Poll: Pinoys want action over disputed waters

Manila - Eighty percent of Filipinos have expressed opposition to the government’s “inaction” on China’s intrusion in claimed territories in the disputed South China Sea, the September 15 to 23 poll conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

The poll found that 84 percent of adult Filipinos believed it is “not right” for the Philippine government to “leave China alone with its infrastructure and military presence in the claimed territories.”

“[Eighty four percent] of adult Filipinos reject the government’s policy of doing nothing about China’s intrusion in the West Philippine Sea,” read the SWS survey, which was released on Tuesday, November 20.

The latest figure was higher by three percentage points from the 81 percent recorded in June, the SWS noted.

Around 86 percent also deemed it “right” to strengthen the military capability of the Philippines, especially the Navy, up by six percentage points from June’s 80 percent.

Also, 71 percent said it is “right” for the Duterte government to raise the issue before international organizations, like the United Nations or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, for a “diplomatic and peaceful negotiation with China about the claimed territories.”

The number of Filipinos who want to bring the issue before the international organizations was only three percentage points below the 74 percent posted in June.

The same survey also revealed that 87 percent considered it “important” for the Philippines to “regain control of the islands occupied by China in the West Philippine Sea.”

Only three percent said it was “not important” to regain control of the disputed waters, while 10 percent were ambivalent on the matter.

Reacting to the survey, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Palace found the timing of the release of the poll results “suspect,” considering that such was made public on the day of Xi’s arrival in Manila.