Category: Philippine Star

The public’s trust in the election process relies, whether we like or not, on the perception that the process is fair.

Even the appearance of impropriety undermines the public’s faith in the process, no matter how well-intentioned the action may be.

Just recently, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Dasmariñas in Cavite approved a resolution granting P50-million in financial assistance to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to defray the expenses for the Aug. 29 special election to fill the vacancy in the position of representative of the fourth legislative district of Cavite.

The House of Representatives earlier expelled Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco ‘Kiko’ Barzaga after finding him guilty of disorderly behavior, conduct unbecoming of a member and violations of the House Code of Conduct.

The House adopted the committee on ethics and privileges’ recommendation to expel Barzaga, including the committee’s finding that Barzaga’s conduct fell short of the professionalism required under Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

The Sanggunian resolution noted that Dasmariñas City Mayor Jennifer Austria-Barzaga recommended granting P50-million in financial assistance to the Comelec to cover the expenses for the special election to fill the vacancy created by Kiko Barzaga’s removal.

The mayor, the expelled congressman’s mother, filed her certificate of candidacy in July to replace her son in the Lower House. She is one of the five candidates for the position.

The donation was turned over by vice mayor (now acting mayor) Elpidio ‘Third’ Barzaga III, Kiko’s brother, to the Comelec last July 23.

Unfortunately, the donation has sparked significant public debate between institutional necessity and possible conflict of interest.

After all, Comelec is an independent constitutional body tasked with overseeing an election that is now partly financed by the same LGU unit upon the recommendation of a candidate and approved by the Sanggunian presided over by Vice Mayor Third.

Some critics argue that having the local government headed by a candidate fund the very body regulating their election compromises institutional neutrality.

The Comelec is designed to be a completely independent body funded solely by the national government to prevent local interference. Relying on local government funding sets a worrying precedent where wealthy LGUs can possibly exert financial influence over public democratic processes.

Section 4 of RA 6713, which covers elective and appointive public officials and employees including constitutional officials, provides that every public official and employee shall observe professionalism and endeavor to discourage wrong perceptions of their roles as dispensers or peddlers of undue patronage.

Recently, Comelec dismissed claims by a Facebook page named ‘Calabarzon Connect’ that the P50-million donation is ‘legal bribery in broad daylight,’ reiterating that it will be used for the honoraria of teachers serving as electoral board members on election day.

Holding a special election is not cheap, requiring a budget of about P191 million.

But is P50 million worth the appearance of impropriety? Comelec may have the best of intentions, even the Barzagas, but it is simply not worth it. The end after all never justifies the means. Preserving the public image and perceived credibility of the Comelec should come first.

Chilling effect

Every election depends on citizens willing to participate. Some volunteer for campaigns. Others speak for the candidates they believe in. Many contribute financially within the limits set by law. These are ordinary acts of civic engagement that help sustain a functioning democracy.

However, the plunder case involving Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, former congressman Mike Defensor and two private businessmen will now make campaign donors think twice, fearing that a lawful contribution could later become part of a non-bailable criminal prosecution because of a candidate’s actions.

It is alleged that campaign-related transfers amounting to P75 million were omitted from the required election disclosures, eventually giving rise to plunder charges.

A campaign contribution does not automatically become evidence of criminal conspiracy simply because it is later questioned. The existence of a financial transfer, even one connected to a political campaign, does not by itself establish criminal intent. Prosecutors must demonstrate that each accused knowingly and intentionally participated in an unlawful scheme. The burden applies separately to every individual charged.

Unlike the public figures named in the case, the others do not hold public office. The deeds of donation identified the transfers as campaign contributions and that donor’s taxes were reportedly paid. If prosecutors contend that the transfers were actually corrupt payments made by reason of public office, they bear the burden of proving precisely that. They must establish not only the movement of money but also each donor’s knowledge and intentional participation in the alleged scheme.

The pending bail applications bring this requirement into sharper focus.

A bail hearing does not determine whether an accused is guilty. It asks whether the prosecution has presented sufficiently strong evidence to justify continued detention while trial proceeds. The inquiry is individualized. It focuses on the evidence against each applicant, not on the prominence of the other names appearing in the same information.

Personal liability remains a cornerstone of criminal justice. Association alone cannot substitute for proof. One defendant’s alleged conduct cannot automatically establish another defendant’s intent. Courts have long recognized that conspiracy must be supported by evidence showing each participant knowingly joined the alleged unlawful design.

