MANILA, Philippines — Around seven out of 10 Filipino voters continue to favor candidates who believe the country must assert its rights against China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea, results from the April 2025 Stratbase-commissioned Social Weather Stations (SWS) national survey showed.

According to the survey, conducted from April 11 to 15, 75 percent of registered voters said they would choose a candidate who believes the Philippines must push back against Chinese aggression. 

Only 25 percent opted for a candidate who does not support asserting the country’s rights in the disputed waters.

The April figure marks a slight decline from February 2025, when 78 percent expressed preference for a candidate supporting the assertion of Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.

The question, sponsored by Stratbase Consultancy, was phrased in Filipino and presented through a showcard to respondents: “Which of the two candidates will you vote for?”—one who supports asserting Philippine rights, and another who does not.

Socioeconomic and gender breakdowns of the April data show that support for assertive candidates is strongest among Class D voters (7 percent), followed by Class ABC (72 percent) and Class E (59 percent). Female respondents showed slightly higher support (76 percent) compared to males (74 percent).

The Stratbase-SWS April 2025 National Survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,800 registered voters across the country: 300 in Metro Manila, 900 in Balance Luzon, 300 in the Visayas, and 300 in Mindanao. Sampling error margins are ±2.31 percent for national data, ±3.27 percent for Balance Luzon, and ±5.66 percent for Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.