PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said they were thoroughly studying whether or not a plebiscite for Charter change would be held simultaneously with the 2025 midterm elections, taking into account the huge cost it would entail to hold 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.”
![Marcos in Canberra President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrives in Canberra, Australia. Presidential Communications Office](https://www.manilatimes.net/manilatimes/uploads/images/2024/02/29/309040.jpg)
Marcos in Canberra President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrives in Canberra, Australia. Presidential Communications Office
Poll officials said a separate plebiscite would cost about P13 billion.
“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 earlier said it was looking to hold the plebiscite in July, but the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said this could affect 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 welcomed the Comelec statement that it was open to holding the plebiscite together with the 2025 national and local elections.
Zubiri said that the government could save P13 billion if it synchronizes the plebiscite with next year’s election, an amount that could be used to alleviate poverty, build more classrooms, or improve 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, floor leader of the House Committee of the Whole conducting deliberations on Resolution of Both Houses 7, said it was “very practical and very economical” to hold a plebiscite at the same time as the May 2025 elections.
He added that such a move would be legal as long as it fell within the time frame set by the Constitution.
Section 4, Article 17 of the 1987 Constitution states that any amendment to the Constitution through a constituent assembly or constitutional convention “shall be valid when ratified by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite,” which, it stated, shall be held not earlier than 60 days nor later than 90 days after the approval of the amendment.