[2] The OCTA Research Group is alternatively known as UP–OCTA since they are initially composed of eight members affiliated with the University of the Philippines (UP).

However with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, OCTA Research decided to focus on making projections related to the health crisis.

[1] The OCTA Research Group began conducting study on the pandemic in April 2020 relying on data from the Department of Health.

[3] They have issued projections on COVID-19 cases, made recommendations to the government's COVID-19 community quarantine measures, and conducted opinion poll surveys.

[1][4][5] In August 2021, the group expressed intentions to establish itself in public opinion polling, naming SWS and Pulse Asia as benchmarks.