However the Marcoleta case turns out, its significance may lie not only in the verdict but also in the precedent it leaves for future elections.

If citizens begin to fear that supporting a political candidate could later expose them to the gravest criminal charges without proof of their own knowing participation in wrongdoing, the chilling effect will extend far beyond this single prosecution.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday called for immediate accountability over dozens of allegedly illegal reclamation projects in the Taguig portion of Laguna de Bay, accusing Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano of harassing state regulators to protect the anomalous multimillion-peso contracts.

According to Lacson, his team has already counted at least 32 ‘grossly anomalous’ infrastructure projects in the area that were passed off as flood mitigation efforts, which failed to actually address the flooding problem.

‘The Cayetanos have disguised these unabated and illegal reclamation operations in the Taguig side of Laguna Lake as flood control and mitigation projects for several years now, using their power and influence to harass officials of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), Laguna Lake Development Authority and other agencies tasked to protect the lake,’ the senator said.

In a post on X yesterday, Lacson cited a recent 24 Oras report detailing how the local government bypassed mandatory environmental procedures.

Lacson, a vice chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, revealed that officials from the PRA met with him earlier this week to disclose intimidation tactics allegedly used by Cayetano to suppress investigations into the Taguig lakeside developments.

He said the officials claimed Cayetano specifically targeted them late last year when the agency’s budget was up for approval.

According to the 24 Oras report, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources had already flagged the Taguig flood control projects as early as October 2025.

Implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways, the sites feature several big-ticket contracts funded under the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

Apart from these were two flood mitigation projects costing a total of over P283.7 million secured by Dahl Construction Corp. and a separate P49.9-million multipurpose building at the Lakeshore Complex reclamation site.

Laguna Lake Development Authority general manager Leopoldo Parumog confirmed that the Taguig city government failed to coordinate with their agency.

Meanwhile, the Senate Blue Ribbon committee will yield to the Office of the Ombudsman the investigation into the multibillion-peso flood control scandal to avoid interference and speed up the proceedings.

Panel chairman Sen. Erwin Tulfo said this after he and Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian met with Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla at the anti-graft body’s office in Quezon City.

Tulfo cited the ongoing investigations that the ombudsman is already undertaking which involve several politicians in Congress.

‘It may get ruined if we meddle any further. We don’t want to do that,’ he told reporters after the meeting.

Rolando Bregente survived a cold putting day to ease past Emilio Hernandez, with a 1-up win propelling the men’s top seed into the NGAP’s National Match Play Finals against big-hitting Shinichi Suzuki today at Luisita in Tarlac.

Bregente hung tough in the face of a torrid comeback by Hernandez, with a routine par on No. 18 enough to seal the deal and stop cold a Hernandez rally from three-down entering their final four holes, even as Precious Zaragosa eliminated Lisa Sarines, 2and1, to make the ladies’ final opposite No. 1 Grace Quintanilla.

‘I really struggled to make putts, even from as close to driver length attempts,’ the 24-year-old Bregente said in Filipino as he guns for a national title that is missing in his big collection of trophies against the 18-year-old Suzuki, the seasoned internationalist who bundled out Ralph Batican, 2and1.

‘It would really be an interesting match,’ Bregente said of his clash with Suzuki, a long-time member of the Philippine pool who is coming off a stint in the US Men’s Amateur. ‘He outhits me by a considerable distance. It’s going to be a tough match.’

Like Bregente, Zaragosa is shooting for a first match play crown – and a first national title in the ladies division that could come after she won the Girls’ Am May of last year.

‘I am super excited to play in the finals,’ the 15-year-old Zaragosa said.

And the one responsible for busting the Group A leader’s 6-0 streak was Terrafirma, the only team that gave the Road Warriors a big scare in the first-round sweep of the PBA Governors’ Cup elims.

Banking on clutch plays from Maverick Ahanmisi and Brent Paraiso in the stretch, the Dyip took down the previously unbeaten troops of coach Jimmy Alapag, 114-109, on a rainy Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

It was sweet revenge for the 100-101 heartbreaker that the Dyip suffered at NLEX’ hands the first time they met last July 12. That game that saw them wipe out a 23-point deficit and come one basket short of stealing the W.

