Migz Villafuerte led the list of the Top 5 lawmakers in Bicol in terms of performance and trust ratings, as shown in the latest Boses ng Bayan survey by prominent pollster RP-Mission and Development (RPMD) Foundation Inc.
In the results of the April 1-8 Boses ng Bayan survey posted on Facebook, RPMD revealed that Migz—the chairman of the House committee on information and communications technology (ICT)—was No. 1 with the highest score of 86.9% in its Index of Governance (IOG), which is a composite governance indicator derived from both trust and performance ratings.
Migz’s IOG rate of 86.9% was derived from a trust rating of 86.5% and a performance rating of 87.3%.
Deputy Majority Leader Luigi Villafuerte of CamSur was No. 4 in the Boses ng Bayan survey, achieving an 84.3% IOG, derived from an 84.2% trust rating and 84.5% performance rating.
At No. 2 and No. 3 were Rep. Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata (CamSur) and Adrian Salceda (Albay), respectively, with an 85.6% IOG score (from a performance rating of 85.9% and a trust rating of 86.1%) and an 85.6% IOG (from an 85.9 performance rating and an 85.9% trust rating).
RPMD executive director and global affairs and political analyst Dr. Paul Martinez said the findings “reflect a growing shift among voters toward performance-based
Tied at No. 5 were Maria Jessica Escudero (Sorsogon) and Antonio Kho (Masbate) with respective IOG scores of 83% (from an 82.7% trust rating and 83.3% performance rating) and 82.1% (from an 81.9 trust rating and 82.4 performance rating.”
As per the outcome of its nationwide Index of Governance (IOG) assessment, RPMD said Bicol has become “a region where voters continue to reward accessible, responsive, and results-oriented representation, underscoring the growing importance of performance-based governance in shaping public trust.”
“The findings demonstrate that Bicolano constituents increasingly evaluate their representatives based on district presence, legislative effectiveness, constituent service, and measurable outcomes rather than political affiliation or popularity alone,” RPMD said.
The RPMD “Boses ng Bayan” Bicol Region Governance Assessment was conducted from April 1–8, through interviews with 5,000 randomly selected respondents across the six Bicol provinces, and representing all socio-economic classes.
RPMD’s survey carries a ±1% margin of error at a 95% confidence level, and is an independent and non-commissioned poll, designed to measure current public sentiment, trust, and governance performance among elected officials and public institutions.
Unlike electoral, preference, or popularity surveys, the IOG measures public confidence in elected officials while simultaneously evaluating their actual performance in office.
Its framework provides a comprehensive assessment of leadership effectiveness, district representation, legislative productivity, constituent service, responsiveness, and overall public satisfaction.
According to the Boses ng Bayan survey: “migz Villafuerte ranked first with an 86.9% IOG; Hori Horibata ranked second with 86.4%; Adrian Salceda ranked third with 85.6%; Luigi Villafuerte ranked fourth with 84.3%; Dette Escudero and Antonio Kho shared fifth place with 83.0% and 82.1%, respectively …”
RPMD said Bicol has become “a region where voters continue to reward accessible, responsive, and results-
RPMD said that, “One of the strongest themes emerging from the assessment was accessibility and constituent engagement. Respondents consistently cited the ability to directly reach, communicate with, or seek assistance from their representatives as a major factor influencing both trust and performance evaluations.”
“Lawmakers who maintained a visible district presence, actively engaged with local communities, responded to constituent concerns, and facilitated government services generally posted the strongest governance ratings. The findings suggest that accessibility remains one of the most important drivers of public trust in congressional representation,” it said.
RPMD executive director and global affairs and political analyst Dr. Paul Martinez said the findings “reflect a growing shift among voters toward performance-based governance and accountability.”
“The modern voter is becoming increasingly performance oriented. Constituents are paying closer attention to whether their representatives are visible in their districts, responsive to local concerns, productive in legislation, and effective in delivering public service. Trust today in increasingly tied to accessibility, accountability, and measurable results,” Martinez said.
RPMD’s Bicol Region Governance Assessment was conducted from April 1–8, through interviews with 5,000 randomly selected respondents across the six /Bicol provinces, representing all socio-economic classes.
It carries a ±1% margin of error at the 95% confidence level, and is part of RPMD’s nationwide “Boses ng Bayan” initiative, conducted as part of the organization’s public service program.
The assessment is independent and non-commissioned.
The House already approved 26 of the 52 priority measures that President Marcos and the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) have drawn up for priority action by the 20th Congress.
Fifteen (15) of these LEDAC priority bills were co-authored by Migz and Luigi Villafuerte with Horibata and Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon.
