Most Filipinos doubt Chinese benevolence — SWS survey

MANILA, Philippines — Most Filipinos disagree that the Chinese government has good intentions for the Filipino people, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The poll, conducted from Dec. 16 to 19 last year, found 44 percent of Filipino adults who disagreed with the statement, “Most of what the Chinese government wants to happen in the Philippines is good for the Filipinos.”

On the other hand, only 27 percent agreed with the statement, and 29 percent are undecided.

This resulted in a net agreement score of -17, classified by SWS as moderately weak.

The 44 percent disagreement consists of 22 percent strongly disagree and 22 percent somewhat disagree, while the 27 percent agreement consists of seven percent strongly agree and 19 percent somewhat agree.

Those who believe what the “Chinese government wants to happen in the Philippines is good for the Filipinos” was relatively higher in the Visayas, at a neutral -1 (34 percent agree, 36 percent disagree), compared to moderately weak levels in Mindanao, at -19 (24 percent agree, 44 percent disagree), Metro Manila at -20 (28 percent agree, 48 percent disagree) and balance Luzon at -23 (24 percent agree, 46 percent disagree).

The December 2018 Social Weather Survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide.

Compared to its last survey, the net agreement that most of what the Chinese government wants to happen in the Philippines is good for the Filipinos eased by 11 points, from -28 in September 1993 to -17 in December 2018.

However, the proportion of those who strongly disagree rose by 17 points from five percent to 22 percent, the SWS said.

At the same time, those who somewhat disagree fell from 39 percent to 22 percent.

On the other hand, those who strongly agree went up from one percent to seven percent, while those who somewhat agree went from 15 percent to 19 percent.

The proportion of those who were undecided fell from 35 percent to 29 percent. 

The survey was released amid protest from the Philippine government on the swarming of Chinese fishing vessels around Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea.