity to accurately gauge public opinion," Suarez said.

He urged survey institutions, including Pulse Asia, to adopt a more precise and transparent approach to designing questionnaires.

"It is essential for survey firms to ensure that questions are clear, specific, and free from bias to obtain accurate results," he said. — VBL, GMA Integrated News