Higher Trust Reflects House Reforms Support
MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez sees his recent rise in public trust and performance ratings as a clear sign that the people back the House reforms he champions. The increased ratings reflect growing confidence in the changes proposed by the House of Representatives.
According to a recent OCTA Research survey, Romualdez’s trust rating climbed from 54% to 57%, while his performance rating rose by four points to 59%. “I welcome the results of the latest OCTA Tugon ng Masa survey with gratitude and a clear sense of responsibility,” Romualdez said.
He added, “The increase in both my trust rating (now at 57 percent) and performance rating (up to 59 percent) is an encouraging sign that the reforms we’ve been working on in the House of Representatives — particularly on transparency, budget integrity, and service delivery — are gaining public support.”
Broad-Based Gains Indicate Public Attention
Romualdez pointed out that the improved ratings span all major regions and socioeconomic groups, suggesting that people nationwide are closely monitoring House developments. “These gains are broad-based, cutting across all major regions and socioeconomic groups. That tells me one thing: people are paying attention. They want honest leadership and tangible results,” he stressed.
He vowed to continue working quietly but decisively, emphasizing the need to ensure efficient use of public funds, prevent corruption in infrastructure projects, and deliver essential services to those who need them most.
“This is not a victory lap. It’s a reminder to stay focused, stay grounded, and stay accountable,” Romualdez noted.
Other Officials’ Ratings Show Mixed Trends
The OCTA Research survey conducted from July 12 to 17 showed that among the country’s top officials, only Romualdez and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. improved their trust and performance ratings. Marcos’ trust rating rose to 64% from 60%, while his performance rating increased by three points to 62%.
In contrast, Vice President Sara Duterte’s trust rating dropped from 58% to 54%, and her performance rating declined by six points to 50%. Senate President Francis Escudero also experienced decreases, with trust and performance ratings falling to 51% and 49%, respectively.
Commitment to Transparency and Oversight
At the opening of the 20th Congress’ legislative session, Romualdez reaffirmed his commitment to reforming the budget process. He promised to open bicameral conference meetings on future budget bills to third-party observers and livestream the proceedings for transparency.
This move responds to President Marcos’ challenge during his recent State of the Nation Address, where he warned lawmakers that he would reject any national budget not aligned with the administration’s programs, even if it meant reenacted budgets.
Concerns about corruption, especially regarding flood control projects, prompted Romualdez to share the President’s frustrations. He pledged to strengthen the House’s oversight and conduct mid-year performance reviews of all agencies.
“We heard the President’s Sona, and we take to heart his call, his frustration even about the lingering shadow of corruption in our institutions. As Speaker, I share his concern and I accept his challenge, not with defensiveness but with determination,” Romualdez said.
He also announced that the House will conduct a comprehensive congressional review of all infrastructure projects and failed implementations, investigating ghost projects, bloated contracts, underspending, and procurement abuses.
Lastly, Romualdez assured that all bills filed by the House align with the administration’s legislative agenda.
For more news and updates on House reforms, visit Filipinokami.com.
