A large majority of Filipinos expressed willingness to back government efforts in defending the country’s territory, including its claims in the West Philippine Sea, based on a recent OCTA Research survey.
The Tugon ng Masa survey for the first quarter of 2026, commissioned by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, found that about 76 percent of adult respondents agreed with a statement expressing support for defending national territory and sovereign rights, while only 7 percent disagreed.
Agreement was highest in the National Capital Region at 83 percent and in Balance Luzon at 77 percent. The Visayas recorded 68 percent, while Mindanao posted 75 percent support.
Across regional breakdowns, MIMAROPA registered the highest level of agreement at 93 percent, followed by Caraga at 91 percent and Western Visayas at 90 percent. Central Visayas recorded the lowest at 45 percent.
OCTA said the results showed notable variation across regions, highlighting a wide gap between the highest and lowest levels of support.
The Davao Region also reflected lower agreement at 61 percent, with 34 percent of respondents expressing disagreement, among the highest opposition levels in the study.
The survey also showed differences across education levels, with vocational graduates posting the highest support at 85 percent, while college and postgraduate respondents registered 80 percent.
The poll was conducted from March 19 to 25 through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide, with a ±3 percent margin of error and ±6 percent for subnational estimates.