Manila Bulletin
Philippines
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Pulse Asia: 75% of Pinoys in favor of strengthening PH-US military ties
Philippines
National
Pulse Asia: 75% of Pinoys in favor of strengthening PH-US military ties
Pulse Asia: 75% of Pinoys in favor of strengthening PH-US military ties
Published Jul 16, 2023 08:08 am
Seventy-five (75) percent of Filipinos are in favor of strengthening the military ties between the Philippines and the United States amid the security tension in the West Philippine Sea.
Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri (Senate PRIB Photo)
Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said this is reflected in a latest Pulse Asia survey which showed that 75 percent are in favor of strengthening the military cooperation between the Philippine government and its long-time ally in the Asia-Pacific Region, while only 14 percent are not in favor. Two (2) percent do not have enough knowledge to provide any views or opinion, while eight (8) percent cannot say whether they agree or not, based on the survey. Zubiri said the question was actually a “rider” he provided and was included in the Pulse Asia survey. The survey was conducted from June 19 to 23, 2023. Respondents are asked the question: “Are you in favor or not in favor of strengthening the military ties or cooperation between the US and Philippines amidst the security tension in the WPS?” According to Zubiri, 75 percent are in favor; while those not in favor are at 14 percent; 86 percent are from the National Capital Region (NCR), 69 percent are from Luzon, 83 percent are from the Visayas, while 76 percent are from Mindanao. The survey also shows that 80 percent of those in favor come from the economic class A, B, C (upper class, upper middle class, and middle class); 76 percent are from D (lower middle class), and 70 percent are from E (lower class). That is why, Zubiri said, he agrees with Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ appeal for the Senate pass a resolution asking the government to file a protest at The Hague, which issued the arbitral ruling on the West Philippine Sea, and which respected the Philippine’s rights to its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). “Kaya ang lumalabas 75% sa ating populasyon pabor na pumayag tayo na tulungan tayo ng Estados Unidos dito sa West Philippine Sea issue. Ang hindi lang pabor ay 14 percent, napakalaki ang disparity (That’s why 75 percent of our population agree that the US should help us in our issues in the WPS. Those who are not in favor are only 14 percent, there is a huge disparity),” Zubiri said in an interview over Radio DZBB. “Ibig kong sabihin nagagalit na po ang ating mga kababayan sa China. Nagagalit na sila. Kung hindi po sila galit sa China dapat mas maliit po yung porsyento na binasa ko po sa inyo (I mean, our compatriots are already angry at China. They are angry. If they are not angry with China, the percentage I read to you should be smaller,” he pointed out. “They are sick and tired. Talagang sawang-sawa na po sila sa pagpasok ng China dito sa ating bansa, lalo na sa mga incursions dito sa Reed bank na napakalapit po sa El Nido, sa Coron, napakalapit po nyan. (They are really fed up with China's incursions into our country, especially with the incursions here in Reed Bank, which is very close to El Nido, Coron. It is very close),” added Zubiri. Hontiveros earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 659 calling on the Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), to sponsor a resolution before the UN General Assembly that will call on China to stop its harassment of Filipino vessels in the WPS. Zubiri said the Senate will take up the resolution on Tuesday, July 25, or a day after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA). The Senate is set to resume its sessions at the start of the Second Regular Sessions of the 19th Congress on Monday, July 24. “Ako po ay sumasang-ayon sa plano ni Senator Risa Hontiveros na magpasa ng isang (I agree with Sen. Risa’s plan to pass a) resolution asking the government to file a protest at The Hague),” Zubiri said. “By Tuesday (July 25) pagdebatehan po natin yan (We will debate on that). I’m sure we can get the majority to vote in favor of this resolution that we will take it back up to The Hague as an oppositon to what is happening right now,” the Senate chief also stressed. “Lahat po ng protest ipapakita natin dyan (We will show all the protests we filed) as exhibit A, lahat itong litrato na ito (all the photos), we will present it back to the United Nations (UN) para manghingi po tayo ng bagong ruling sa kanila o desisyon sa kanila sa mga araw-araw na pagpasok at illegal incursions sa ating teritoryo (so we can ask for a new ruling or decision from them regarding their repeated harassment and illegal incursions in our territory),” the senator added. “We should show the video and photographic evidence of their creeping invasion towards our country and our neighbors with their continuous reclamation of territory within our EEZ and areas that are considered international waters that hamper the freedom of navigation. We shouldn’t stop at just the Arbitral Ruling but we should follow up with the Hague on what is actually going on on the ground by China,” he reiterated. Earlier, the Chinese Embassy in Manila reiterated that China does not recognize the landmark arbitral ruling on the WPS and declared it as “illegal, null and void."
Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri (Senate PRIB Photo)
Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said this is reflected in a latest Pulse Asia survey which showed that 75 percent are in favor of strengthening the military cooperation between the Philippine government and its long-time ally in the Asia-Pacific Region, while only 14 percent are not in favor. Two (2) percent do not have enough knowledge to provide any views or opinion, while eight (8) percent cannot say whether they agree or not, based on the survey. Zubiri said the question was actually a “rider” he provided and was included in the Pulse Asia survey. The survey was conducted from June 19 to 23, 2023. Respondents are asked the question: “Are you in favor or not in favor of strengthening the military ties or cooperation between the US and Philippines amidst the security tension in the WPS?” According to Zubiri, 75 percent are in favor; while those not in favor are at 14 percent; 86 percent are from the National Capital Region (NCR), 69 percent are from Luzon, 83 percent are from the Visayas, while 76 percent are from Mindanao. The survey also shows that 80 percent of those in favor come from the economic class A, B, C (upper class, upper middle class, and middle class); 76 percent are from D (lower middle class), and 70 percent are from E (lower class). That is why, Zubiri said, he agrees with Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ appeal for the Senate pass a resolution asking the government to file a protest at The Hague, which issued the arbitral ruling on the West Philippine Sea, and which respected the Philippine’s rights to its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). “Kaya ang lumalabas 75% sa ating populasyon pabor na pumayag tayo na tulungan tayo ng Estados Unidos dito sa West Philippine Sea issue. Ang hindi lang pabor ay 14 percent, napakalaki ang disparity (That’s why 75 percent of our population agree that the US should help us in our issues in the WPS. Those who are not in favor are only 14 percent, there is a huge disparity),” Zubiri said in an interview over Radio DZBB. “Ibig kong sabihin nagagalit na po ang ating mga kababayan sa China. Nagagalit na sila. Kung hindi po sila galit sa China dapat mas maliit po yung porsyento na binasa ko po sa inyo (I mean, our compatriots are already angry at China. They are angry. If they are not angry with China, the percentage I read to you should be smaller,” he pointed out. “They are sick and tired. Talagang sawang-sawa na po sila sa pagpasok ng China dito sa ating bansa, lalo na sa mga incursions dito sa Reed bank na napakalapit po sa El Nido, sa Coron, napakalapit po nyan. (They are really fed up with China's incursions into our country, especially with the incursions here in Reed Bank, which is very close to El Nido, Coron. It is very close),” added Zubiri. Hontiveros earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 659 calling on the Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), to sponsor a resolution before the UN General Assembly that will call on China to stop its harassment of Filipino vessels in the WPS. Zubiri said the Senate will take up the resolution on Tuesday, July 25, or a day after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA). The Senate is set to resume its sessions at the start of the Second Regular Sessions of the 19th Congress on Monday, July 24. “Ako po ay sumasang-ayon sa plano ni Senator Risa Hontiveros na magpasa ng isang (I agree with Sen. Risa’s plan to pass a) resolution asking the government to file a protest at The Hague),” Zubiri said. “By Tuesday (July 25) pagdebatehan po natin yan (We will debate on that). I’m sure we can get the majority to vote in favor of this resolution that we will take it back up to The Hague as an oppositon to what is happening right now,” the Senate chief also stressed. “Lahat po ng protest ipapakita natin dyan (We will show all the protests we filed) as exhibit A, lahat itong litrato na ito (all the photos), we will present it back to the United Nations (UN) para manghingi po tayo ng bagong ruling sa kanila o desisyon sa kanila sa mga araw-araw na pagpasok at illegal incursions sa ating teritoryo (so we can ask for a new ruling or decision from them regarding their repeated harassment and illegal incursions in our territory),” the senator added. “We should show the video and photographic evidence of their creeping invasion towards our country and our neighbors with their continuous reclamation of territory within our EEZ and areas that are considered international waters that hamper the freedom of navigation. We shouldn’t stop at just the Arbitral Ruling but we should follow up with the Hague on what is actually going on on the ground by China,” he reiterated. Earlier, the Chinese Embassy in Manila reiterated that China does not recognize the landmark arbitral ruling on the WPS and declared it as “illegal, null and void."