Philippines’ West Philippine Sea Transparency Boosts Nationalism, Study Finds

QUEZON CITY — The Philippines’ initiative to enhance transparency in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has fostered a stronger sense of nationalism among Filipinos, according to a political analyst’s remarks on the eighth anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Ruling.

According to Philippines News Agency, eight out of ten Filipinos support the Marcos administration’s efforts to assert the country’s maritime rights in the WPS. The study, conducted from June 17 to 24 with 1,200 respondents nationwide, revealed that 76 percent of those surveyed favor the administration’s continued assertion of these rights, while only 3 percent opposed it. The survey’s findings align with the government’s policy of “assertive transparency,” which aims to expose aggressive actions by China within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Froilan Calilung, a political science professor at the University of Santo Tomas and director of the Local Government Development Institute, emphasized the unifying effect of the WPS issue during a Saturday News Forum. He noted that the common adversarial stance against external pressures in the WPS has galvanized popular support among Filipinos. Additionally, the study highlighted that the majority of respondents advocate for reinforcing alliances and conducting joint military exercises with allies to strengthen the Philippines’ stance in the disputed waters, with a significant portion also supporting the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to safeguard the nation’s territory and marine resources within its EEZ.