Top performing mayors in Metro Manila, says survey

QUEZON City Mayor Josefina “Joy” Belmonte has again emerged as the top performing local chief executive in the National Capital Region (NCR), according to an independent, non-commissioned survey.

Pasig City Mayor Regis Vico Sotto and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, retain their second and third ranking, respectively, followed by Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian, and Mayor Marcy Teodoro of Marikina City.

The survey by the RP- Mission and Development Foundation Inc (RPMDinc) was based on face-to-face interviews with 3,500 respondents, who were asked to rate their respective mayors regarding overall job performance for the year 2020.

The survey from Feb. 20-28, 2021 had respondents from 18 to 70 years old, registered voters and all residents of Metro Manila. They were randomly chosen and the number of respondents per city was distributed proportionally based on official population data. The survey had a sampling margin of error at ±3 percent and had 95 percent confidence level.

Belmonte received the highest approval rating among its residents at 86 percent, followed by Sotto (83 percent), Domagoso (80 percent), Gatchalian (76 percent), and Teodoro (75 percent).

Occupying the 6th to 11th spots were Lino Cayetano of Taguig (69 percent), Abigail Binay of Makati (68 percent), Toby Tiangco of Navotas (65 percent), Carmelita Abalos of Mandaluyong (58 percent), Francis Zamora of San Juan (55 percent) and Jaime Fresnedi of Muntinlupa (51 percent).

The six remaining cities and a municipality got low approval ratings. The lowest was PasayCity (33 percent), followed by Malabon City (35 percent) and Las Pinas City (37 percent).

The respondents were also asked if they will vote or will not vote for their mayor if they will run for re-election. Sotto received the highest conversion of approval and voters’ preference, with approval ratings of 83 percent and 80 percent for his 2022 re-election bid.

Belmonte ranked second with 76 percent, Domagoso, 75 percent; Teodoro, 67 percent; Cayetano, 60 percent; Binay, 62 percent; Tiangco, 58 percent and Abalos, 53 percent.

“Overall, almost all NCR [National Capital Region] mayors approval ratings improved compared to the previous surveys. However, of the 17, only 11 were given passing rates by their constituents.

“Top 5 Metro Manila Mayors are doing a great job. Not only were they able to maintain their rankings, but they also increased positively from +1 percent to +3 percentage points.and the highest gainer is Mayor Domagoso and Teodoro +3%.,” said Dr. Paul Martinez of RPMDinc. in a statement.

“Reviewing the comments given by the respondents— innovations in reaching and addressing constituents’ concerns during pandemic, social and welfare services, ease in doing business and transactions at city hall, and hands-on mayor made Belmonte the top NCR Mayor. In Pasig, the core agenda is eradicating corruption of Mayor Vico as the top comment while Mayor Isko constituents said they liked his initiative for going around addressing concerns and issues even at night time,” Martinez added.