84% of Pinoys want Philippines-US security cooperation in WPS

MANILA, Philippines — A recent survey has indicated that 84 percent of Filipinos believe that the Marcos administration should work with the United States to strengthen security cooperation to defend Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.

The results of the survey, commissioned by think tank Stratbase ADR Institute, was presented yesterday by Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes during a forum.

The poll, conducted from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, 2022, showed that 52 percent of Filipinos believe that the Marcos administration should also work with Japan; Australia, (25 percent); the United Kingdom (24 percent), and South Korea (23 percent).

“This indicates that the Philippines must continue to work with its existing allies and forge relationships with new ones to competitively and efficiently address issues and incidents in the West Philippine Sea,” Stratbase president Dindo Manhit said during the forum.

“Working with like-minded states such as the United States, Australia and Japan, and elevating these ties to strategic partnerships reaffirm the Philippines’ 2016 Arbitral win and contribute to the security and stability in the region,” he added.

Manhit noted that a survey commissioned in June 2022 also showed that the top three countries most trusted by Filipinos were Australia, Japan and the United States.

“Working with friends, allies and partners as a strategy allows the Philippines to practice an independent foreign policy based on the public’s interests,” he said.

President Marcos embarked on a three-day state visit to China that was expected to address security issues and bolster trade and investment ties.

The Pulse Asia survey also showed that about 80 percent of Filipinos believe that to effectively address issues in the West Philippine Sea, the Marcos administration should prioritize strengthening the military capability of the Philippines, especially the Navy and the Coast Guard, as well as conduct joint maritime patrols and military exercises with allied countries.

The survey showed that 53 percent of Filipinos believe that the protection of marine resources and environment in Philippine territory is the most important reason to strengthen the country’s ability to defend and protect the seas.

Another 22 percent think that the most important reason is the protection of rights of peoples and communities in coastal areas.

Fourteen percent of Filipinos believe that the government should stop China’s incursions in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

From taking different approaches to China, the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific and Europe are confronting the challenges posed by Beijing and the concern on the building of artificial islands in the South China Sea from a “much stronger” position.

The US Department of State said on Wednesday that the US is in a position to air concern over Chinese actions in the disputed South China Sea more effectively, bringing a large number of US partners.

According to US State Department spokesman Ned Price, China’s building of artificial islands in the South China Sea is a concern that the US has been working together with its allies since the beginning of the administration of President Joe Biden.

The US expressed support to the Philippines’ call on China to respect the international law of the sea amid reports of Chinese vessels swarming near Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.