CEBU, Philippines — Seven out of the top 50 best performing members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines are from Cebu, according to the latest RPMD Foundation Inc. (RPMD) Boses ng Bayan survey results.
The seven “Top Performing Representatives in the Philippines” for the second quarter of the year are Duke Frasco,5th district with a 91.52% rating; Pablo John Garcia, 2nd district, with a 91.33% rating; Rhea Gullas, first district (91.25%); Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon, Mandaue City Lone District (91.16%); Cindi King-Chan, Lapu-Lapu City Lone District (90.95%); Edu Rama, Cebu City South District (90.84%); and Daphne Lagon, 6th district (90.75%).
House Speaker Martin Romualdez leads the group with a 93.78% rating, followed by Senior Majority Leader Sandro Marcos (93.25%), and Deputy Speaker Kristine Singson (92.83%), who all achieved the highest distinctions, according to the RPMD in its Facebook post.
Dr. Paul Martinez, RPMD executive director and “global affairs analyst, emphasized the significance of the surveys, saying that they serve as crucial instruments in promoting accountability and transparency.
“The performance of our representatives directly impacts the lives of their constituents. By ranking the top 50 representatives from 1 to 5, we recognize their dedication and ensure that the public remains informed about who is delivering real results," he said.
Martinez said that the data they got serve as a “critical benchmark for lawmakers to continuously improve, knowing their efforts are watched by the people they serve”.
He said that these performance assessments must continue, as they provide an “invaluable measure of the effectiveness of elected officials” and “reflect the people's voice and emphasize the importance of responsive and accountable governance”.
“Constituents benefit from representatives who actively champion their interests through quality legislative work and excellent constituent services, Martinez said.
He said their "Boses ng Bayan" nationwide survey, which engaged 10,000 respondents through face-to-face interviews, guarantees high accuracy. With a margin of error of ±1% and a 95% confidence level, their survey results are “reliable and reflect public sentiment nationwide”.
“Daghang salamat sa inyong paghatag og kompiyansa sa atong pagpanerbisyo sa atong dakbayan. This would not also be possible without the individuals and government agencies who supported us in realizing our service initiatives,” said Ouano-Dizon, in her Facebook post in reaction to the survey results.
“Padayon ta sa pagtuman sa atong mga saad sa Mandauehanon,” she added.
King-Chan, on the other hand, thanked her constituents for their continued support, which she said is also her inspiration in serving the city and its people.
“Kamo ang akong kusog sa adlaw2 nakong pakigbisog sa kalambuan ug kausaban sa atong pinalanggang dakbayan,” she said in her social media post.
Rama, for his part, said that this recognition highlights the “impact” of his “legislative work, district representation, and the quality of public service” he delivered for the people in Cebu City’s south district.
“Kini nga nasudnong pag-ila nagdasig kanato sa pagpadayon sa pagtrabaho uban sa gugma ug pasalig, dili lamang alang sa atong distrito apan alang sa kaayohan sa tibuok nasud. Mapasalamaton sab ta sa tanan nga naghatag sa ilang pagsalig kanato—kita magpadayon sa pagpaningkamot alang sa pag-uswag ug makahuluganon nga pagbag-o para sa tanang Pilipino,” Rama added.
Proud of his wife’s latest achievement, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan said Cindi-Chan works non-stop in implementing various priority infrastructure projects in the city, like classrooms, drainage, barangay halls, coastal roads, as well as helping the poor through the giving of financial assistance.
“Mao nang deserving gyud ang atong Kongresista sa maong top performing spot tungod sa iyang dakong gugma ug pagpangga sa mga Oponganon ug pagpakita sa iyang tinuoray ug kinasingkasing nga serbisyo,” the mayor said.
Meanwhile, Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas congratulated his wife, Rhea, who, although a neophyte congresswoman, is now being recognized as a top-performing member of the country’s House of Representatives. — (FREEMAN)