Survey: 73% of Filipinos Agree on Assertion of Sovereignty Against China

By Danish Angelo M. Enerio

A "SIGNIFICANT majority" (73%) of Filipinos Agrees that President Rodrigo R. Duterte According to a study conducted by Pulse Asia from June 15 to 21, commissioned by the think tank Stratbase ADR Institute and presented at the forum of the latter on Thursday, July 12, 39, the administration should affirm the territorial sovereignty of the Philippines in the Philippine Sea

marked the second year of commemoration of the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague confirming the exclusive economic zone of the Philip pines in his maritime dispute with China.

According to the Pulse Asia survey, 46% strongly disagreed and 27% which agreed that the government should follow its 2016 victory that was rejected for being legally unfounded the line of fire used by China.

17% of respondents were undecided while only 7% disagreed (4% somewhat disagree and 3% strongly disagreed)

On the position that the Duterte administration should adopt, 36% stated that the Philippines should "file a diplomatic protest"; 22% said the Philippines should "strengthen (their) military alliance with other countries such as the United States, Japan and Australia"; 21% were in favor of continuing "the current friendship with China to avoid conflicts"; 16% believed in "strengthening the military capacity of the Philippines to protect our territories"; and 0.3% were in favor of a "declared war against China".

On a limited list of countries, the United States was the most trusted country for most Filipinos (74%). 32%), and China (17%).

Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" G. Robredo, speaking at the forum, said "we lost the benefit" provided by The Hague 2016 decision, citing incidents The Coast Guard Chinese harassed local fishermen despite fishing in the country's exclusive economic zone.

She said, "The profound consequences of the loss of this benefit were precisely what I had in mind when I scored my sophomore year. at the office two weeks ago. The images of these poor fishermen struggling for their livelihood and their lives have stayed with me … "

Mrs. Robredo also stated that" last week our team went to Zambales, a province in north of Manila, to find a way to assess the needs of our fishermen affected by the conflict in Panatag Shoal. They told us that they needed help to make a living, facing their difficulties in accessing their traditional fishing grounds. They need help to increase the cost of living. And what is most touching is that they asked for assurance: what is ours will remain ours.

Antonio T. Carpio, Acting Chief Justice, recommended that citizens be able to write to their congressional representatives to help them. the Philippines in their maritime dispute with China.

"You can write to your congressmen that they should make resolutions for the executive department to file additional cases to protect our fishermen," he said in an interview. can not really fish freely in Scarborough Shoal. They are harassed. We can actually file another arbitration case, "said Mr. Carpio.

He added," You can write to your congressman, there are bills in Congress to declare our area in the Spratlys. 19659004] "If we declare this, Vietnam will follow, and the other countries will have to declare the Spratlys also a marine protected area," said Carpio.

In his speech, the president of Stratbase and former secretary Foreign Minister Albert F. del Rosario called China "a great lacerist" and "an international outlaw" for failing to respect the 2016 decision. He also said that the Philippines was a "voluntary victim" on this issue.

He called on Filipinos to "express our feelings to our government and exercise our right to show our indignation against China".

our friends in the community of nations who believe in the rule of law to help us. But before we can hope for help, we must first demonstrate that we deserve to be helped. "