Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas and Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. emerged as the highest-rated local chief executives in Western Visayas based on the latest “Boses ng Bayan” Index of Governance (IOG) survey conducted by RPMD Foundation Inc.
The survey, conducted from April 1 to 8, 2026, showed that Treñas ranked first among city mayors in the region with a 78.2 percent Index of Governance, backed by a 77.8 percent trust rating and a 78.6 percent performance rating.
RPMD said the ratings reflected strong public confidence in Treñas’ leadership, governance initiatives, infrastructure programs, and responsiveness to the needs of Iloilo City residents.
The survey also placed Governor Defensor at the top of the regional gubernatorial rankings after obtaining an 86.2 percent Index of Governance. He garnered an 85.9 percent trust rating and an 86.5 percent performance rating, placing him under the category of “Outstanding Governance Performance.”
According to RPMD, the result indicates exceptionally high constituent confidence in Defensor’s leadership, development programs, and overall management of provincial affairs.
Meanwhile, several Iloilo lawmakers also landed among the region’s highest-rated members of the House of Representatives.
Iloilo City Lone District Representative Julienne “Jam-Jam” Baronda topped the congressional rankings in Western Visayas with an 87.9 percent Index of Governance. She posted an 86.5 percent trust rating and an 87.3 percent performance rating.
Sharing second place were Iloilo 3rd District Representative Lorenz Defensor and Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin, who registered governance ratings of 85.5 percent and 84.9 percent, respectively.
Iloilo 4th District Representative Ferjenel Biron ranked among the top performers with an 82.8 percent rating, while Iloilo 2nd District Representative Kathy Gorriceta earned 82 percent.
Iloilo 5th District Representative Binky Tupas also made the list with a 76 percent governance rating.
RPMD said the findings suggest that voters are increasingly evaluating elected officials based on governance performance, public service delivery, accessibility, accountability, and responsiveness to constituent concerns.
The survey covered 5,000 randomly selected respondents across Western Visayas and carried a margin of error of ±1 percent at a 95-percent confidence level.
Under RPMD standards, ratings of 70 percent and above indicate “Very Strong Public Approval,” while scores exceeding 85 percent are classified as “Outstanding Governance Performance.”
Dr. Paul Martinez, executive director of RPMD Foundation Inc., said the results show that public trust remains closely linked to governance performance.
“Citizens continue to reward leaders who remain visible, responsive, and effective in addressing public concerns,” Martinez said.
The survey forms part of RPMD’s nationwide governance assessment program aimed at measuring public trust and performance perceptions of elected officials across the country.IMT
