SWS: US, Japan, Australia ‘most trusted’ by Pinoys; China, Iran least
National net trust ratings for the United States, Japan and Australia were positive for the second quarter of the year, while net trust ratings for Palestine, China and Iran ranked poorly, the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Tuesday revealed.
The survey, which was conducted from June 25 to 29, 2025, found that the United States, Japan and Australia had net trust ratings (percentage of “much trust” minus percentage of “little trust”) ranging from +37 to +63, putting the three countries within the ranges of “good” to “very good.”
Positive rating
The United States, which has had a positive net trust rating since the SWS first surveyed it in December 1994, had a “very good” net trust rating of +63 in June 2025 (72 percent much trust, 9 percent little trust).
The June score records an increase of 5 points from the country’s previous rating of +58 (69 percent much trust, 11 percent little trust) in April 2025.
Following the United States on the list are Japan, with a “good” rating of +43 (58 percent much trust, 15 percent little trust) in June 2025, an increase of 7 points from +36 (55 percent much trust, 19 percent little trust) in April; and Australia, with a “good” rating of +37 (53 percent much trust, 16 percent little trust), up 14 points from April’s +23 (44 percent much trust, 22 percent little trust, correctly rounded).
Moderate-neutral
Falling in the “moderate” range are Taiwan with a new record-high net trust rating of +18 (42 percent much trust, 24 percent little trust), up 5 points from +13 (40 percent much trust, 27 percent little trust); and Mexico with +11 (34 percent much trust, 24 percent little trust, correctly rounded), down 2 points from +13 (37 percent must trust, 24 percent little trust).
Israel and Ukraine retained “neutral” ratings of +7 (36 percent much trust, 28 percent little trust, correctly rounded) and -4 (26 percent much trust, 30 percent little trust), respectively. Both countries enjoyed increases in their June ratings.
Russia also moved up from its previous ranking of “poor” in April to “neutral” in June, with a net trust score of -2 (30 percent much trust, 32 percent little trust).
‘Poor’ range
Meanwhile, falling in the “poor” range are Palestine with -13 (20 percent much trust, 33 percent little trust); the previously “bad” China with -20 (24 percent much trust, 44 percent little trust); and Iran, which moved up from “bad” to “poor” with -23 (19 percent much trust, 42 percent little trust).
The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents nationwide, and had sampling error margins of plus-or-minus 3 percent for national percentages and plus-or-minus 6 percent each for Metro Manila, Luzon outside Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Source: Social Weather Stations, www.sws.org.ph
