NEARLY three in four adult Filipinos are familiar with developments in the West Philippine Sea, and a large majority supports a mix of stronger maritime presence, diplomacy, and defense modernization as the country’s main approach to the territorial dispute, a new nationwide survey showed.
The Tugon ng Masa survey for the first quarter of 2026, released Wednesday by OCTA Research, found that 72 percent of adult Filipinos are aware of ongoing issues in the West Philippine Sea.
The poll was conducted from March 19 to 25, 2026, using a nationally representative sample of 1,200 respondents. It has a margin of error of ±3 percent at a 95 percent confidence level and was commissioned by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
OCTA Research said the level of awareness indicates that the issue has moved beyond foreign policy circles and into mainstream public consciousness, with strong familiarity recorded across major demographic groups.
Awareness was highest in the National Capital Region at 79 percent and in the Visayas at 77 percent. Both Luzon and Mindanao registered 69 percent. By socioeconomic classification, awareness reached 86 percent among Class ABC respondents and 64 percent among Class E.
Across age groups, familiarity remained relatively consistent, ranging from 67 percent to 76 percent, with the highest levels observed among Filipinos aged 18 to 24 and those aged 65 to 74.
On policy preferences, respondents expressed broad support for a combined approach to the West Philippine Sea issue that includes expanded naval patrols and troop presence, diplomatic engagement and military modernization.
Expanded maritime patrols and troop deployment received 69 percent support, while diplomacy and peaceful assertion of rights drew 66 percent. Strengthening AFP modernization and defense capability was close behind at 64 percent.
Given the survey’s margin of error, OCTA said these figures form a closely clustered set of priorities rather than sharply separated choices.
It noted that respondents generally favor a strategy that balances a stronger physical presence in contested waters with continued diplomatic efforts and long-term investment in defense capabilities.
Regional differences were also observed in how Filipinos ranked these approaches. Support for expanded naval patrols was strongest in Visayas at 73 percent, followed by Balance Luzon at 72 percent and the National Capital Region at 70 percent, while Mindanao recorded lower support at 58 percent.
Among higher socioeconomic groups classified as ABC, AFP modernization stood out as the leading preference at 85 percent, followed by diplomacy at 75 percent.
The survey also showed that shelving territorial disputes in favor of joint economic development remained the least preferred option, though support for it rose to 23 percent in March 2026 from earlier readings of 17 percent in October 2023 and 14 percent in December 2023.
OCTA said this indicates that while the idea has gained some traction over time, it continues to lag far behind sovereignty-focused approaches.
Trend data comparing surveys from 2023 to 2026 showed stable public sentiment on West Philippine Sea policy. Support for expanded naval patrols increased from 65 percent in October 2023 to 72 percent in December of the same year before settling at 69 percent in the latest round.
Support for diplomacy remained relatively steady from 70 percent in October 2023 to 66 percent in March 2026.
Joint maritime patrols with allied countries recorded a decline from roughly 42 percent in both 2023 survey rounds to 29 percent in 2026.
OCTA Research said the overall results point to a durable public consensus favoring a balanced approach anchored in territorial assertion, diplomatic engagement and sustained defense modernization.
