By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Amid China’s continuing provocative actions against Filipino vessels and fisherfolk in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Filipinos continue to express their support for the government’s transparency policy on exposing these maritime incidents in defense of the country’s vested interests in these hotly-contested territorial waters.
This is reflected in the results of the recent Pulse Asia survey conducted between September 27-30, with 94% of respondents supporting the government’s factual reporting of the harassment of Chinese marine and militia vessels on Filipino forces deployed in WPS.
These findings show near-unanimous support across socioeconomic classes, with figures noting consistent government trust in the National Capital Region (97%), Balance Luzon (96%), Visayas (93%), and Mindanao (89%).
Further delving into the nuances of the populace, this support remains strong across all age groups, underscoring the widespread public awareness of this pressing national issue that continues to undermine the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, maritime security, and maritime rights in the WPS.
The citizenry’s firm backing of the government’s defensive position in the contested maritime domain manifests in the following figures: 97% among senior citizens (aged 65 and above), 96% among those aged 55-64, and over 90% among youth aged 18-34.
These results echo the public’s confidence in the initiatives of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), the two key government agencies at the forefront of addressing China’s unlawful actions against Philippine vessels through diplomacy and peaceful means.
Whether at home or abroad, the poll’s results highlight the country’s unitedness in expressing condemnation of the East Asian nation’s maneuvers in the WPS, further bolstering the international support garnered by the Philippines as it continues to uphold the 2016 Arbitral Award that recognizes the country’s rights over these disputed islands and features.
The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews across all regions of the Philippines, with a national sample size accounting for 100% of Filipino adults, and with a ±2.5% margin of error. (with report from Patrick de Jesus | PTV News)
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