MANILA, Philippines — A significant majority of Filipinos still trust the United States the most and China the least, according to a Pulse Asia survey released Friday.
The poll conducted from June 24 to 20 showed that 89% of Filipinos trust the United States, the country's long-time ally. Meanwhile, 11% of the respondents said they distrust Washington.
While the Duterte administration is seeking stronger ties with China amid maritime disputes in the South China Sea, only 26% of Filipinos trust Beijing. This means that 74% of Filipinos do not trust China.
The survey also found that only 42% of Filipinos trust Russia while 57% distrust Moscow.
Aside from China and Russia, majority of the respondents said they trust other countries mentioned in the survey.
Japan recorded the second highest trust rating with 79% followed by Australia with 76%, Canada with 71%, Malaysia with 63%, United Kingdom with 56%, Indonesia with 56% and Vietnam with 53 percent. — Patricia Lourdes Viray