THE National Task Force West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) on Wednesday night said it welcomes the latest Pulse Asia survey that shows the Filipinos ‘strong confidence’ in the government’s policy of transparency and resolute defense of the country’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the WPS.
‘We thank the Filipino people for their trust in the NTF-WPS and its member agencies, particularly the Coast Guard [PCG], the Navy [PN], and the Armed Forces [AFP], all whom gained high trust ratings from the public,’ it said in a statement.
The same survey also had 41 percent of respondents identifying the PCG as the most trustworthy government agency for updates and reports concerning the WPS.
‘This strong vote of confidence is not just a reflection of institutional performance; it is a reflection of national unity in the face of continuing challenges to our sovereignty,’ NTF-WPS added.
The survey results send a clear and powerful message: the Filipino people stand for truth, transparency, and the defense of what is rightfully ours.
‘We also draw our strength from the fact that 94 percent of respondents believe that the Philippines should continue its transparency policy and persist in publicly exposing China’s coercive and aggressive behavior,’ it noted.
With this, NTF-WPS pledged to sustain and further strengthen it transparency policy.
‘We will continue to shine light on every illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive (ICAD) activity in our waters. We will not be silenced, we will not be intimidated, and we will never turn away from our duty to defend the Filipino people’s rights and the nation’s dignity,’ NTF-WPS said.
Also, the survey’s findings that 77 percent of respondents identified the United States as the top country the Philippines can rely on reflects the enduring strength of the Philippine-US alliance.
It also said that this partnership is rooted in shared values, mutual respect, and a common commitment to peace, stability, and the rule of law.
‘This reinforces the need for the Philippines to strengthen its partnerships with like-minded nations who believe in a rules-based international order and a free and open Indo-Pacific,’ the agency added.