WPS transparency creates ‘deeper sense of nationalism’ among Filipinos

MANILA: The country's transparency initiative on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has created a 'deeper sense of nationalism' among Filipinos, a political analyst said Saturday. On the eighth anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Ruling on July 12, Pulse Asia released a study showing that 8 out of 10 Filipinos want the Marcos administration to assert the country's maritime rights in the WPS. 'I believe that West Philippine Sea of all the issues that we have right now is the least divisive because here we have a common adversary,' University of Santo Tomas political science professor and Local Government Development Institute Director Froilan Calilung said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City. 'It is clear here that it is gaining popular support and popular backing from majority of Filipinos.' The Philippine government earlier announced that it will pursue a policy of "assertive transparency" in the WPS, exposing China's aggressive actions within the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The latest Pulse Asia polls results, released during a Stratbase ADRI forum in Makati City on Friday, was conducted from June 17 to 24 among 1,200 respondents nationwide. The results showed that 76 percent of respondents favored the administration's continuous assertion of the country's rights while 20 percent were undecided. Only 3 percent were against asserting Philippine rights. On what measures the Philippines should implement in the disputed waters, majority (51 percent) favored reinforcing alliance and elevating partnerships by conducting joint patrols and military exercises with allies. The remaining respondents agreed to support the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to protect the territory and marine resources with the country's EEZ. Source: Philippines News Agency