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Sixty-one percent of Filipinos believe the United States will defend the Philippines once invaded by another country, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released Wednesday.

The survey, released a day after the return of three Balangiga Bells from the US, was conducted from June 27 to 30. It showed a higher number of Filipinos believing in the US at 61 percent compared to the nine percent who did not and 30 percent undecided.

"The June 2018 survey also found that 47 percent were aware of the PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty even before the survey, while 53 percent learned about it only during the interview," SWS said.

Those who are aware of the treaty strongly believe the US will defend the country from invasion at 80 percent, the survey said.

Most people who were aware of the West Philippine Sea dispute were also aware of the treaty with 54 percent compared to those who only learned of the dispute during the interview at 14 percent.

"The survey also found that previous awareness about the PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty was highest among those with extensive knowledge about the PH-China dispute in the West Philippine Sea (73 percent)," SWS said.

About 67 percent of those previously aware of the maritime dispute also believe the US will defend the Philippines in case of any invasion.

Those who believe in Washington's defense commitment was higher at 82 percent among those who had extensive knowledge of the West Philippine Sea issue.

Metro Manila recorded the highest number of those previously aware of the MDT with 58 percent, followed by Balance Luzon with 53 percent, Visayas at 41 percent and Mindanao at 31 percent.

MDT awareness is higher in urban areas at 55 percent as opposed to 38 percent in rural areas.

The survey was conducted two months before the 67th year of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America using face-to-face interviews among 1,200 adults nationwide. It has sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Ella Dionisio/DMS