Successful this time, thanks to its 9-0 closing barrage, Terrafirma improved to 2-4, catching Converge at fourth in Group A.

Despite getting its record stained, NLEX (6-1) stayed at the helm ahead of San Miguel (5-2) and TNT (3-3).

Ahanmisi dished out a 16-10 double-double with three rebounds and three steals. He capped his heroics with a crucial interception and assist that led to Geo Chiu’s game-tying layup, a defensive board that resulted in Brent Paraiso’s go-ahead basket and a dagger free throw with 2.9 seconds left.

‘Feels good (to have our revenge). We know the type of fight we need to get it done against them,’ said Ahanmisi.

Paraiso punched in seven of his 18 in the finishing to join Ahanmisi, Justin Strings (28-11-6), Juami Tiongson (20) and JM Bravo (16) in the Terrafirma scoring parade.

Robert Bolick, with 20, and JB Bahio, with 20 and 15 boards, paced NLEX in this losing cause.

‘Alam namin makaka-match up kami against NLEX, all we need to do is compete every possession,’ said coach Ronald Tubid.

Meanwhile, San Miguel Beer and TNT look to fortify their standings inside the Magic 4 of Group A as they face separate foes today at Ynares Center-Montalban.

The second-running Beermen (5-2) gun for their sixth win against Macau (2-5) at 5:15 p.m. while the third-running Tropang 5G (3-3) seek payback versus first-round tormentor Titan (2-5) at 7:30 p.m.

Five suspected members of terror group Dawlah Islamiya were killed in an alleged shootout with state forces in Pikit, Cotabato on Thursday.

The fatalities – identified as Bebeh Camsa, Marhum Esmael, Ali Manduh, Rasul Tito and Halim Usman – died at the scene of the encounter, which occurred in Barangay Inug-ug.

The military said the fatalities were wanted for multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder, arson, armed robbery and drug trafficking.

The cases against the suspects have been pending in different courts in Cotabato, Maguindanao del Sur and Sultan Kudarat.

Lt. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, acting chief of the Western Mindanao Command, said a combined team of the police and military responded to reports about the presence of wanted men in the village.

Cagara said the team was about to serve an arrest warrant, but the suspects reportedly drew their guns, triggering a firefight that resulted in their death.

Authorities said the fatalities were tagged in an ambush in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur in March, which killed five policemen and wounded three others.

The military said more than 30 followers of Esmael and Usman who are experts in making improvised explosive devices surrendered to the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID) in the past few months, and have been reintegrated in different communities.

Brig. Gen. Ricky Bunayog, acting chief of the 6ID, said a rifle belonging to a policeman killed in an ambush in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat last month was found beside the remains of one of the terrorists.

Agreeably, by design, unanimity is rare in a democracy. However, we brought this rarity to the next level, divisiveness. A political divide that resulted into two universes. Likely, the distance between these two universes may widen farther as impeachment hearings gain steam.

Sadly though, this is not only true in politics as Pax Silica’s initiative is also dragged needlessly. This time though, it is between the environmentalists and those who believe that this is a quantum leap from the low-value assembly activities that we have prevalently.

Truth to tell, the conversation around Pax Silica has become louder than the facts. On one side, critics call it a sellout of our sovereignty. On the other, supporters treat it like an instant cure for unemployment and poverty. Actually, both positions are flawed. The reality is, our country has a once-in-a-generation chance to move from exporting people to exporting semiconductors.

By the way, Pax Silica is not a company. It is a US-led economic security initiative launched in December 2025 to build allied supply chains for semiconductors, AI infrastructure, and critical minerals. The goal is to reduce global dependence on a single geopolitical rival in China for strategic technologies. In us, this means a 1,618-hectare Economic Security Zone in New Clark City.

Reportedly, the BCDA has signed an MOU with Korean and Japanese firms, and a framework agreement is targeted before November. More than 50 companies, including trillion-dollar tech firms, have expressed interest. From the looks of it, this is not just a press release, it is a project with a timeline.

The country joined Pax Silica in April 2026 as the 13th signatory, alongside the US, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, India, Israel, UK, UAE, Qatar, Sweden, Finland, and Greece. Taiwan participates as a guest. It is a coalition of allied investors. The actual buildout will be led by private companies.

