• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez have been named by the RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMD), a non- government organization, as among the top performing government officials in the country.
The independent and non-commissioned result of the “Boses ng Bayan” public sentiment survey was conducted by the RPMD in the period of second quarter of 2024.
It indicated that Lacson ranked third among the top performing governors, who garnered an exceptional job satisfaction rating of 90.5 percent.
According to the non-commissioned survey, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia continues to lead as the top performing governor nationwide, with a rating of 94.5 percent.
Lacson said his high ranking as governor is “a testament to the work of the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental.”
“This also reflects the unwavering support and trust of our fellow Negrenses in the programs and initiatives we’ve pursued together for our province,” he said in a statement yesterday.
“I extend my gratitude to all members of our provincial government — your dedication, hard work, and shared commitment to the province have made this achievement possible—and, of course, to all my fellow Negrenses for appreciating our efforts,” the governor said, adding that the “award inspires us to continue our work with even greater resolve, for the good of our province and people.”
Meanwhile, Benitez was recognized as one of the top performing city mayors, garnering a rate of 87.82 percent and the second placement together with Zamboanga City Mayor John Dalipe, with a rate of 88.71 percent.
The Boses ng Bayan initiative of the RPMD Foundation Inc., which engaged 10,000 respondents through face-to-face interviews, is a comprehensive assessment program that evaluates the job performance of 82 governors and 148 city mayors all over the country.
This evaluation encompasses six key performance indicators, including leadership and governance, economic development and infrastructure, social welfare and public services, public safety and security, environmental management and sustainability, and public satisfaction and engagement, and responsiveness to their constituents’ needs. | GB
