Filipinos’ trust in international organizations has declined amid President Duterte’s tirades, according to the first quarter Social Weather Stations survey.
The nationwide survey conducted last March 25 to 28 with 1,200 respondents found that 58 percent of Filipinos have much trust and 13 percent have little trust in the United Nations.
This brings the net trust rating of the UN to “very good” +45 (percentage of those with much trust minus percentage of those with little trust).
Net trust ratings of +70 and above is classified by SWS as “excellent”; +50 to +69, “very good”; +30 to +49, “good”; +10 to +29, “moderate”; +9 to -9, “neutral”; -10 to -29, “poor”; -30 to -49, “bad”; -50 to -69, “very bad”; and -70 and below, “execrable.”
The respondents were particularly asked to indicate if their trust or faith in the organization is “very much,” “somewhat much,” “undecided if much or little,” “somewhat little,” “very little,” or have not heard or read anything about the organization ever.
The SWS said the net trust rating of the UN has been at good levels since the pollster first surveyed it in November 1994, starting at +45 and reaching as high as +49 in November 2001.
The latest score of +45 last March is three points below the +48 in December 2016 and is similar to the +45 in March 2003, December 2002, and November 1994.
On the other hand, 40 percent of Filipinos have much trust and 21 percent have little trust in the European Union.
The SWS said the net rating of the EU stayed moderate at +19 in March 2017 although down by seven points from +26 in December 2016. It used to be a neutral at +8 in August 2012.
In the same survey period, 31 percent of Filipinos have much trust in human rights organization Amnesty International while 22 percent have little trust in AI.
Surveyed by SWS for the first time, the net rating of Amnesty International is a neutral +8 last March.
(Ellalyn V. Ruiz)