More Pinoys want to vote directly for their president — survey

Nine out of 10 Filipinos want to directly vote their president in a unicameral parliamentary government under a term-sharing setup, results of a nationwide survey released by the Center for Issues and Advocacy (The Center) showed yesterday.

The Center reported that 6 out of 10 respondents also favor the lifting of term limits for public officials.

The survey was conducted from July 1 to 15 among 1,200 respondents.

Seven of 10 interviewed are for the return of the term of office of elective officials to four years from three years.

The same number disagreed with the filing of a second impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.

The survey also showed that 89 percent of the respondents believe that life will improve in the future.

Across the country, 48.25 percent of the respondents favor the unicameral parliamentary government, the survey showed.

The Visayas posted the highest with 54 percent, Mindanao with 53 percent and Luzon with 48 percent. Only 38 percent are in favor in Metro Manila and 55 percent against but the same agreed that the 1987 Constitution must be amended.

Ed Malay, executive director of The Center, said that the growing clamor for a shift to the unicameral parliamentary system was very much evident from among the masses.

Malay noted that the shift was "borne out of the respondents" disgust at the legislative gridlock and many believe that these have spawned too much politics at the expense of the good of the majority. — Cecille Suerte Felipe