Clark is a good choice because it offers land, power access, and logistics. Proximity to Clark International Airport and the Luzon Economic Corridor makes it ideal for high-value manufacturing. Critically, this is not only about data centers, it is just a small slice. Our government has stressed that Pax Silica in the country will focus on manufacturing. Starting from semiconductor design to fabrication, advanced packaging, AI computing, and critical mineral processing. Expect, therefore, a surge in high-value jobs.

The economic upside is real. Reportedly, Phase 1 requires about US$10 billion in infrastructure. Long-term investment potential is US$40 billion to US$70 billion. BCDA projects 130,000 to 190,000 direct high-quality jobs at full capacity, 90% of which are for Filipinos.

More importantly, the structural shift. This will move us up the value chain. Instead of only shipping raw nickel, copper, and cobalt to China, we can process critical minerals here for semiconductors. That is how we must build an industrial base.

Honestly though, energy and water are the main issues. Fabs and data centers are intensive. Developers must build their own power, not draw from the national grid. For water, facilities will recycle cooling and some will use desalination. But these commitments must be proven in the ECC process with transparent modeling and community input. There is also geopolitical exposure. As Pax Silica seeks to diversify away from China, we must manage trade relations carefully. Admittedly, concentrating chips and AI creates cyber and security risks. However, these are problems to solve, not reasons to walk away.

Notably, this initiative was designed to reduce reliance on China for critical tech. That is precisely why we should be in it. If we stay out, we remain a raw-material exporter to China while importing finished chips at a premium.

More importantly, we must be aware that the world now treats silicon, AI, and critical minerals like oil. Nations are securing them. In us, it seems, we are trying to drive them away. Yes, we must demand transparency on leases, environmental studies, and technology transfer. Likewise, we must require Filipino suppliers and Filipino engineers to lead. Yes, we must be for Pax Silica, not blindly, but deliberately.

The allies are ready. The capital is interested. The demand for chips is not going away. We can keep exporting talent, or we can build the industries of the future here. Yes, right here.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara welcomed Republic Act 12322, which updates a provision of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or RA 10533, saying the new law will allow the Department of Education (DepEd) to maintain instructional approaches that are grounded in classroom evidence and field experience.

Under RA 10533, which institutionalized the country’s K to 12 basic education program, concepts in subjects like Science and Mathematics were designed to be revisited across grade levels with increasing complexity.

The new measure, which lapsed into law on Aug. 2, amends Section 5, paragraph (g) of RA 10533 by removing the statutory reference to ‘spiral progression’ and provides opportunities for new pedagogical approaches or strategies in teaching and learning.

Angara said that by removing the requirement for spiral progression, the new law allows Science and Mathematics teachers to adopt mastery-based learning or alternative methods, ensuring learners thoroughly understand foundational concepts before advancing.

‘This update is about maintaining the flexibility our curriculum experts and field officers need to address learning gaps. Our focus remains on stability in our schools and ensuring our teaching strategies directly improve learner outcomes,’ he said.

He gave assurance that any adjustments to instructional delivery remain subject to thorough review, pedagogical evidence and practical considerations, including textbook supply and teacher training.

The law also mandates a systematic curriculum review at least once every five years. All other core curriculum standards under RA 10533 remain intact.

Loan repayment

Angara has approved extending the maximum loan repayment period for DepEd personnel to seven years from the current five years to ease borrowers’ burden.

The policy update under DepEd Order No. 020, series of 2026 aligns DepEd’s guidelines with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which provides for more flexible loan structures or longer payment periods for salary loans in response to the clamor from teachers and school personnel for financial relief.

Aug. 11 this year marks the centennial of the birth of the late John Lim Gokongwei Jr. He died in 2019, at the age of 93.

On Aug. 5, 2026, a John Gokongwei Boulevard was dedicated in his honor in Pasig, the original headquarters of his sprawling food, snacks and textile conglomerate.

At 27, then the youngest business editor of major daily, I met John in 1975 and backed his 1976 bid to capture a board seat in San Miguel Corp., the Philippines’ premier conglomerate and multinational. The Sorianos had owned only 1.8 percent of SMC but exercised 90 percent control, leaving John with just 10 percent voice.

John lost the board fights but his campaign taught publicly listed SMC to be more transparent (it operated like a private kingdom in the stranglehold of an entrenched dynasty), stop being smug and be more aggressive in parlaying its brand, goodwill and market presence.

