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Filipinos are “neutral” towards the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, according to the latest SWS survey.

The survey conducted from June 27-30, 2018 and released Saturday found 31 percent agree that Congress should pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law while 28 percent disagree, and largest single group of 40 percent were those who are undecided on the issue.

"This gives a net agreement score of +3 ( percent agree minus percent disagree), classified by SWS as neutral," SWS said.

The difference between those who agreed and who disagreed gave a net agreement score of +3, which SWS considered as “neutral."

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Bangsamoro Organic law is expected to be signed before President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address.

“While the public is neutral and is reserving judgment on the passage of this law based on the SWS survey (31 percent agreeing; 28 percent disagreeing; and 40 percent undecided), we consider this landmark measure as instrumental to our peace and security efforts in Mindanao,” he said.

“We acknowledge the hard work of Congress and the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) that brought us this historic law which would not only forge lasting peace in Mindanao but would also provide the much needed economic development in the island,” he added.

Based on area demographics, the survey said moderate net agreement to pass the law of +18 in Metro Manila, while there is a poor net agreement of -16 in the Visayas region. Both Balance Luzon (and areas of Luzon outside Metro Manila) and Mindanao are neutral about the law, with the former netting +9 and the latter a -2 result.

“While the Mindanao rating may seem surprising, it must be remembered that only about 24% of the population of Mindanao are Muslims, who do indeed agree that the bill should be passed and their opinion forms only part of the sample from the whole Mindanao Area,” it said.

Muslims are extremely in favor of passing the law (+55), while Catholics (-2) and other Christians (-2) are neutral. Iglesia ni Cristo members are moderately in favor of the bill at +27 points.

SWS said Filipinos tend to moderately agree that passing the law will bring peace in Mindanao, at a moderate net agreement of +13.

Respondents from Metro Manila are more optimistic that the law will bring peace in the southern region (+29), followed by Balance Luzon (+19) while Visayas has a moderately negative view of the prospects of BBL (-4), and Mindanao is neutral (+7).

Last July 18, the bicameral conference commitee of Congress approved the proposed Organic Law for Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

This was agreed under the reconciled provisions of House Bill (HB) No. 6475 and Senate Bill (SB) No. 1717 or BOL which would create the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), replacing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

If Duterte will sign the peace measure into law this Monday, a succesful ratification in the plebiscite by November will authorize him to appoint the members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority this December. Ella Dionisio/DMS