By E.H. EDEJER | June 12, 2026

SUBIC, Zambales — Zambales First District Representative and House Deputy Speaker Jefferson “Jay” Khonghun, a prominent figure in the “Young Guns” bloc in the House of Representatives, has emerged among the top congressmen in Central Luzon, according to a non-commissioned trust and performance ratings released by an independent polling organization on June 11.

The latest “Boses ng Bayan” governance assessment by the polling group Research and Public Management Development (RPMD) Foundation, Inc. placed Khonghun on top tier of Region III representatives with an 87.2% Index of Governance (IOG) score.

Khonghun closely followed Cong. Arthur Robes of the Lone District of San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan, who scored 87.6%.

Completing the top congressional performers in Region III are: Cong. Mika Suansing of Nueva Ecija’s 1^st District with 86.6%; Cong. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Pampanga 2^nd District), 86.0%; Cong. Rico Angara (Aurora), 84.9%; Cong. Linabelle Villarica (Bulacan 4^th District), 84.2%; Cong. Abet Garcia (Bataan 2^nd District), 83.7%; Cong. Mica Gonzales (Pampanga 3^rd District), 83.2%; and Cong. Tony Roman (Bataan), 83.1%.

Meanwhile, Zambales Second District Representative Doris “Bing” Maniquiz earned an IOG score of 71.5%.

RPMD said the “Boses ng Bayan” survey comprehensively gauged how constituents across Central Luzon perceive the performance and trustworthiness of their respective congressional representatives in the first quarter of the year.

The assessment used three key metrics: district representation, which measures how congressmen advance their constituents’ interests; legislative performance, which evaluates lawmaking and policy initiatives; and constituent service, which assesses accessibility, responsiveness, and the delivery of assistance and public services.

RPMD said that under governance standards, an IOG score of 55% serves as the passing benchmark, while ratings exceeding 70% indicate strong governance performance and public confidence.

In the same survey, RPMD named Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. among the top-performing city mayors in the region with an IOG score of 77.7%.

The highest score among city mayors in Central Luzon belonged to Mayor Rida Robes of San Jose del Monte, who earned 87.1%.

Other top performers are Mayor Vilma Caluag of San Fernando City, win an 84.7% IOG; Mayor Jon Lazatin (Angeles City), 84.3%; Mayor Henry Villarica (Meycauayan City), 83.4%; Mayor Susan Yap (Tarlac City), 83.1%; Mayor Raquel Francis Garcia (Balanga City), 82.3%; Mayor Geld Aquino (Mabalacat City), 82.1%; and Mayor Myca Vergara (Cabanatuan City), 80.8%.

RPMD said it conducted the survey last April among 5,000 respondents randomly selected from across all socioeconomic classes, with the sample weighted according to actual voter population. Participants were registered voters and actual constituents of their respective congressional districts, it added.

RPMD executive director Dr. Paul Martinez said the April survey results demonstrated that voters continue to favor leaders who combine effective legislative work with strong grassroots engagement.

“Trust is earned when constituents consistently see results, responsiveness, and genuine representation,” said Martinez. “The findings indicate that Central Luzon voters are increasingly evaluating their representatives based on governance outcomes and public service performance rather than political rhetoric alone.” – Taktikom News & Features