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Independent Singapore
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Independent Singapore
Why the Philippines' poorest may choose survival over standing up to China
Filipinos are among the largest group of migrants working as domestic staff abroad, whose lives are often far from easy. Ritchie B Tongo/EPA PHILIPPINES: A survey by the pollster Social Weather Stations commissioned by the Stratbase Group shows 75% of Filipinos favour Senate candidates who assert the republic's maritime privileges in the West Philippine Sea. However, among those who live below the poverty level, categorised as Class E, 41% are in favour of candidates who are not planning to make this issue a priority. That's pointedly more than the national average of 25%. According to the latest SCMP report, political analysts attribute this to the daily economic hardships that this group faces and how foreign policy is frequently relegated to the background in favour of survival. Political science professionals also emphasise that, in many campaigns, candidates focus more on jobs, food issues take centre stage, and local needs are highlighted more instead of issues of national sovereignty or maritime rights. Disinformation and political messaging targeting the poor Dindo Manhit, president of Stratbase, cautioned that underprivileged communities are being 'disproportionately influenced' by propaganda and half-truths disseminated through Chinese-backed social media campaigns. 'Class E's daily fight for survival leaves them more susceptible to these manipulations,' Manhit said. The matter is not new. In 2024, a bogus news flash regarding impending civil warfare in the Philippines was discovered to have come from Chinese social media sources. The National Security Council has since found 'indications' that the Chinese government is steering synchronised 'influence manoeuvres' targeted at influencing Filipino voters' decisions. China denies meddling, while political lines blur The Chinese embassy in Manila denied any form of participation in the so-called manoeuvring activities, calling the allegations monstrous and condemning these accusations as tactics to make China an election issue. However, the consular declaration has not subdued the apprehensions, particularly as China-friendly personalities, together with cronies of former president Rodrigo Duterte, have stayed prominent in the political race. At present, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s government is making an effort to detach itself from these blocs, stressing a harder stance on sovereignty. Nonetheless, for millions of Filipino voters, especially the poor, the issue regarding the West Philippine Sea remains a distant problem unless it directly affects their livelihood, such as fisherfolk who depend on fishing rights.
South China Morning Post
02-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Why Philippines' poorest voters may not back hardline anti-China candidates
With less than two weeks to go before the Philippines ' midterm elections, a new survey shows a surprising divergence in voter preferences over Manila's maritime dispute with China – particularly among the country's poorest. Advertisement While an overwhelming 75 per cent of Filipinos say they prefer Senate candidates who will assert the Philippines' rights over the West Philippine Sea – Manila's name for parts of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone – that number drops sharply among the nation's most economically vulnerable, according to a survey by pollster Social Weather Stations, commissioned by the Stratbase Group. Among Filipinos in class E – those living below the poverty line – 41 per cent said they would vote for candidates who do not plan to assert the country's maritime claims, far higher than the national average of 25 per cent. Analysts have linked the trend to the reach of China-backed disinformation and the dominance of bread-and-butter issues for lower-income voters, many of whom are more concerned with economic survival than foreign policy. A woman sorts plastic items from piles of rubbish to be sold at recycling shops in Manila. Over 40 per cent of Filipinos living below the poverty line say they would vote for candidates who do not plan to assert the country's maritime claims. Photo: AFP Dindo Manhit, president of Stratbase, said the results showed how disinformation had disproportionately influenced class E voters, making them 'the primary targets and victims' of Beijing's information operations ahead of the elections on May 12.
South China Morning Post
19-02-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Filipinos care more about daily struggles, not Marcos-Duterte feud: survey
Published: 3:08pm, 19 Feb 2025 The Philippines is nearing a highly charged midterm election with the impeachment saga of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio dominating headlines, yet bread-and-butter concerns still hold sway over voters. A whopping 94 per cent of respondents in a Social Weather Stations survey, commissioned by the think tank Stratbase Group in January, said they would vote for candidates who advocated increased job opportunities and food security. Another poll released this month showed 59 per cent of Filipinos were most concerned with higher rice prices, with 58 per cent of the respondents believing that solutions by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr 's administration had been 'insufficient'. Athena Charanne Presto, a sociologist from the University of the Philippines, said the figures indicated that the impeachment row was not a primary concern for most voters. 'These bread-and-butter issues can overshadow political dramas in people's everyday lives,' Presto told This Week in Asia. She added that while Duterte-Carpio's case might sway some opinions among 'deeply political [voters],' it might not be as influential for the average citizen 'dealing with daily survival challenges'.
