'Dislike' of PHL govt, Filipinos high among Hong Kong residents, survey says

Most Hong Kong residents—some 86 percent of them—“dislike” the Philippines' government, according to a recent opinion survey of the University of Hong Kong made public on June 4.

 

The same survey also found that only one percent of the 1,031 HK residents surveyed like the Philippines' government while 41 percent said they disliked Filipinos. However, some 11 percent of the respondents said they liked Filipinos.

 

Such a high dislike level “warrants attention”, said Robert Chung, director of the survey.

 

“Hong Kong people seem to dislike the governments of the Philippines, Japan, the United States and Thailand whereas they seem to like all peoples rather than dislike them, except with the people of the Philippines. These findings are worth studying by various governments,” Chung also said.

Recent history
 

Results of the survey came out the same day that the men's national football team of the Philippines competed against their counterparts from Hong Kong in what was supposed to be a friendly match. 

 

The Philippines won 1-0 and received less than a warm reception from the home crowd. HK football fans booed at the Philippine team while their national anthem was being played.


 

The university's Public Opinion Programme (POP) survey came out less than three years after the August 2010 hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila wherein eight tourists from Hong Kong died during the government's attempt to rescue the hostages.

 

The survey also learned that “negative feelings” toward the governments of Japan and mainland China were also high at 59 percent and 37 percent, respectively.

 

"Their negative feeling towards the governments of Mainland China, Japan and the Philippines are at their new high since 1997," the abstract of the study said.

 

Least disliked are Canada (2 percent), Singapore (2 percent), Australia (3 percent), Germany (5 percent), Macau (7 percent), Taiwan (8 percent), France (9 percent) and United Kingdom (9 percent).

 

The Hong Kong residents surveyed said disliked the Chinese (36 percent), Japanese (15 percent) and Americans (12 percent). 


 

 

Mixed analyses

 

Rommel Banlaoi, vice president of the Philippine Association of Chinese Studies, said the government should correct this negative perception on the country.

 

"Huwag dapat isantabi ng gobyerno ang ganyang klase ng public perception, dahil 'yan ang kanilang timpla sa atin. Dapat i-correct ang dapat na i-correct," he said in a "24 Oras" report on Thursday.

 

Meanwhile, a professor from China belies the survey's claims, adding that many Chinese choose to stay in the country.

 

"I don't think the survey is right. So many people come from China... If they hate the Philippines they will choose another place," Dr. Ju Hailong from the School of International Relations, Jinan University said in the report. 

 

Overseas Filipinos in Hong Kong had mixed reactions about the survey.

 

"May reason siguro kung bakit ang Hong Kong people do not like the Philippine government...  Kahit ako wala akong nakikitang aksyon ng gobyerno 'dun sa (Quirino Grandstand hostage-taking crisis)," said Juliet Bestoguey.

 

"Gine-generalize lang nila ang isang insidente.. Nilalahat na nila, hindi naman dapat," added Marilou Rosello, another Hong Kong-based OFW.  — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/ELR, GMA News