By Beting Laygo Dolor, Contributing Editor
Six years of pro-China, anti-US policy of the previous Duterte administration did not change the way Filipinos view the US. They are still generally pro-American.
The majority of Filipinos want the Philippines to partner with the US in resolving the territorial dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Senate President Migz Zubiri said last week that 75 percent of Filipinos prefer to partner with its old ally, rather than with China. This is based on the latest Pulse Asia survey that asked respondents the question: “Are you in favor or not in favor of strengthening the military ties between the United States and the Philippines amid security tensions in the WPS?”
Only 14 percent were not in favor, while two percent had no opinion and eight percent couldn’t say as they did not have enough information to form an opinion.
While there have been criticisms over the increased US military presence in the Philippines marked by trainings and flights of US Air Force flights over the country’s skies and US Navy presence within its waters, the Senate president said the survey shows that most Filipinos welcome the presence of American troops, who are also allowed to use nine Philippine military camps throughout the country.
Another recent survey, this time by OCTA Research, came out with similar results, although not as heavily leaning in favor of the US.
That survey showed that more than half of Filipinos favored greater military cooperation between the US and the Philippines in helping address the territorial disputes in the WPS.
OCTA fellow Guido David said 14 percent of those surveyed said they were “very favorable” to strengthening the military alliance with the US, while 40 percent said they were “somewhat favorable,” for total of 54 percent. The remaining respondents had 32 percent stating they were not sure, nine percent were “somewhat unfavorable,” and two percent “very unfavorable.”
(The total did not add up to 100 percent due to rounding off, according to the OCTA fellow.)
Pulse Asia and OCTA – along with the country’s third major survey firm Social Weather Stations – usually conduct surveys nationwide with at least 1,200 respondents and a plus or minus three percent margin of error.
The surveys are supposed to be representative of the entire population in terms of such factors as gender, age, location, and income level.
Public support of greater US-Philippine military ties is considered important as one of the plans of the country is to hold joint naval patrols over the Philippines’ waters, especially the West Philippine Sea. This will be on top of the annual Balikatan military exercises between the two countries, which have all been land-based.
The Philippines and Japan are also discussing joint military exercises, while Australia sent representatives to the most recent Balikatan exercises.
Oddly enough, China has even offered to hold joint military exercises with the Armed Forces of the Philippines but the country does not have any visiting forces agreement with its powerful neighbor.
National Security Council Assistant Director Jonathan Malay earlier said that the planned joint patrols between US and Philippine forces in the disputed waters may take place within the next few months.
Philippine and US military aircraft recently conducted air combat and maritime interdiction tactics over the Visayas and Mindanao as part of the Cope Thunder 2023-2 aerial exercises last month.
Aircraft from the Philippine Air Force and the US Pacific Air Force took part in the exercise held between July 12 to 15, according to PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo.
For the Philippines, the aircraft consisted of four FA-50Ph light jet fighters and two A-28B ‘Super Tucanos’, while the US had five A-10 Warthogs.
