Poll shows Filipinos trust US, Australia over China

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19) — A survey from the Social Weather Stations showed Filipinos trusted the US and Australia more than China.

The SWS July 3-6, 2020 National Mobile Phone Survey asked 1,555 Filipinos which of the three countries they trusted more than the other, and was revealed the US received a net trust rating of +42. This, however, was lower than +67 net rating in December 2019. 

"Net trust in the United States has been positive since SWS first surveyed it in December 1994. Out of 68 surveys, it ranged from moderate +18 in May 2005 to excellent +82 in December 2013," said the survey.

Net trust rating for Australia was at +27, also lower than the +33 it received in December last year.

Meanwhile, net trust fell from "poor" to "bad" for China, as it went down from -27 in December 2019 to -36.

The SWS poll said, "Net trust in China has been positive in only nine out of 53 surveys since SWS first surveyed it in August 1994. It reached as high as moderate +17 in June 2010 and as low as bad -46 in September 2015."

The SWS explained its terminologies for net trust ratings as "excellent" (+70 and above), "very good (+50 to +69), "good" (+30 to +49), "moderate" (+10 to +29), "neutral: (+9 to -9), "poor" (-10 to -29), "bad" (-30 to -49), "very bad" (-50 to -69), and "execrable" (-70 and below).

A previous, commissioned SWS survey showed four out of five Filipinos said the country should form alliances with countries ready to defend territorial rights in West Philippine Sea. <<>>

That same poll also asked questions regarding China's role on COVID-19 pandemic. The pollster asked whether respondents believed accusations that China held back information on the virus — three out of five Filipinos believed it did.

Meanwhile, 71 percent of those who said they believed the allegations said “China should be held accountable for not immediately sharing their information on COVID-19 to the world.”