SWS survey: Filipinos lose trust in China

MANILA, Philippines—Amid the ongoing dispute with Beijing over the Panatag Shoal (international name: Scarborough Shoal), Filipinos’ trust in China plunged to a record low of minus 36 in May, according to the latest Social Weather Stations survey.

The survey, conducted between May 24 and 27 and first reported in the Business World newspaper, found that 55 percent of Filipinos had “little trust” in China while 19 percent had “much trust,” resulting in a “bad” net rating of minus 36.

Last March, the net rating of China among Filipinos was at “moderate” plus 10 (39 percent “much trust,” 29 percent “little trust”).

The SWS considers net satisfaction ratings of plus 70 and above to be “excellent”; plus 50 to plus 69, “very good”; plus 30 to plus 49, “good”; plus 10 to plus 29, “moderate”; plus 9 to minus 9, “neutral”; minus 10 to minus 29, “poor”; minus 30 to minus 49, “bad”; minus 50 to minus 69, “very bad”; and minus 70 and  below, “execrable.”

The survey also showed that the “tension between the Philippines and China in [the] Scarborough Shoal” was among the most followed news events in the country in May. Forty-eight percent of the respondents said they “followed closely” the news about the Scarborough Shoal standoff.

Among those who monitored the issue very closely, net trust rating for China was “very bad” at minus 52, while it was “bad” among those who follow the news somewhat closely (minus 36).

Along with China, the survey also showed that North Korea had a “bad” trust rating with Filipinos (minus 34).

On the other hand, the United States enjoyed a “very good” trust rating of plus 62, while Australia (plus 39) and Japan (plus 32) enjoyed “good” ratings.

The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide, and had an error margin of plus-or-minus three percentage points. By Inquirer Research