THE number of Filipinos who brand themselves as pro-Marcos has increased, while those who call themselves pro-Duterte have decreased, the third quarter survey of OCTA Research showed.

Conducted from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2, 2024, the Tugon ng Masa (TNM) poll showed that 38 percent of adult Filipinos identified themselves as pro-Marcos, 2 percent higher than what was registered in the second quarter survey in March.

"Across major areas, those adult Filipinos who identify themselves as Pro-Marcos comprise around four out of every 10 Filipinos in NCR and Balance Luzon (42 percent and 43 percent, respectively). In Mindanao, nearly three out of every 10 Filipinos (25 percent) identify themselves as pro-Marcos, with a significant portion of the overall support coming from Visayas (37 percent)," the research firm said.

Meanwhile, those who see themselves as pro-Duterte were 15 percent or 1 percent lower than the previous poll.

The survey said 26 percent of adult Filipinos consider themselves independent or individuals who do not identify themselves as pro-Marcos, pro-Duterte, or the opposition, a 5 percent decrease from the previous TNM survey conducted in the second quarter of 2024.

Adult Filipinos who view themselves as independent "are most numerous in Visayas at 32 percent, followed by NCR at 27 percent, Balance Luzon at 26 percent, and Mindanao at 19 percent."

Among socioeconomic classes, independents comprise 35 percent of Class ABC, followed by 25 percent of Class D and 22 percent of Class E.

The remaining 14 percent of respondents are ambivalent about their political preferences, OCTA Research said.

The survey was conducted among 1,200 respondents nationwide with a ±3 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level. Subnational estimates for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao had ±6 percent margins of error each at a 95 percent confidence level.