A great majority of Filipino adults (70%) or at least seven in 10 express willingness to fight for the country in the event of a conflict, reflecting a strong patriotic sentiment across socioeconomic, regional, cultural, and ethnic divides, based on a survey conducted by the OCTA Research group.
In the latest Tugon ng Masa (TNM) survey, results showed that only 30% remain unwilling or uncertain to express willingness to fight for the country in the event of a conflict.
Across major areas, support for national defense is more pronounced in the National Capital Region (79%), followed by Balance Luzon (73%), while Mindanao and Visayas registered the lowest with 66% and 61% respectively.
Regionally, patriotic commitment is strongest in Eastern Visayas (89%), Bicol Region (87%), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (84%), Central Luzon (83%), Davao Region (82%), and the Ilocos Region (80%), while lower expressions are recorded in Cagayan Valley (19%), Northern Mindanao (35%), and Caraga (43%)
The OCTA Research group indicates that these findings suggest a deep-rooted patriotic spirit across the country.
The survey also highlighted that the percentage of Filipino adults willing to fight for the nation in the event of a conflict with a foreign enemy has declined by eight percentage points, from 78% in June 2024 to 70% in September 2025.
Despite this decline, OCTA emphasizes that overall willingness remains high, with seven in 10 Filipinos still prepared to defend their nation if conflict arises.
Willingness to defend the country has dropped by at least nine percentage points in most regions, except for the National Capital Region (NCR), where it increased by 14 points.
OCTA also noted that the recorded decline may indicate that economic stability and civic awareness play important roles in shaping how Filipinos perceive patriotism and their readiness to defend their nation.
To recall, in July, OCTA revealed that a significant majority (76%) of Filipino adults fully support the government’s efforts to assert sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.
The same TNM survey also showed that 74% of respondents perceived China as the greatest threat to the Philippines, surpassing Russia and North Korea with four percent each.
The face-to-face survey was conducted from September 25 to 30, with 1,200 respondents aged 18 and above.
The survey has a ±3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level. Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following margins of error at a 95% confidence level: ±6% for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