Today, John’s JG Summit Holdings (incorporated in 1990) is valued by the market at P169 billion and No. 5 among conglomerates, despite losing billions, net loss of P87.5 billion in 2025. SMC (founded 1890), is valued by the market at only P151 billion despite a P79.6-billion core net income in 2025 and unrivaled leadership in seven major businesses. Notably, SMC chair and CEO RSA, by himself, is worth $4 billion, double the worth of Lance Gokongwei and his siblings combined.

John was a dear friend and great mentor. I learned many values from him – frugality, simplicity, family focus, warmth of friendship, humility, being a voracious reader, planning long term while maximizing short-term gains. Boldness and visioning.

John liked me so much he gave me long interviews and untrammeled access, as well as watches and expensive figurines whenever I won journalism awards. He treated me like family.

John became an entrepreneur at 13 when his rich father died, leaving him with a widowed mother and five siblings. John had to rebuild the family business empire from scratch, using a bicycle and plenty of guts. He began by sending his brothers and sister to China where the cost of living was lower. John was 15 when the war erupted.

With a bike, young John peddled anything, from five in the morning to late at night – soap, thread, candles. Said John of that experience: ‘If I could compete with people so much older than me, if I could support my whole family at 15, I could do anything.’

Big John was the quintessential Filipino industrialist and serial entrepreneur. He was bold, almost reckless, innovative, pioneering and not at all intimidated by challenges and roadblocks in pursuit of a business or a venture, or even something that catches his fancy.

John was a big believer in industries, manufacturing, factories. He thought they offered a path to a nation’s real and sustainable growth – factories which would process the country’s vast raw material resources and add value to imported semi-processed products. Instead, the Philippines became a services economy; 63 percent of GDP is services.

John was fixated with three industrial products – corn, starch and petrochemicals. Corn is feeds for John’s poultry business and extender in his processed products, like coffee. Starch is a binder and a thickener in brewing, baking, making sauces. Petrochemicals? ‘You can produce anything from petrochemicals,’ James Go told me. James, 84, JG Summit’s long-time chair and resident genius, has a chemical engineering degree and a master’s from MIT.

John was unafraid to take on challenges bigger than his capacity – or resources – to cope with or succeed. ‘I chose to live my life unafraid even during times I was afraid,’ he said.

His formula for success: hard work, frugality, integrity, responsiveness to change and, most of all, the boldness to dream. His focus was the basic services – food, clothing, shelter, electricity and connectivity, such as airline and telco.

Big John made entrepreneurship an exceedingly fulfilling endeavor of a lifetime – for the good of family, people, the community and country. The last two decades of his life he devoted to education and scholarships for poor but deserving students. The education philanthropy reaches 80,000 teachers and 1.5 million learners.

‘Going back to the university for studies gave me an appreciation for the beauty and the breath of business life, something I would never have gained if I stopped my education,’ he said.

Why entrepreneurship? ‘Because you create value. Because the products, services and jobs you create then become the lifeblood of our nation. Most of all, because then, you desire a life of adventure, endless challenge and the opportunity to be your best self.’

Gokongwei was Management Man of the Year in 2017. His message to the Management Association of the Philippines which gave him the coveted award: ‘The Philippine economy must continue to grow from strength to strength.’

The Gokongwei Group has continued to grow from strength to strength. JG Summit remaining family-owned, Big John had explained, ‘imbued the business with the stability, strong culture and long-term vision necessary to see our investments grow.’

John’s only son, the good-looking and lanky Lance Y. Gokongwei, who turns 60 on Nov. 23 (my birthdate is Nov. 25), has brought JG Summit to ‘even greater heights.’ I met Lance when he was nine, introduced to me by John as a ‘brilliant, good boy.’

Lance has a double summa, Finance and Applied Science, from the UPenn. He began in the Gokongwei Group marking and selling women’s underwear, literally from the bottom up. And of course, he learned the ropes from the best of the Filipino tycoons, his dad.

As the family marks Big John’s centennial, Lance ruminated on what it takes for a family member to join the Gokongwei businesses.

Younger family members should be free to pursue their own ambitions before deciding whether to join the conglomerate.

Accordingly, while there are 50 Gokongwei cousins, ‘maybe two or three of them are in the business,’ reckons Lance.

