OMBUDSMAN Jesus Crispin Remulla emerged as the country’s highest-rated national government official in the latest “Boses ng Bayan” Index of Governance (IOG) survey conducted by RPMD Foundation Inc.
The nationwide survey, conducted from April 1 to 8, 2026, covered 5,000 randomly selected respondents interviewed face-to-face across the country. The poll had a plus or minus 1 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level.
RPMD Executive Director Paul Martinez said the IOG combines public trust and performance ratings to gauge confidence in government leadership, accountability, and service delivery.
Remulla topped the rankings with an impressive 89.7-percent IOG score, backed by an 89.3-percent trust rating and a 90.2-percent performance rating. Respondents credited his anti-corruption initiatives and efforts to strengthen accountability in government.
Many survey participants described the Ombudsman as a decisive and strong-willed public servant, reflecting growing public support for officials perceived as firm on integrity and governance reforms.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano earned an 86.9-percent IOG rating, making him one of the country’s highest-rated government communicators.
Ranking second overall was Melvin Matibag, director of the National Bureau of Investigation, with an 88.1-percent IOG score. He was followed by Kiko Benitez of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, who posted an 86.5-percent rating.
Also joining the survey’s elite tier were Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado with 85 percent, Land Transportation Office chief Markus Lacanilao with 84 percent, Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Charlie Mendoza with 82.2 percent, Armed Forces chief Romeo Brawner Jr. with 82 percent, and Public Attorney's Office chief Persida Acosta with 81 percent.
They were followed by Philippine National Police chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director Isagani Nerez, Pagasa Administrator Nathaniel Servando, and Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno.
Other officials included in the rankings were PhilHealth President Edwin Mercado, Bureau of Fire Protection chief Rico Tiu, Social Security System President R.J. De Claro, and Office for Transportation Security Administrator Gilberto Cruz, reflecting public recognition of a broad range of government agencies.
Martinez noted that accountability, investigative, and enforcement institutions dominated the rankings, highlighting Filipinos’ growing demand for transparency, integrity, public order, and decisive leadership. He said the strong performance of these agencies reflects public appreciation for institutions that deliver tangible results.
RPMD said that an IOG score of 55 percent is considered the minimum passing benchmark, while ratings above 60 percent indicate credible performance. Officials scoring in the 70-percent range are considered strong performers, while those earning ratings in the 80s and above are regarded as among the nation’s top-performing public servants.
Martinez emphasized that the survey serves as a snapshot of current public sentiment rather than a permanent endorsement.
