Headline
77% of Filipinos favor more PH joint patrols with allies in WPS
By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, Philippine News Agency
FILE: STEAMING AHEAD. The Philippine Navy’s offshore patrol vessel, BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17) (behind) and the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Ottawa (FFH-341) sail during the 7th multilateral maritime cooperative activity that was held within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone on Feb. 12, 2025. The seventh MMCA featured a series of operational exercises focused on enhancing coordination and interoperability between the Philippines and Canada. (Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines/Facebook)
The Stratbase ADRi-commissioned poll was conducted from Feb. 15 to 19 and asked a total of 1,800 respondents nationwide.
Seventy seven percent of the number agreed that the “Philippine government must further strengthen its alliance with other countries” through joint patrols, joint sails, and joint military exercises to assert and defend the country’s territorial and economic rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Respondents from the National Capital Region gave the highest support at 84 percent followed by the rest of Luzon at 82 percent, Visayas at 77 percent, and Mindanao at 64 percent.
At a forum in Makati City on Friday, Stratbase ADRi President Dindo Manhit said this result signals the need for the country to further reinforce its defense posture and collaborate more closely with allies.
“It tells us really, where we stand as a nation. We know who our friends are. We know that we might be not as strong as we could be, but our strength is with our friends and allies,” he said.
The survey also revealed that 78 percent of Filipinos prefer candidates “who believe that the Philippines must assert our rights against China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea”.
In an interview, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla assured the public that Manila would further engage and strengthen military cooperation with allies and partners.
Efforts to increase maritime patrols as well as joint drills, she said, would continue “not just in the West Philippine Sea, but the whole country”.
Beyond traditional partners, Padilla added the country is also looking at forging “greater alliances” with other states such as India.
“Lahat iyan tinitignan natin (We are looking at all of those) not just with our exercises but also our modernization projects —who can provide us different technologies, different equipment, and different assets,” she said.
