At Russia, With Love: Filipinos among few with favorable view of Moscow

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is just one of three countries in the world that holds a favorable opinion of Russia, according to an international survey, bucking a global trend of distrust that Moscow will do the right thing in international affairs.

A slight majority of Filipinos, 55 percent, have expressed a positive view of Moscow, according to Pew Research’s Global Attitudes Project. Aside from the Philippines, only Vietnam (83 percent) and Greece (64 percent) view the Russians positively.

“On balance, Russia’s international image is more negative than positive. Critical opinions of Russia are particularly widespread in the United States and Europe, while views are more mixed in the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America,” Margaret Vice of Pew Research said.

The results of the survey come as President Rodrigo Duterte pursues an independent foreign policy that has seen the Philippines pursue better ties with Moscow and Beijing.

The pivot in Manila’s foreign policy also resulted in a frosty relationship with its traditional ally, the US, during the time of former US President Barack Obama. The two countries’ relationship has somehow stabilized under the current American leader, Donald Trump.

Duterte likes Putin

Duterte has also not hidden his admiration for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. In May, Duterte went on a visit to Moscow though it was cut short by the siege of Marawi, a southern Philippine city where security forces are still engaged in a months-long combat with the Maute Group, a so-called Islamic State-inspired band of fighters. Duterte was able to briefly meet with his Russian counterpart before he departed for Manila.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Tanzania and Greece are the countries where half or more of the population are positive about Putin’s international performance, the survey revealed.

“In other nations, many do not express any view of him: Roughly one-third or more in India, Indonesia, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa and Argentina do not share an opinion on the Russian leader,” Vice said.

A majority of Filipinos (59 percent to 21 percent) as well as of people Tunisia, Lebanon and Vietnam think that Russia respects civil liberties, in contrast to the 30 percent globally who believe that Moscow is respectful of the personal freedoms of its people.

Only China got a lower median at 25 percent. Sixty percent of those surveyed think that France adheres to this democratic principle while 54 percent say so for the US.

Pinoys trust Putin

Putin also has the trust of a majority of Filipinos, with 54 percent saying they believe that the Russian leader would do the right thing in world affairs. Putin also has the trust of 79 percent of Vietnamese, 50 percent of Greeks and 51 percent of Tanzanians.

Pew however noted: “Although confidence in Putin’s handling of foreign affairs is generally low, in many countries he is more trusted than American President Donald Trump.”

In the Philippines, Trump is trusted more than Putin. Sixty-nine percent of Filipinos has confidence in the Russian leader while 54 percent say so for Putin.

Filipinos also see Russia benevolently, with only 26 percent in the country thinking that Moscow’s power and influence pose a major threat to the Philippines.

“Compared with other global threats such as ISIS or climate change, most people around the globe express relatively muted concerns about Russia’s power and influence,” said Pew Research.

However, concerns about Russian influence vary depending on one’s educational level in the Philippines.

“There is a wider education gap in the same direction in the Philippines (those with more education are 12 percentage points more likely to see Russia as a threat),” it said.

Filipinos have been bucking global trends in opinion. In July, it was reported as the only country with a positive view of North Korea in the Asia Pacific region.

Pew Research Center conducted the survey among 40,951 respondents in 37 countries outside of Russia from Feb. 16 to May 8, 2017.