More Filipinos are losing trust in China, a result of the survey conducted days before the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) showed on Wednesday.

Results of a recent OCTA Research survey conducted from July 4 to 11, 2026 shows that distrust of Filipinos "towards China rises to 64 percent, rising by nine percent points compared to the first quarter of 2026."

It noted that the increase in public distrust toward China reverses a downward trend that had persisted since the historic highs recorded in 2024.

However the survey also stated that, "trust toward China remained largely unchanged, declining only slightly to 14 percent, while the proportion of Filipinos who were undecided continued to fall."

"This suggests that more Filipinos are moving away from uncertainty and settling into a firmer—and increasingly distrustful—view of China," the survey stated.

Its findings also suggest that "Filipino public opinion is highly responsive to the information environment surrounding the West Philippine Sea."

In an interview with reporters, Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea expressed belief that the increasing distrust of Filipinos against China is because of their harassment and bullying activities not just to the Filipino fishermen, the Philippine Coast Guard but all the citizen of the Philippines who they recently described in an AI video as "stupid monkeys".

"How can we compel the Filipinos people to like China if every once in a while they are doing all these from harassment of Filipino fishermen to bullying Coast Guard vessels or even calling the Filipinos as monkeys these racist propaganda material of the Chinese government definitely we the Filipino people see the Chinese government somebody that they cannot be trust," he said. Robina Asido/PHS