The National Security Council (NSC) was elated with the results of a recent OCTA Research survey showing 84 percent of Filipinos support the national government’s efforts to assert the country’s maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the face of China's growing assertiveness in the region.

National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año said the affirmation from the people reflects a shared commitment to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“[I]t is evident that the public is not only informed but also united in supporting the country's efforts to defend its rights and interests in the West Philippine Sea,” he said in a statement Saturday, Jan. 18.

According to the “Tugon ng Masa” survey released last Friday, Metro Manila registered the highest approval rating at 90 percent, followed by Visayas (87 percent), Mindanao (83 percent), and Balance Luzon (81 percent).

Meanwhile, 91 percent of Filipinos are aware of or familiar with the territorial disputes in the WPS, the survey showed.

The OCTA Research survey was conducted from Nov. 10 to 16, 2024 through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents aged 18 and above. It has a ±3 percent margin of error and a 95 percent confidence level.

Año attributed the overwhelming public support to the government’s efforts to keep its actions in full accordance with both domestic and international law.

He said the Philippine Maritime Zones Law and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Law, two maritime laws enacted by President Marcos Jr. in November last year, provide the legal framework through which the government asserts control over the country’s maritime zones and secures the rights of the Filipinos.

“These laws are aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which decisively rejected claims inconsistent with Philippine sovereignty in the South China Sea, affirming our rights to the waters, islands, and resources within the West Philippine Sea,” Año said.

“This ruling is binding under international law and remains a cornerstone of our position,” he added.

The NSA said that the public’s support strengthens the government’s resolve to defend the country’s maritime rights and secure the future of the nation “through lawful means.”

“We will continue to emphasize sustainable fishing practices, marine conservation, and the protection of all economic activities in the West Philippine Sea, especially those of our fishermen,” Año said.

The survey results were released in the wake of China's deployment of its "monster" coast guard ship off the coast of Zambales, which the Philippine government tagged as "illegal".