Santa Barbara Mayor Dennis S. Superficial and Pavia Mayor Laurence Anthony “Luigi” G. Gorriceta emerged as the highest-rated municipal chief executives in Iloilo province based on the latest “Boses ng Bayan” Index of Governance (IOG) survey conducted by the RP-Mission and Development Foundation (RPMD).

Superficial topped the provincial list with an 84.1-percent IOG, anchored on an 83.7-percent public trust rating and an 84.5-percent performance rating, while Gorriceta followed with an 83.5-percent IOG, consisting of 83.3-percent trust and 83.8-percent performance.

Sharing the second rank were Barotac Nuevo Mayor Bryant Paul “BP” Q. Biron with an 82.8-percent IOG (82.6% trust; 83.1% performance), Dumangas Mayor Braeden John “BJ” Q. Biron with 82.5 percent (82.4% trust; 82.6% performance), and Leganes Mayor Vicente “Junjun” P. Jaen II with 82.0 percent (81.8% trust; 82.3% performance).

Landing in third place were Guimbal Mayor Janette “Jen” G. Colada, who posted an 81.4-percent IOG (81.3% trust; 81.5% performance), and Miagao Mayor Oscar “Richard” S. Garin Jr., who earned 80.7 percent (80.6% trust; 80.8% performance).

The fourth rank was shared by Alimodian Mayor Ian Kenneth A. Alfeche, who registered 78.6 percent (78.4% trust; 78.9% performance), and Tigbauan Mayor Virgilio “Nene” T. Teruel, who obtained 77.8 percent (77.2% trust; 78.4% performance).

The fifth place was bagged by Oton Mayor Sofronio L. Fusin Jr., with an IOG of 76.9 percent (76.3% trust; 77.5% performance), and Pototan Mayor Rafael Enrique “Adi” P. Lazaro, who posted 75.9 percent (75.8% trust; 76.1% performance).

Sharing the sixth rank were Sara Mayor Jon N. Aying, who recorded 73.4 percent (73.2% trust; 73.6% performance), and Cabatuan Mayor Elizalde “Boboy” G. Pueyo, who received 72.6 percent (72.4% trust; 72.8% performance).

In seventh place were San Joaquin Mayor Joe Abad S. Lazaro Jr., who garnered 71.4 percent (71.3% trust; 71.6% performance), Lambunao Mayor Reynor R. Gonzales, with 70.6 percent (70.5% trust; 70.8% performance), and Ajuy Mayor Nene Loida Espinosa, who earned 70.4 percent (70.1% trust; 70.3% performance).

Rounding out the list at eighth place were Calinog Mayor Francisco “Frank” Calvo, who posted an IOG of 69.8 percent (69.7% trust; 70.0% performance), and Janiuay Mayor Paul Parian, who registered 69.1 percent (68.5% trust; 69.8% performance).

The Index of Governance combined respondents’ public trust ratings and performance assessments, with the latter measuring leadership and administrative competence, fiscal management, social service delivery, peace and order, infrastructure development, disaster preparedness and response, environmental governance, digitalization, transparency and accountability, and responsiveness to constituents.

“These results show that public trust is strengthened when municipal leaders deliver measurable services, manage public resources responsibly, and remain responsive to the needs of their constituents,” said Dr. Paul Martinez, executive director of RPMD and a global affairs and political analyst.

“The ratings provide both recognition for strong governance and a continuing benchmark for public officials to sustain and improve their performance,” he added.

The survey was conducted from April 1 to 8, 2026, effectively covering the first quarter of the year, involving 5,000 randomly selected registered voters across the province and carrying a ±1-percent margin of error at a 95-percent confidence level.

The Iloilo provincial assessment forms part of the nationwide “Boses ng Bayan” program of RPMD Foundation Inc., an independent, non-commissioned public opinion and governance research initiative.

Through evidence-based measures of public trust and governance performance, the program provides both citizens and public officials with an objective assessment of governance outcomes and on-the-ground public sentiment.Jose Alphonso Ceria, WVSU-COC intern/IMT