3 out of 5 Filipinos have ‘little trust’ in China–SWS poll

Three out of five Filipinos, or 62 percent, have expressed that they have “little trust” in China as the Philippines is involved in a territorial dispute with the global superpower.

The results of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll conducted on June 5 to 8 stated that only 17 percent of Filipinos have “much trust” in Beijing.

A net trust score of -45 for China was recorded, the lowest it posted since June 2014, May 2012 and June 1995.

During the Mischief Reef incidents between China and the Philippines and the 2008 melamine contamination of milk, China’s net trust ratings also ranged between bad to poor.

This is a stark contrast on the Filipinos’ very high trust in other countries such as the United States and Australia.

In the June 2015 survey, the United States posted a “very good” net trust rating of +64 while Australia recorded a “good” rating of +36.

Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, scored a “neutral” rating of -9 while Malaysia posted a “poor” -10 rating.

SWS classifies net trust ratings of +70 and above as “excellent”; +50 to +69 “very good”; +30 to +49 “good”; +10 to +29 “moderate”, +9 to -9 “neutral”; -10 to -29 “poor”; -30 to -49 “bad”; -50 to -69 “very bad”; -70 and below “execrable.”

Meanwhile, the SWS survey said that events concerning the maritime dispute between China and Philippines placed fifth in the list of most followed news events.

It said 51 percent of Filipinos closely or somewhat closely follows news articles on the country’s maritime dispute with China.

The poll said that the four most followed news events were the Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. “fight of the century” (78 percent), the case of OFW Mary Jane Veloso who is on Indonesian death row (57 percent), court trials concerning alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles (57 percent), and updates on the implementation of the K to 12 program (52 percent).

Other news events followed by Filipinos include the court trial on the Maguindanao massacre (50 percent), Senate probe on the alleged anomalous transactions made by Vice President Jejomar Binay and his cohorts (48 percent), court trial of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (46 percent), and the Nepal earthquake (44 percent).

The Philippines has brought the maritime dispute before the United Nations International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos) but China has refused to participate in the proceedings.

A high-profile legal team composed of state lawyers and government officials went to The Hague in The Netherlands on July 7 to present its arguments before Itlos.