Poll: 73% of Pinoys won’t vote for pro-China bets

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

SEVEN of 10 Filipinos will not vote for candidates perceived to be supporting of China in next year’s midterm elections amid escalating sea tensions with Beijing, according to a poll by Pulse Asia Research, Inc.

The poll, commissioned by think tank Stratbase ADR Institute, showed 73% of Filipinos said they would not support pro-China candidates, while 5% said they would support pro-China candidates. About 23% of Filipinos were undecided.

Pulse Asia interviewed 1,200 Filipinos on Sept. 6 to 13 for the poll, which had an error margin of ±3 points.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment.

“Many Filipinos feel that China’s actions, particularly in the West Philippine Sea, directly challenge our sovereignty and undermine our nation’s interests,” Victor Andres C. Manhit, the think tank’s president, said in a statement.

“This prevailing view is driven by both patriotic sentiment and a desire for leaders who will prioritize the Philippines’ long-term security and prosperity,” he added.

He said electing pro-China candidates could lead to policies compromising Manila’s sea claims and economic interests.

Only 1% of Filipinos see China as a trusted partner in national development, while 79% saw the United States as the Philippines’ most trusted development partner, according to the poll. About half of Filipinos said Japan is Manila’s top ally.

About 7% of Filipinos said China is a beneficial economic partner for the Philippines, while 66% backed the US as the country’s top economic partner, followed by Japan with 43%, Australia with 32% and Canada with 31%.

“These countries have proven to be dependable allies, not only in ensuring regional stability but also in fostering economic growth,” Mr. Manhit said.

Based on a July Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll commissioned by Stratbase, 60% of Filipinos said measures including joint patrols and military exercises with “allies, friends and partners” were enough in dealing with the Southeast Asian nation’s sea dispute with China.

“The Pinoy voter is notoriously known to decide only a few days before election day,” Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a senior research fellow at the Ateneo Policy Center, said in a Messenger chat. “So, this anti-China sentiment can still change.”

“These results seem to suggest that Beijing’s effort to win the hearts and minds of Pinoys is failing.”

He said candidates this year would likely use the poll to stir anti-China sound bites and slogans, but are unlikely to offer sound national security solutions.

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. last week pressed Southeast Asian leaders and China at a regional summit to speed up negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea, while accusing Beijing of harassment and intimidation.

A 2016 arbitral ruling that voided China’s claims in the South China Sea said Scarborough shoal is a traditional fishing ground for Filipino, Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen. China has controlled the shoal since 2012.

The Philippines has been unable to enforce the ruling and has since filed hundreds of protests over what it calls encroachment and harassment by China’s coast guard and its vast fishing fleet.

Maria Ela L. Atienza, who teaches political science at the University of the Philippines, said the worsening tensions with China and allegations of espionage and crimes involving Chinese operators of online gambling operations in the Philippines have made these anti-China sentiments more apparent.

“We should not underestimate those forwarding Chinese interests as they may have a lot of resources that can affect the campaign and eventually the results of the elections,” she said in a Viber message.