MANILA – Most adult Filipinos support boosting the country’s defense posture in the West Philippine Sea, according to a new OCTA Research survey commissioned by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Conducted from March 19 to 25, 2026, the nationwide survey included 1,200 respondents and measured public opinion on possible government responses to ongoing maritime tensions.
The findings highlight broad support for a combination of military strengthening, diplomacy, and international cooperation.
Key results showed that Filipinos most strongly support:
Increased naval presence and patrol operations in the West Philippine Sea (69%)
Continued reliance on diplomacy and peaceful negotiations (66%)
Strengthening and modernizing the Philippine military (64%)
Wider diplomatic outreach to regional and international partners (37%)
Joint maritime drills with allied countries (29%)
Exploring shared economic activities in disputed waters (23%)
A small portion of respondents (9%) were undecided or declined to respond.
The study also indicated that 72% of Filipinos are familiar with West Philippine Sea issues, while 27% reported limited awareness.
Metro Manila recorded the highest awareness level at 79%, followed by the Visayas at 77%. Socioeconomic analysis showed Class ABC respondents had the highest familiarity at 86%, while Class E posted the lowest at 64%.
OCTA explained that these differences may be linked to variations in education, media access, and information exposure.
The survey has a ±3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.
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