By Ellalyn V. Ruiz
About nine in 10 Filipinos are worried that the Philippines would be involved in case the current tension between the United States and North Korea escalates into an armed conflict, according to a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations.
The nationwide survey conducted from Dec. 8 to 16, 2017 with 1,200 respondents found out that 88 percent were worried (55 percent worried a great deal, 33 percent somewhat worried) while 12 percent were not worried (nine percent not too worried, two percent not worried at all) that the Philippines would be involved in case the United States-North Korea tension escalates into an armed conflict.
The proportion of those who were worried was higher among those who have much trust in the United States at 91 percent (59 percent worried a great deal, 32 percent somewhat worried) compared to those who were undecided at 80 percent (42 percent worried a great deal, 39 percent somewhat worried) and those who have little trust at 76 percent (52 percent worried a great deal, 25 percent somewhat worried).
It was also higher among those who have much trust in North Korea at 94 percent (58 percent worried a great deal, 36 percent somewhat worried) compared to those who have little trust at 87 percent (60 percent worried a great deal, 27 percent somewhat worried) and those who were undecided at 85 percent (46 percent worried a great deal, 39 percent somewhat worried).
By area, the proportion of those who are worried that the Philippines would be involved in case the United States-North Korea tension leads to armed conflict was highest in the Visayas at 94 percent (63 percent worried a great deal, 31 percent somewhat worried), followed by Mindanao at 92 percent (66 percent worried a great deal, 25 percent somewhat worried), Metro Manila at 90 percent (58 percent worried a great deal, 32 percent somewhat worried), and rest of Luzon at 83 percent (46 percent worried a great deal, 37 percent somewhat worried).