Research

As the national university, we champion and support innovative research that addresses the country’s most pressing challenges.

18 Sep 2026

Filipinos’ negative views of China mostly stem from national issues, but their opinions toward Chinese individuals in the country are shaped more by local, everyday contexts

This study looks into how Filipinos feel about China, especially as tensions continue over disputes in the West Philippine Sea....

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17 Sep 2026

Nurses in the Philippines need a supportive work environment, work-life balance, and adequate resources for continuing professional education

As the largest profession that makes up more than half of the country’s health workforce and performs roles as leaders,...

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16 Sep 2026

Plasmapheresis can help heart attack (myocardial infarction) patients

Myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, is the leading cause of death worldwide. It occurs when blood does...

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15 Sep 2026

Scholar-activists play a crucial role in helping slum dwellers strategize and resist neoliberal urban dispossessions

Slums are at the center of capitalist dispossessions. The “gentrification by mass eviction” (Desmond 2012) from in-city slums is especially...

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14 Sep 2026

Using Nutrio®, a biofertilizer, improves rice yield and profitability while promoting sustainable agricultural practices

Recent rice farming innovations in the Philippines are finding ways to grow more while protecting the environment. One example is...

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11 Sep 2026

Environment and genetics contribute to the development of the most common form of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma

The development of cancers is often attributed to several risk factors, both nature and nurture. Previous studies have identified the...

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10 Sep 2026

Nature-based play offers a holistic approach to child development but faces barriers such as reduced green spaces in urban areas

The rapid urbanization and domination of concrete landscapes in cities diminish children’s access to natural environments and traditional outdoor play....

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09 Sep 2026

Alumni associations can help broaden a university’s academic and social reach

Alumni associations connect an institution with its alumni. The primary benefits of an alumni association are usually centered on its...

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08 Sep 2026

Using the quantum graph model, researchers show that only three kinds of Dirac points can exist for all periodic quantum graphs associated with Archimedean tilings

This research explores a special property of materials like graphene that allows them to conduct electricity in unusual ways. Graphene...

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07 Sep 2026

Trigonometry is easier to grasp when adapted to students’ learning styles

Trigonometry often frustrates students because its abstract concepts don’t always connect with how they naturally think. This research set out...

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04 Sep 2026

Study examines the technical and economic potential of floating offshore wind energy in the Philippines

Offshore wind development in the Philippines remains at a standstill owing to the relatively high cost of the technology despite...

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03 Sep 2026

In the Philippines, the COVID-19 pandemic exerted a disproportionate burden on women

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all people in the Philippines, but the burdens it imposed on women were more than they...

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Research

This study looks into how Filipinos feel about China, especially as tensions continue over disputes in the West Philippine Sea. It focuses on two different things: how Filipinos see the Chinese government and how they view Chinese nationals living in the Philippines. While many Filipinos distrust China as a country, they don’t necessarily feel the same hostility toward Chinese Filipinos. The study uses survey data collected by OCTA Research from people all over the country. It finds that where a person lives and the political and social situation in their area can influence their views. The research explains that Filipinos’ negative opinions about China mostly come from national-level issues like territorial conflicts, but their feelings toward Chinese individuals living in the country are shaped more by everyday social and cultural interactions. By studying this, the paper helps us understand how big international problems can affect how ordinary people see foreign countries and the people from those countries who live among them. It also shows why it’s important to consider local experiences and context when looking at public opinion.

This paper is significant because it sheds light on the complex ways Filipinos distinguish between the Chinese government and Chinese nationals living in the Philippines. While tensions over the West Philippine Sea have fueled distrust toward China as a state, the study shows that this does not automatically translate into widespread hostility toward Chinese individuals in the country. By examining this disconnect, the research challenges the common assumption that negative views of a foreign government always lead to prejudice against its people. This distinction is especially important in today’s polarized political climate, where international disputes can easily spill over into social and ethnic tensions.

Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of local context in shaping public opinion. It finds that geographical location and local social-political dynamics influence how people view Chinese nationals, suggesting that Filipinos’ attitudes are not monolithic but shaped by their lived experiences. This insight is valuable for both policymakers and scholars, as it highlights the need for more grounded, context-aware approaches when addressing international trust and intergroup relations. Overall, the paper contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how global conflicts intersect with national identity and everyday social interactions, particularly in societies navigating both external pressures and internal diversity.

Authors: Ronald A. Pernia (National College of Public Administration and Governance, University of the Philippines Diliman | National University Philippines, Clark, Pampanga) and Ranjit Singh Rye (Department of Political Science, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of the Philippines Diliman)

Read the full paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41111-025-00294-2