Manila Bulletin
Philippines
National
PCG welcomes Pulse Asia poll showing 68 percent of Filipinos backing transparency initiative in WPS
Philippines
National
PCG welcomes Pulse Asia poll showing 68 percent of Filipinos backing transparency initiative in WPS
PCG welcomes Pulse Asia poll showing 68 percent of Filipinos backing transparency initiative in WPS
Published Mar 13, 2026 02:02 pm
A China Coast Guard vessel fires a water cannon at a much-smaller Filipino fishing boat near Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on Dec. 12, 2025. Three fishermen were hurt in the incident. (Courtesy of Philippine Coast Guard)
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) welcomed on Friday, March 13, the results of a recent survey by Pulse Asia Research Inc. showing strong public support for the government’s transparency initiative in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
PCG spokesperson for WPS Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela said the findings affirmed that most Filipinos back the continued public disclosure of incidents involving Chinese vessels in disputed waters.
The nationwide survey, conducted from Feb. 27 to March 2 through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult respondents, found that 68 percent of Filipinos support the government’s policy of publicly reporting activities by Chinese vessels in the WPS.
About 28 percent disagreed while four percent said they were undecided. The poll has a ±2.8 percent margin of error.
Tarriela said the results highlighted strong public support for transparency as tensions persist in the contested waters.
“The West Philippine Sea is not just a national issue—it is also about defending international law and our collective aspirations for a free and open maritime order,” Tarriela said.
“We should persist and not subordinate our principled approach to the expansionist goals of any superpower,” he added.
In recent years, the national government has regularly released photos and videos of confrontations involving Chinese vessels and Philippine ships, including incidents affecting the PCG and Filipino fishermen operating within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
For the “We Protect Our Seas Foundation,” a volunteer-based research group promoting awareness and policy discussions on the Philippines’ maritime rights in WPS, the survey results showed that Filipinos “understand what is at stake in the West Philippine Sea.”
“The public strongly supports transparency about what is happening at sea and recognizes the importance of working with trusted partners to defend our rights under international law. The Philippine Government should heed the public’s policy preferences,” said WPS Foundation Jeffrey Ordaniel.
International partners
Meanwhile, the poll also measured Filipinos’ preferred international partners in defending the country’s maritime rights.
The United States ranked highest at 70 percent, followed by Japan at 46 percent, and Australia at 37 percent. Other partners mentioned were Canada at 26 percent, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN at 24 percent, South Korea at 20 percent, Russia at 19 percent, the United Kingdom at 16 percent, Germany at 13 percent, and Taiwan at six percent.
The survey results came months ahead of the Philippines hosting of the ASEAN Summit 2026 and the East Asia Summit 2026 in November under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The poll also gauged which world leaders Filipinos most want to visit the country during the summits where United States President Donald Trump topped the list at 59 percent, followed by Russian President Vladimir Putin at 10 percent, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at nine percent.
Other leaders included Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at six percent, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at four percent, while Chinese President Xi Jinping ranked last at three percent.