By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Stressing that it will save a lot of money, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. has expressed his preference that the plebiscite for charter change (Cha-Cha) will be held simultaneously with the midterm elections in 2025.
“Oo, pinagaaralan talaga namin yun dahil kung kung paghihiwalayin natin ‘yang election at saka ‘yung plebiscite, parang dalawang eleksyon ‘yun eh, napaka mahal,” Marcos Jr. told reporters before his departure to Australia on Wednesday (28 February 2024).
The President added: “It really comes down to a practical thing. Mag-o-organize tayo kasi yung plebisito, parang eleksyon din ‘yan — so mag-eeleksyon ka, ta’s magpiplebisito ka. It’s very hard also to have a plebiscite before the election kasi mabubulilyaso yung preparation para sa halalan.”
For his part, Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia on Monday (26 February 2024) said that it can handle the 2025 midterm elections and the plebiscite for the proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution simultaneously.
“Kaya po namin na isabay ang plebisito sa May 2025 elections. Wala po dagdag na gastos except that ihihingi po namin ng dagdag na allowance ang mga guro,” Garcia told reporters through Viber.
The poll body chief made the statement after Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed his desire to have the Cha-Cha plebiscite coincide with the 2025 elections.
(el Amigo/MNM)
