Nine years after the landmark arbitral victory that invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, a large majority of Filipinos want the Philippine government to continue asserting the country’s rights over the West Philippine Sea.

According to the latest Pulse Asia survey conducted in June, seventy-three percent of adult Filipinos believe the government should press on with its stance on the maritime dispute.

Stratbase ADR Institute president Professor Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit presented the findings, noting that support was strongest in the National Capital Region, where eighty-three percent of respondents agreed with the government’s current approach.

This was followed by Balance Luzon with eighty-two percent support, the Visayas with sixty percent, and Mindanao with fifty-nine percent.

Only seven percent of respondents expressed disagreement with the government’s position on the West Philippine Sea, while eighteen percent were undecided.

The survey also probed public opinion on what steps the government should prioritize to better defend Philippine maritime rights.

Sixty-five percent of respondents said the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard should be further modernized to ensure territorial integrity. This includes acquiring defense assets such as patrol vessels, radar systems, and surveillance equipment.

Meanwhile, fifty-one percent supported expanding international cooperation through joint maritime patrols and military exercises with allies and partners. These strategic activities are seen as key to deterring illegal incursions and reinforcing international solidarity around the Philippines’ maritime claims.

The release of the survey coincides with heightened tensions in the West Philippine Sea, where Chinese vessels continue to assert presence in areas ruled by the international tribunal to be within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration remains unenforced due to China’s refusal to recognize its legitimacy, despite broad support from the international community. The Philippine government has since strengthened its diplomatic and defense posture, working more closely with countries like the United States, Japan, and Australia.