Amid growing concerns over maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a majority of Filipinos remain confident in candidates who advocate for the country’s sovereignty and are likely to vote for them, a recent survey showed.
According to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey commissioned by Stratbase Consultancy, 75% of Filipinos said they would vote for candidates who push for the defense of the WPS.
Conducted from April 11 to 14, the survey revealed that voters favour candidates who believe the Philippines must assert its rights against China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea.
Meanwhile, only 25% of Filipinos said they prefer candidates who do not believe in asserting the country’s rights against China’s aggressive moves.
The survey also found that those less likely to prefer candidates who fight for the WPS mainly belong to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable sector, classified as Social Class E.
The results highlighted the correlation between vulnerability to disinformation and social class, with disinformation campaigns particularly targeting those in Social Class E.
According to Stratbase President Dindo Manhit, individuals in the Social Class E bracket have become victims of a disinformation campaign waged by China, which aims to “dull national outrage, normalize foreign aggression, and create confusion about the necessity of defending Philippine sovereignty.”
“Social Class E’s daily fight for survival leaves them more susceptible to these manipulations, especially when false narratives are amplified by local candidates who have historically aligned themselves with Chinese interests,” Manhit added.