86% of Filipinos favor alliances to defend West Philippine Sea

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

Nearly nine in 10 Filipinos believe the country should work with like-minded nations — particularly the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, and South Korea — to defend its sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea, according to a Pulse Asia survey commissioned by the Stratbase Institute.

The poll’s findings were released ahead of the 128th anniversary of Philippine independence from Spanish colonial rule, and a month before the country marks the 10th anniversary of the arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea.

In a statement, Stratbase Institute president and CEO Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit said this year’s anniversary should serve as an “opportune moment to reflect on the continuing duty to protect our sovereignty.”

“Filipinos clearly recognize that upholding the 2016 arbitral award and strengthening cooperation with like-minded nations are essential components of preserving our independence in the 21st century,” he said. “As we mark a decade of our victory at The Hague, we must do our part in defending our hard-won triumph so that future generations inherit a nation that is free, secure and respected in the international community.”

The survey asked 1,500 respondents from May 3-7, 2026, whether they agreed or disagreed that the Philippines should defend the West Philippine Sea with like-minded countries in accordance with the 2016 arbitral award.

Nationwide, 86 percent said they agreed, with Mindanao posting the highest positive sentiment at 91 percent, of which 63 percent strongly agreed.

The National Capital Region followed with 90 percent, of which 64 percent strongly agreed.

Only 3 percent said they disagreed, while 11 percent could not say whether they agreed or disagreed.

For Manhit, Filipinos were “sending a clear message” to the government amid the continued harassment in the West Philippine Sea: that “the Philippines must remain firm in defending its rights while working closely with allies and partners that uphold international law and support a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.”

“The 2016 arbitral award remains a cornerstone of our lawful claims in the West Philippine Sea. The survey results show that Filipinos want the government to continue pursuing a strategy that combines principled diplomacy, credible defense, and strong partnerships with like-minded nations,” he said.

In another question, respondents were asked to pick at least five countries or organizations that the Philippines should work with in defending the West Philippine Sea.

The survey showed that 84 percent of Filipinos nationwide want the government to work with the United States, followed by Japan at 67 percent, Australia at 57 percent, Canada at 51 percent, and South Korea at 44 percent.

Broken down regionally, the National Capital Region registered the highest desire to work with the United States at 86 percent, followed by Balance Luzon and Mindanao at 85 percent.

Support for the United States was also highest among Class E respondents at 86 percent.

Support for China appeared to have been pulled upward by Mindanao, where 23 percent of respondents said they wanted the government to work with Beijing to defend the West Philippine Sea.

The figures for the United States and Japan were two and three percentage points higher, respectively, than their ratings in a similar Stratbase-commissioned survey conducted Dec. 12-15, 2025, where they registered 82 percent and 64 percent.

“These suggest that Filipinos distinguish between countries that support the Philippines’ lawful rights in the WPS and those whose actions have contributed to tensions in the area,” Manhit said.