05/06/2026
𝐖𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐒’ 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓-𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐎𝐑𝐒
𝐖𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐒’ 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓-𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐎𝐑𝐒
The latest RPMD Foundation Inc. “𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧” 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐱 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 (𝐈𝐎𝐆) survey identifies the most trusted and best-performing city mayors in Western Visayas, highlighting local chief executives who have earned the strongest constituent evaluations in both public trust and governance performance.
The findings reveal a growing trend among urban voters in the region: mayors are increasingly being evaluated based on their ability to deliver services, manage city affairs effectively, maintain accessibility to constituents, and provide visible leadership in addressing local concerns. The results suggest that governance performance has become a primary driver of public approval, reinforcing the principle that trust and effectiveness remain central to local leadership.
The findings form part of RPMD Foundation Inc.'s nationwide “Boses ng Bayan” Governance Assessment Program, conducted from April 1 to 8, 2026, which effectively covers the first quarter of the year and provides a comprehensive review of local governance performance throughout the Philippines. The findings are based on interviews with 5,000 randomly selected respondents drawn from diverse geographic locations and socio-economic classes across the region, ensuring a representative cross-section of public opinion and making it one of the most comprehensive assessments of local governance and public sentiment conducted during the period.
Methodology and Governance Framework
As part of the nationwide “Boses ng Bayan” survey, a total of 5,000 randomly selected respondents were interviewed across the region, with proportional representation by geographic location and socio-economic class (ABC, D, and E) to ensure broad demographic and geographic representation. The survey has a ±1% margin of error at the 95% confidence level, indicating a high degree of statistical reliability in the findings.
The sampling framework was designed to ensure proportional representation across provinces, cities, gender groups, age brackets, and socio-economic classes, thereby providing a balanced and statistically reliable measure of regional public sentiment.
For the city mayoral assessment, respondents were drawn from the respective cities of the local chief executives being evaluated. This localized approach ensures that the ratings reflect the actual experiences, perceptions, and evaluations of the constituents directly affected by their city governments' policies, programs, and leadership.
RPMD’s Index of Governance (IOG) is derived from two principal indicators: Trust Rating and Performance Rating. The Performance Rating is based on constituent evaluations across multiple dimensions of local governance, including 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞, 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬.
The resulting Trust and Performance scores are combined to generate the Index of Governance (IOG), RPMD’s principal benchmark for measuring governance effectiveness and public approval.
Under RPMD’s governance standards, 55 percent constitutes the passing benchmark, indicating favorable constituent evaluations. Scores of 70 percent and above reflect very strong public approval, while ratings exceeding 85 percent signify outstanding governance performance and exceptionally high levels of constituent confidence.
𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
The survey identifies 𝐈𝐥𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐞ñ𝐚𝐬 as the highest-rated city mayor in Western Visayas, registering an impressive 78.2% Index of Governance, supported by 77.8% trust and 78.6% performance ratings. Her results place her firmly within the category of very strong public approval and reflect broad constituent confidence in her administration’s ability to manage the region’s premier urban center. The findings suggest strong public satisfaction with her leadership, governance initiatives, infrastructure programs, and responsiveness to Iloilo City residents' needs.
Securing second place is 𝐑𝐨𝐱𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐬, who earned a robust 76.8% IOG, backed by 76.5% trust and 77.1% performance ratings. The results indicate sustained constituent confidence in his administration and recognition of his efforts in governance, public service delivery, economic development, and city management. His strong performance reflects a consistent ability to maintain public trust while delivering favorable governance outcomes.
Ranking third is 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬, who posted a 74.0% Index of Governance, supported by 73.4% trust and 74.7% performance ratings. The findings point to favorable constituent assessments of his leadership and demonstrate growing public confidence in his administration’s ability to address local priorities, deliver essential services, and maintain effective engagement with residents.
All three city mayors achieved ratings well above RPMD’s 70-percent threshold for Very Strong Public Approval, indicating substantial constituent satisfaction with their leadership and governance performance during the first quarter of 2026.
Governance Insights: What the Results Reveal
Beyond the rankings, the survey provides valuable insights into the evolving expectations of urban voters in Western Visayas.
Modern city governance requires mayors to navigate increasingly complex challenges, including economic development, infrastructure expansion, traffic and mobility concerns, environmental sustainability, public safety, healthcare delivery, disaster preparedness, and social welfare programs. As cities continue to grow and evolve, citizens are demanding greater accountability, faster service delivery, and more visible leadership from their local chief executives.
The results suggest that voters are increasingly evaluating mayors through a performance-based framework. Citizens appear to reward leaders who demonstrate competence, accessibility, responsiveness, and an ability to translate policies into tangible improvements in daily life. Public trust remains closely tied to perceived effectiveness, reinforcing the principle that governance legitimacy is earned through measurable results rather than political rhetoric.
The survey also highlights the growing importance of responsive local governance. Constituents increasingly expect city governments to address practical concerns such as infrastructure development, healthcare access, livelihood opportunities, public safety, environmental management, digital services, and emergency preparedness. Mayors who are perceived as proactive and solutions-oriented tend to enjoy stronger trust and performance ratings.
Regional Implications
The findings reflect a broader shift in local governance across Western Visayas, where public expectations continue to rise, and citizens increasingly demand measurable results from their elected leaders.
The strong ratings earned by the region’s top-performing city mayors suggest that voters value leaders who maintain direct engagement with their communities while effectively managing the operational demands of city government. The results also indicate that public trust remains one of the strongest predictors of favorable governance evaluations.
From a governance perspective, the survey reinforces the importance of balancing strategic leadership with day-to-day responsiveness. Citizens increasingly expect mayors not only to articulate a vision for their cities but also to deliver concrete improvements that enhance quality of life and strengthen public confidence in local institutions.
More broadly, the findings suggest that urban governance in Western Visayas continues to evolve toward a more performance-driven model, where accountability, service delivery, transparency, and citizen engagement are becoming key determinants of political legitimacy.
Public Trust Remains the Foundation of Local Governance
According to Dr. Paul Martinez, Executive Director of RPMD Foundation Inc., Global Affairs, and Political Analyst, the survey demonstrates that public trust remains the foundation of effective local governance.
Dr. Martinez emphasized that the findings serve as an important barometer of public sentiment, reflecting how citizens evaluate their local chief executives not only on policy outcomes but also on accessibility, responsiveness, transparency, and leadership during periods of challenge and change. He noted that local governments often serve as the most visible face of public service, making trust and performance indispensable components of effective governance.
“City governments are often the level of government closest to the people. As such, citizens tend to evaluate their mayors based on direct experience rather than perception alone. The results indicate that trust and performance remain deeply interconnected. Leaders who remain visible, responsive, and effective in addressing local concerns are more likely to earn sustained public confidence and stronger governance ratings,” Martinez said.
The Western Visayas city mayoral assessment paints a positive picture of urban governance in the region. Significantly, the top-ranked city mayors all achieved ratings well above RPMD’s 55-percent passing benchmark, reflecting favorable constituent evaluations of their leadership and governance performance.
More importantly, the findings reveal a deeper governance reality: citizens increasingly reward leaders who remain connected to their communities, responsive to public needs, and capable of delivering measurable results. As voter expectations continue to evolve, governance performance is becoming an increasingly important source of political legitimacy and public trust.
Ultimately, the report is more than a ranking of city mayors. It is a reflection of how citizens define effective local leadership, what they expect from urban governance, and how accountability continues to shape public evaluations of elected officials. In Western Visayas, the message from constituents is clear: effective leadership, responsive governance, measurable performance, and public trust remain the cornerstones of successful city administration.
