HOUSE Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia sees the need to further educate the Filipino people on the proposed federal charter as they will be the ones to decide through a plebiscite if the country should abandon the unitary form of government and shift to federalism.

"Only an informed populace can truly make an intelligent and responsible decision on the issue of abandoning the unitary and centralized form of government we have been accustomed to for so long and adopting a novel federal form of government,” Garcia said.

Garcia cited the recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey which showed that only one out of four Filipinos is aware of federalism.

The same survey, however, showed that a greater number supports federalism as compared to those who are against it.

A separate survey recently conducted by Pulse Asia also revealed that two out of three Filipinos or 67 percent of 1,800 respondents said “No” while 18 percent said “Yes” to federalism.

"So perhaps, it is really a challenge to the House leadership to now disseminate as far as and as much as it can public information and public education on this shift to a federal system,” said Garcia.

Garcia said in the coming months, the House will focus on a massive information drive to relay to Filipinos what federalism is about.

"I’m sure even the others, the ordinary Filipinos who just go about their own lives, earning their own livelihood, will understand (federalism)," Garcia said. (SunStar Philippines)