PRESS RELEASE
Manila, Philippines — A recent nationwide survey conducted by Pulse Asia and commissioned by the WPS Foundation reveals that a plurality of Filipinos place their highest trust in the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to provide accurate and reliable information on developments in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
According to the survey conducted from September 27–30, 2025, 41% of respondents identified the PCG as the most trustworthy government agency for updates and incident reports concerning the WPS. This strong public confidence reflects the PCG’s growing visibility and leadership in promoting transparency, realtime communication, and adherence to international maritime law in the country’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.
The Philippine Navy ranked second with 19%, followed by the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) at 14%. Other agencies mentioned include the Armed Forces of the Philippines (8%), Department of National Defense (5%), Department of Foreign Affairs (3%), National Security Council (2%), and National Maritime Council (2%).
These results highlight growing public recognition of the whole-of-government approach to protecting the country’s maritime rights while ensuring transparent and credible information flow to the public. Only 5% of respondents said they could not identify or trust any government agency to provide accurate information on WPS issues.
Regional and Demographic Insights
Trust in the PCG was consistently high across regions, with the agency topping the list in Metro Manila (42%), Luzon (43%), and the Visayas (42%). Even in Mindanao, where multiple agencies share maritime enforcement responsibilities, the PCG remained the most trusted at 35%.
Urban-rural variations also revealed a strong provincial base for the PCG: 48% of rural respondents expressed trust in the Coast Guard compared with 39% in urban areas, underscoring the institution’s growing visibility and credibility even in remote coastal communities.
By socioeconomic class, trust was highest among Class D (43%)—representing the majority of Filipino households—and Class E (43%). Among Class ABC, the Philippine Navy and NTF-WPS gained relatively higher recognition, though the PCG remained the most trusted overall.
Across age groups, trust in the Coast Guard was particularly strong among Filipinos aged 25–44, who cited the agency’s proactive communication, operational transparency, and consistent dissemination of verified maritime information.
Strengthening Transparency and Public Trust
The WPS Foundation noted that the findings demonstrate the effectiveness of recent transparency and public communication initiatives spearheaded by the PCG, including the establishment of the West Philippine Sea Transparency Group. These efforts include the regular release of verified imagery and incident reports, public briefings on Chinese coercive actions, and consistent reaffirmation of the
Philippines’ commitment to international law, including the 2016 Arbitral Award.
“The survey results affirm Filipinos’ growing demand for truthful and timely information about the West Philippine Sea amidst intensifying malign influence operations,” said Dr. Jeffrey Ordaniel, President and CEO of the WPS Foundation. “It is clear that the Philippine Coast Guard has been effective in communicating the government’s principled, law-based approaches to maritime issues. Transparency has become a vital instrument for strengthening national unity and resilience against disinformation.”
About the Survey
The Pulse Asia survey was conducted from September 27–30, 2025, across key regions of the Philippines using a nationally representative sample of adult respondents. It measured unaided public trust toward government institutions responsible for safeguarding Philippine sovereignty, maritime rights, and adherence to the rule of law in the West Philippine Sea.
The WPS Foundation commissioned the study as part of its broader effort to advance fact-based public discourse and policy transparency on maritime governance, security cooperation, and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.
For inquiries, email Katrina Tiu at katrina@wps-ph.org.
