Most Filipinos prefer 2025 bets who ‘believe in asserting rights’ vs China – survey

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Support for 2025 bets who believe the Philippines needs to assert its rights in the West Philippine Sea is highest in Metro Manila and lowest in Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines – Most Filipinos — a whopping 8 out of 10 — said that they “prefer candidates in the 2025 elections, who believe in asserting the Philippines’ rights against China’s aggression in the West Philippines Sea,” according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released Friday, March 7. 

According to the survey, held just as the campaign period for national candidates started in February, 78% of those surveyed said they would choose a “a candidate who believes that the Philippines must assert our rights against China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea.” 

In contrast, 22% said they would choose “a candidate who does not believe that the Philippines must assert our rights against China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea” 

The survey was held from February 15 to 19 and involved 1,800 respondents nationwide. It was conducted by SWS and commissioned by the Stratbase Group. The results were made public on March 7 during a forum organized by Stratbase and Japan Foundation Manila. 

The survey’s release nearly a month into the national campaign period. 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in endorsing his 12-person Senate slate, has tried to make China’s aggression and the West Philippine Sea into election issues. 

Under Marcos, the Philippines has become more assertive in defending its sovereign rights and claims in the West Philippine Sea. In his campaign speeches, Marcos contrasts his bets with those who he say are pro-China or have hands stained from his predecessor’s bloody drug war. 

Marcos’ campaign pitch targets former president Rodrigo Duterte and ultimately, the latter’s Senate bets. Duterte, in turn, has hit his successor for failing to address the rising price of goods, employment, and the supposed rise in criminality. 

In previous issues on the top national issues Filipinos see as urgent, defending national sovereignty — or issues that touch on the West Philippine Sea — are usually of low priority. 

The same February 2025 SWS survey showed that 77% of Filipino agreed that the “Philippine government must further strengthen its alliance with other countries through joint patrols, joint sails, and joint military exercises to assert and defend the Philippines’ territorial and economic rights in the West Philippine Sea.” 

Support for alliances was highest in Metro Manila (84%) and lowest in Mindanao (64%). 

The same contrast was also observed in the question about supporting 2025 candidates who believe that the Philippines should assert its rights in the face of China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea — support was highest in Metro Manila (87%) and lowest in Mindanao (67%).  

The Philippines is set to elect 12 senators, district representatives, and thousands of local officials on May 12, 2025. – Rappler.com