At least three in four Filipinos or 77 percent are willing to fight for the country in the event of a conflict with a foreign enemy, a survey by the OCTA Research Group showed.
The question was part of OCTA’s December 2023 Fourth Quarter Tugon ng Masa Survey and was commissioned by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Across socioeconomic classes, respondents from Class D were the most willing at 80 percent while those belonging to Class E and Class ABCrespondents were nearly tied at 68 percent and 67 percent, respectively.
Respondents from Mindanao had the highest rate at 84 percent while Visayas logged the lowest at 62 percent.
OCTA fielded the following survey question: “If there is a conflict between the Philippines and a foreign enemy, are you ready to fight for your country? (Kung magkakaroon ng kaguluhan
sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at dayuhang kalaban, handa ka bang lumaban para sa iyong bansa?)”
The survey had a sample size of 1,200 adult Filipinos with a ±3 percent margin of error.
Last week, the head of the military’s Western Command and four other crew members were injured as two China Coast Guard vessels used water cannons against the civilian supply ship Unaiza May 4 near Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest over the two collisions, which President Marcos described as “dangerous maneuvers and dangerous actions.”
“We cannot view this in any way but in the most serious way,” the President said.
For his part, Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed satisfaction with the result of the OCTA survey which showed the Armed Forces of the Philippines as among the most trusted and top-performing government agencies.
“The latest findings from the OCTA Research survey, highlighting the public’s perception and satisfaction with the AFP, present a significant moment for our nation. I am particularly heartened to learn that awareness of the AFP has reached a universal mark of 100 percent among adult Filipinos, increasing from 89 percent in October2023. This universal awareness indicates the AFP’s prominent role and presence in our national consciousness,” he said.
The survey results showed that an overwhelming majority of therespondents, or 86 percent, were satisfied with the military and its accomplishments, maintaining a high net satisfaction rating of +84.
“This level of satisfaction is consistent with the previous rating of +83 in October 2023, demonstrating steady confidence and trust in our military institution,” the Speaker said. With Rio Araja