An overwhelming majority of Filipinos want the Philippines to partner with allied nations—particularly the United States, Japan, and Australia—to protect the West Philippine Sea, a recent Pulse Asia survey revealed.
The poll, commissioned by the Stratbase Institute, was released on Wednesday, just ahead of Philippine Independence Day and the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Ruling that invalidated Beijing’s expansive claims in the South China Sea.
Conducting interviews with 1,500 respondents from May 3 to 7, 2026, the survey measured public sentiment on whether the government should team up with like-minded countries to enforce the landmark 2016 Hague decision.
The results showed that 86% of respondents nationwide agreed with the strategy. Regionally, Mindanao recorded the highest favorable sentiment at 91%, followed closely by the National Capital Region (NCR) at 90%. In contrast, only 3% disagreed, while 11% remained undecided.
When asked to select at least five preferred international partners, Filipinos heavily favored traditional security allies:
- United States: 84%
- Japan: 67%
- Australia: 57%
- Canada: 51%
- South Korea: 44%
The United States and Japan saw a slight bump in public backing, rising by two to three percentage points compared to a similar Stratbase poll conducted in December 2025. Interestingly, while national preference leaned toward Western and regional allies, support for working with China saw a concentrated spike in Mindanao, where 23% of respondents favored engagement with Beijing.
The West Philippine Sea encompasses the country’s maritime zones along its western coastlines, including the Luzon Sea, Bajo de Masinloc, and the Kalayaan Island Group. China continues to claim a vast portion of this territory under its self-proclaimed “10-dash line.”
Stratbase Institute President and CEO Victor Andres Manhit emphasized that the data highlights a strong public desire to maintain sovereign rights through strategic diplomacy.
“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,” Manhit said.