94% of Filipinos support WPS transparency policy vs China —Pulse Asia survey

Majority of Filipinos believe that the government should continue its transparency policy and expose China’s coercive actions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), according to Pulse Asia survey results released Wednesday. 

Commissioned by the "We Protect Our Seas Foundation," the nationwide survey was conducted from September 27 to 30, 2025.

“An overwhelming 94% of Filipinos believe that the Philippines should continue its transparency policy and persist in publicly exposing China’s coercive behavior toward Filipino vessels and fishermen in the WPS,” the foundation said in a statement. 

The highest percentage of support was recorded in the National Capital Region at 97%, followed by Balance Luzon at 96% and Visayas at 93%. The lowest percentage was reported in Mindanao at 89%. 

Based on the survey results, more people in the rural population expressed support for the transparency policy in the WPS, with 95%, compared to the urban population, with 93%. 

For socioeconomic classes, Class E showed the highest support to the government efforts for the WPS with 96%, followed by Class D with 94% and Class ABC with 93%.  

Meanwhile, the survey results also showed that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) was the most trusted government agency.  

Around 41% of the respondents identified the PCG as the most trustworthy government agency for updates and incident reports concerning the WPS. 

• The PCG was followed by the following agencies: 
• Philippine Navy - 19%
• National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) - 14% 
• Armed Forces of the Philippines - 8% 
• Department of National Defense - 5%
• Department of Foreign Affairs - 3%
• National Security Council - 2%
• National Maritime Council - 2%

The We Protect Our Seas Foundation said the organization commissioned the study as part of its broader effort to advance fact-based public discourse and policy transparency on maritime governance, security cooperation, and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.

READ: Defending Our Territory: The West Philippine Sea

Aggression

The Philippines in 2016 scored a victory against China in a landmark ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated Beijing’s massive South China Sea claims.

China has refused to acknowledge such ruling, and its government in 2022 claimed that it will continue to adhere to what it described as a “friendly consultation” with the Philippines after several Chinese vessels were found “swarming” areas in the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippines has already filed over 150 diplomatic protests against China regarding the territorial dispute under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. 

Among the latest incidents of Beijing's aggression in the West Philippine Sea took place just this weekend after a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship water cannoned and later rammed a Philippine government vessel in the territorial waters of Pag-asa Island.

The National Maritime Council (NMC) has denounced what it said were illegal and reckless actions of the CCG. —VAL, GMA Integrated News