MANILA, Philippines — Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda has been recognized among the country’s top-performing and most trusted provincial governors in the first quarter of 2026, according to the RPMD Foundation Inc.’s nationwide “Boses ng Bayan” Index of Governance.
Pineda recorded an 84.41% overall Index of Governance (IOG) rating, based on an 84.28% trust rating and an 84.55% performance rating, placing her in the survey organization’s second-ranked national cluster.
The Pampanga governor was listed alongside other provincial leaders who received high ratings in the independent assessment, which sought to measure public confidence in provincial governance and the performance of local government leaders.
According to RPMD, governors first had to rank among the top-performing and most trusted provincial leaders within their respective regions before being considered in the national assessment. The organization’s Index of Governance combines public trust and performance ratings into a single measure.
The first-ranked national cluster was led by Quirino Gov. Dax Cua, who received an 86.51% IOG rating, followed by Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte with 86.34% and Iloilo Gov. Toto Defensor with 86.20%.
Zamboanga Sibugay Gov. Ann Hofer led the second-ranked cluster with an 85.39% IOG rating. She was followed in the same cluster by Ilocos Norte Gov. Cecille Marcos, Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan and Pineda.
Pineda’s 84.41% IOG rating was based on an 84.28% trust score and an 84.55% performance score, according to the figures released by RPMD.
The survey also recognized governors from other provinces, including Negros Oriental, South Cotabato, Oriental Mindoro, Cavite, Rizal, Surigao del Norte, Batangas, Bohol, Zamboanga del Norte, Davao Oriental, Maguindanao del Norte, Bukidnon and Benguet.
RPMD said the assessment was conducted in April 2026 and involved 5,000 registered voter respondents randomly interviewed in each region. Respondents came from different socioeconomic groups, with the sample reportedly distributed and weighted according to the number of registered voters in provinces, municipalities, cities and barangays.
The survey carried a reported margin of error of plus or minus one percentage point at a 95% confidence level.
The assessment covered several areas of governance, including leadership, financial management, social services, public safety, infrastructure, disaster preparedness and response, environmental programs, transparency, public engagement, innovation and government responsiveness.
RPMD Executive Director and Global Affairs and Political Analyst Dr. Paul Martinez said the results showed the importance of maintaining public confidence through visible and responsive governance.
Martinez described the ratings as both a recognition of the governors’ performance and a responsibility to sustain the confidence expressed by their constituents. He also urged local leaders to address remaining gaps in governance and translate public support into improved government services.
For Pampanga, Pineda’s inclusion places the province among the areas represented in the survey’s higher-performing national clusters. The ranking also comes as provincial governments across Central Luzon continue to face challenges involving infrastructure, disaster preparedness, social services, economic development and the delivery of public programs.
The RPMD results, however, represent the findings of a private survey organization and should be understood within the methodology and scope of the study. The ratings measure public perceptions of trust and performance and do not constitute an official government ranking.
Pineda’s reported 84.41% IOG score nonetheless places her among the provincial governors recognized by RPMD in its first-quarter 2026 national assessment.
For Pampanga residents, the results offer another measure of how the province’s leadership is viewed by the public, while also highlighting the continuing responsibility of local officials to maintain transparency, improve public services and respond to the needs of their constituents.
