Filipinos like the US even more than Americans do – Pew Research

Rappler.com

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Data from the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project show Filipino respondents have positive views on the US, Americans, and US Presidents – even better than Americans themselves

MANILA, Philippines –The Philippines likes the United States of America a lot.

And we mean, a lot.

Data from the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project show a higher percentage of Filipinos surveyed – 85% to be exact – having a more “favorable” view of the American people. Americans come second in the survey, with 84% saying they have a “favorable” view of themselves.

The survey directive went: “Please tell me if you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of Americans.”

It doesn’t stop there. Overall, the Philippines also had the most “favorable” view of the US, at 85% percent. Americans themselves did not figure in the top 3 countries with a “favorable” view of the US, lagging behind the Philippines, Israel and Ghana.

The data comes from the 2013 incarnation of the Global Attitudes Project on “attitudes towards the US.”

Watch this report below.

 

Good news for Obama

Most Filipinos surveyed seem to think the US puts a premium on the interest of the Philippines when it comes to international policy. Around 85% of Filipinos described the US’ consideration of the Philippine interest to be a “great deal/fair amount.”

The same Philippine respondents also admitted that the US had a “great deal/fair amount” of influence “on the way things are going in [the Philippines].”

The Pew Research Center’s data also brought good news, in time for US President Barack Obama’s visit to the Philippines: 84% of Filipinos said they had “confidence” in the US president. The survey included confidence in former president George W. Bush.

In contrast, only 57% of Americans surveyed said they had confidence in their own president. Germany expressed the most confidence in the US leadership, with the Philippines coming in second, followed by France, Kenya and Canada. (READ: Defense top agenda of Obama visit to PH)

The Philippines was also among the Top 3 countries that expressed the highest approval of Obama’s international policies. In answer to the question, “Do you approve or disapprove of international policies of [Obama]?” 88% of Germans answered “approve,” followed by 81% of respondents from France and 76% of respondents from the Philippines. 

US as partner

74% of Filipinos surveyed, meanwhile, expressed confidence that China “will never replace the US as the world’s leading superpower.”

Coming in second was Japan, with 72% confident that China will not be able to take over the US. Both the Philippines and Japan look to the US as an ally in territorial disputes with China.

Not surprisingly, 81% of Filipinos surveyed saw the US as a “partner” of the Philippines. (READ: Obama on mission to quiet Asia skeptics)

In the entire survey, Filipino respondents only really showed disapproval over the US’ use of drones “to target extremists in countries such as Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia.” Data showed 52% of Filipino respondents said they “disapprove” of the policy.

The survey, however, did not include the Philippines in several 2013 survey questions such as:

  • Which of the following phrases comes closer to your view? It’s good that American ideas and customs are spreading here, OR it’s bad that American ideas and customs are spreading here.
  • And which of these comes closer to your view? I like American ideas about democracy, OR I dislike American ideas about democracy.
  • Which comes closer to describing your view? I like American ways of doing business, OR I dislike American ways of doing business.
  • Which is closer to describing your view? I like American music, movies and television, OR I dislike American music, movies and television.
  • And which comes closer to describing your view? I admire the United States for its technological and scientific advances, OR I do not admire the United States for its technological and scientific advances.

According to Pew Research, “over 325,000 interviews in 60 countries have been conducted” to create the Global Attitudes database. – Rappler.com

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