Most Filipinos want the Marcos administration to intensify military action in addressing the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea, according to a survey whose result was released Tuesday.

In the Fourth Quarter Tugon ng Masa Survey from 10 to 14 December, 72 percent of respondents said the government should focus on expanded naval patrols and troop presence in the disputed waters.

The survey reported a 7-percentage-point increase in the proportion of adult Filipinos favoring the assertion of the Philippines’ territorial rights through military action. This change was observed in comparison to the third quarter 2023 TNM survey conducted in October 2023.

“The percentage of adult Filipinos who prefer asserting the Philippines’ territorial rights through military action defined as expanded naval patrols and troop presence in the West Philippine Sea increased by seven percentage points since the third quarter 2023 TNM survey conducted last October 2023.”

“It must be noted that this is the first time ‘asserting the Philippines’ territorial rights through military action’ as a priority measure overtakes the top-ranked measure in previous TNM surveys, which was ‘asserting the Philippines’ territorial rights through diplomacy and other peaceful methods,’” it added.