MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated on Wednesday that they are carefully examining whether a plebiscite for Charter change should coincide with the 2025 midterm elections, considering the substantial cost associated with holding them separately.
“We are really studying if we would separate the elections and the plebiscite,” Marcos said before departing for Canberra, where he is scheduled to address the Australian parliament on Thursday, February 29. “It would be like holding two elections. That would be very expensive.”
Poll officials estimated that conducting a separate plebiscite would incur approximately P13 billion in costs.
“So, maybe it would be possible if the plebiscite would be held simultaneous with the elections in May next year. That would be a big thing, a big savings for us. We are thoroughly studying it,” he added.
The House of Representatives previously indicated its intention to conduct the plebiscite in July. However, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) expressed concerns that this timeline could impact preparations for the May elections next year.
“It doesn’t mean that once the House or Senate is done [deliberating], there already must be a plebiscite. We can wait… A plebiscite is like an election. It’s very hard to have a plebiscite before the election because this might hinder preparations for the elections. So, I think we have to take all these things into account,” the President said.
“So, we’ll see. The resolutions on Cha-cha have been progressing in the Senate. [They’re] also progressing in the House. So, we’re really evaluating it. We’re really thinking about how we could do it, what the mechanisms are for the plebiscite,” he added.
Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed approval of the Comelec’s openness to conducting the plebiscite concurrently with the 2025 national and local elections.
Zubiri highlighted the potential for the government to save P13 billion by synchronizing the plebiscite with next year’s election. He suggested that these funds could be allocated towards poverty alleviation, constructing more classrooms, or enhancing agricultural production.
“I agree with the position of the Comelec. With limited resources and competing priorities, it is imperative that we maximize every peso spent to address the most pressing needs of our citizens, and it also aligns with the vision of the President for the country,” Zubiri said.
Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales 2nd, who serves as the floor leader of the House Committee of the Whole conducting deliberations on Resolution of Both Houses 7, emphasized the practicality and cost-effectiveness of holding a plebiscite concurrently with the May 2025 elections.
He asserted that such a decision would be legally sound as long as it adhered to the timeframe stipulated by the Constitution.
According to Section 4, Article 17 of the 1987 Constitution, any amendment to the Constitution via a constituent assembly or constitutional convention “shall be valid when ratified by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite,” which, as specified, should be conducted not earlier than 60 days nor later than 90 days after the amendment’s approval.
