Pro-Marcos Filipinos on steady upward trend –OCTA survey

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PCO Photo)

By Filane Mikee Cervantes, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – A new survey conducted by OCTA Research revealed that 38 percent of adult Filipinos now identify as pro-Marcos, showing a steady rise in support for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his administration.

This figure, from the third-quarter Tugon ng Masa (TNM) survey conducted between Aug. 28 and Sept. 2, 2024, represents a 2-percent increase compared to the previous survey conducted in June, underscoring a continuing upward trend in pro-Marcos sentiment throughout 2024.

“While the findings indicate a nominal change at the national level for the 3rd quarter, analyzing the data for the last three quarters of 2024 would suggest a continuing upward trend in preference since the first quarter of 2024,” OCTA said.

The survey showed that only 7 percent of adult Filipinos support the opposition, a slight increase from 5 percent in the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, only 15 percent of Filipinos continue to support the Duterte family and their political allies, identifying themselves as pro-Duterte.

This indicates a one-percentage-point drop from the previous quarter and a continued downward trajectory throughout 2024.

“Although this decline falls within the margin of error, a continuing downward trend has been evident since the first quarter of the TNM survey,” OCTA said.

In addition, 26 percent of respondents identified as politically independent, marking a five-percentage-point decline from the second quarter.

The remaining 14 percent of adult Filipino respondents are ambivalent about their political preferences.

Across the country, the Marcos administration enjoys strong backing, especially in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon, where 42 percent and 43 percent of respondents, respectively, identify as pro-Marcos.

The Visayas also saw an upward shift, with pro-Marcos sentiment rising by five percentage points to 37 percent, while Mindanao recorded a stable 25 percent support rate.

In terms of socioeconomic classes, support surged from 25 percent in the previous quarter to 40 percent among those belonging to Class E.

Older age groups, particularly those aged 45 and above, continue to back the President, with 48 percent of respondents in the 45-54 age bracket expressing support, 43 percent from the 55 to 64 age bracket, 38 percent from the 64 to 74 age bracket, and 40 percent from 75 and above.

As for pro-Dutertes, Mindanao remains the strongest region for Duterte’s political influence, with 48 percent of respondents identifying as pro-Duterte.

However, the survey revealed sharp declines in other regions, with only 6 percent of respondents in Metro Manila and 3 percent in Balance Luzon showing support for the Duterte camp.

Socioeconomic Class E, a traditional stronghold for Duterte, saw an 11-percentage-point drop in support, from 33 percent to 22 percent.

The highest support for opposition groups was in the Visayas at 14 percent, with a notable 11-percentage-point rise in Class ABC.

Among Filipinos identifying as independent, it was highest in the Visayas at 32 percent and among Class ABC at 35 percent.

The survey involved face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult respondents across the country. The survey has a margin of error of ±3 percent at the national level.

The survey results are non-commissioned and focus on the political preferences of adult Filipinos.