Survey: Filipinos trust US most to help protect WPS

Filipinos trust the United States the most to help protect the Philippines’ interests in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), according to the Stratbase Institute, citing a Pulse Asia survey it commissioned.

In a statement, the pollster said 82 percent of Filipinos wanted the government to work with the United States amid continued tensions in the WPS, followed by Japan (64 percent); Canada (58 percent); Australia (51 percent); and South Korea (37 percent).

Meanwhile, the survey showed only 11 percent of Filipinos believed the Marcos administration should work with China to resolve the tension.

India had the lowest rating at 4 percent, according to Stratbase.

The survey asked 1,200 respondents nationwide between Dec. 12 and Dec. 15, 2025, to select up to five countries or organizations “they trust and believe the Marcos administration should work with in asserting Philippine rights and protecting national interests.”

The survey had a margin of error of ±2.8 percent.

‘Morale booster’

“These results reflect strong public confidence in partners that respect international law, follow a rules-based order, and support Philippine sovereignty,” Stratbase said in the statement.

For its part, the Armed Forces of the Philippines welcomed the survey results.

“Filipinos understand that, despite the many false narratives and malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party, we should trust like-minded nations who support international law when it comes to the West Philippine Sea,” AFP spokesperson Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a press briefing on Tuesday in Camp Aguinaldo.

“It is a very strong morale booster to the AFP. It only shows that our stand in support of rules-based order in the West Philippine Sea now has a trickle-down effect on Filipinos,” he added.