It’s up to the Office of the Ombudsman to decide if newly appointed Health Secretary Jose Pujalte Jr. should be placed under preventive suspension after a graft complaint was filed against him on Wednesday, according to Malacañang.

‘If the case is in the ombudsman, that is within the jurisdiction of the ombudsman to determine whether a preventive suspension is needed to fast-track the investigation of the said complaint,’ Palace press officer Claire Castro told a media briefing yesterday.

Castro has no information on whether President Marcos and Pujalte have discussed the matter that stemmed from a complaint alleging that the health chief ordered the suspension of procurement of anti-tuberculosis commodities worth P3 billion for this year.

Pujalte said he is open to any investigation by the ombudsman after the graft complaint against him was filed by a group of health advocates, who requested anonymity.

Pujalte said he respects the mandate of the ombudsman and is prepared to cooperate and submit relevant documents and records required by the investigation.

The health advocates accused Pujalte of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for issuing a memorandum ordering the suspension of the procurement of tuberculosis drugs.

In the 18-page complaint, they alleged that Pujalte delayed the bidding process to benefit an unnamed supplier.

The DOH chief has denied the allegations and maintained that conducting due diligence should not be misrepresented as an attempt to stop the government’s tuberculosis program or deprive patients of access to necessary medicines.

‘The DOH’s review of the proposed P3 billion procurement of tuberculosis commodities is needed to protect patients and public funds. It is intended to ensure that the procurement process is responsive to the needs of tuberculosis patients, transparent, and compliant with the law,’ Pujalte said in a statement.

He added that the department remains committed to maintaining access to safe and effective medicines while safeguarding public funds

‘It’s been (nearly) 30 days since I assumed office but they want the approval of the P3 billion TB procurement fast-tracked without any thorough evaluation. That is the P3 billion of the Filipino people, it is not as simple as that. The lives of the people are at stake here,’ Pujalte said.

Pujalte, who replaced Teodoro Herbosa as chief of the Department of Health only last July 13, is also facing allegations that he was seen gambling in two resort casinos in Parañaque City.

Filipinos’ trust in China has climbed to its least negative levels since December 2022, based on a new Social Weather Stations poll, even as both countries continue to trade protests over incidents in the West Philippine Sea.

Net trust for China among Filipino adults rose to -16 in June from -19 in March, according to the SWS second quarter survey released Friday, August 7.

This is the closest China has come to neutral in SWS’ polling in three and a half years, since it garnered a net trust of -6 in December 2022.

The lowest net trust for China was at -54 in June 2024, at the height of confrontations between both countries’ vessels at Ayungin Shoal.

In its most recent survey, SWS found that Filipinos who had “much trust” in China climbed to 25% from 22%, while those with “little trust” stayed at 41%.

The undecided share shrank to 30% from 35%.

Overall, China remains under the “poor” category of SWS’ scale, which puts scores between -10 and -29 in that bracket.

China’s net trust in the SWS surveys have been positive in only nine of 74 surveys since SWS first asked Filipinos about their trust for China in August 1994, peaking at a “moderate” +17 in June 2010.

Survey methodology. SWS interviewed 1,200 adults face-to-face across the country from June 20 to 29, with an overall margin of error at ±3 percentage points.

Net trust is the share expressing much trust minus the share expressing little trust. SWS said the country-trust questions were not commissioned.

Survey respondents were asked to answer:

The survey took place at a time when the West Philippine Sea was back at the top of the news, driven by China’s installation and eventual removal of a floating platform at Scarborough Shoal – a structure that officials and lawmakers called an illegal incursion and experts warned could be used to turn the shoal into an artificial island.

US trust down 21 points from a year ago

Meanwhile, Filipinos’ trust in the United States has had the opposite trend over the past 12 months.

Net trust for the US was +42 in June, up three points from March, but 21 points below the +63 it drew in June 2025.

The March reading of +39 was the lowest for the US since 2010. Its rating has never gone negative since SWS began measuring trust for the US in December 1994.

Japan stayed “good” at +36, up two points from March. Australia held at “moderate” with +29, up six points.

Israel turns negative for the first time since 2024. Israel fell six points to -5, its first negative score since March 2024. Palestine dropped seven points to -19, matching its September 2024 level.

Iran slipped a point to -23, the lowest among the eight countries in the survey.

Russia was at -8, down three points, and has been in the negatives in all but three SWS polls since 1995.