US most trusted country for Filipinos: Pulse Asia

January 14, 2019

The United States remained the most trustworthy country for Filipinos following the historical turnover of the Balangiga Bells last December 12, a Pulse Asia survey on Monday showed.

The survey, conducted from December 14 to 2,m found that 84 percent Filipinos, five percentage points higher than previous survey, trust US. Out of 84 percent, 29 percent said they have a great deal of trust towards the country while 54 percent have a fair amount of trust.

The poll also showed 13 percent of Filipinos do not have much trust with the US while twi percent said they have no trust at all.

Pulse Asia cited the return of Balangiga Bells from the US Department of Defense after 117 years as a key development which occurred weeks before the poll was conducted.

Japan ranked second in the trust ratings with a total of 75 percent, followed by Australia with 72 percent and United Kingdom with 57 percent.

China, on the other hand, was the most distrusted country according to Filipinos. It garnered only 39 percent trust ratings compared to a total of 60 percent distrust from respondents.

The distrust towards China among Filipinos was recorded even after Chinese President Xi Jinping's historical state visit to the country last November 22 to forge a "comprehensive, strategic cooperation" with President Rodrigo Duterte.

Pulse Asia also noted prior to the poll, the National Telecommunications Commision (NTC) named Udenna-China Telecom as the provisional third telecommunications company. Udenna is owned by Dennis Uy while China Telecom is known as the third largest telecommunications company in China.

Russia was the second least trustworthy country among Filipinos with 54 percent distrust against 45 percent total trust ratings.

The survey was conducted using a face-to-face interviews among 1,800 adults aged 18 years old and above.  It has a ±2.3 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS