SWS poll on rising number of Chinese workers in PHL 'slantly phrased' —Palace

Malacañang on Friday questioned the results of a survey showing majority of Filipinos were worried about the rising number of Chinese workers in the country.

According to the September 2019 survey of the Social Weather Stations, 31% of respondents said they were "worried a great deal" about the increase of foreign Chinese workers in the Philippines; 39% answered that they were "somewhat worried"; 19% replied that they were "not too worried"; while 11% said they were "not at all worried."

The survey also found that 27% "strongly agreed" and 25% "somewhat agreed" that the increasing number of foreign Chinese workers in the Philippines is a threat to the country's overall security, while 14% "somewhat disagreed" and 13% "strongly disagreed" and 21% were "undecided."

In a statement, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Palace was not surprised by the survey results even as it slammed the question asked to the respondents.

“It is a matter of research methodology. We note that the survey question has been slantly phrased as: ‘Gaano po kayo nababahala sa pagdami ng dayuhang Intsik na nagtratrabaho sa Pilipinas?’ Necessarily, the response is logical and expected because the question already assumes that there exists a cause of worry,” he said.

Panelo said the Palace expects those who are opposed to the President's pivot to China policy “to put political color and tweak and highlight the result of this survey question for political propaganda purposes.”

“Contrary to the result of this survey, the Chinese has seamlessly assimilated in the Filipino way of life for centuries, and we attribute this to the hospitable and inclusive nature of our people,” he said.

While the Philippines and China boasted of good overall relations under the Duterte administration, tensions have lingered in the South China Sea due their overlapping claims and Beijing's aggressive move to assert control over the resource-rich waters.

Several lawmakers have also expressed alarm over the influx of Chinese nationals who work for Chinese-owned offshore gaming companies that operate in the Philippines.

Majority of them, they said, do not have legal work permits and have entered the country using tourist visas.

Still, Panelo assured the public that the government is strict in enforcing the the law, especially those pertaining to immigration and labor policies.

He also said Duterte will prioritize the interests of the Filipino people and the local labor force. —KBK, GMA News