Two Dumaguete City councilors — Rey Lyndon Lawas and Aping Cordova — have been recognized among the top-performing local legislators in Negros Oriental, according to the results of the Governance and Participation Index (GPI) for the second quarter of 2026 (April to June 2026).
The province-wide citizen survey was published by Transparency, Good Governance and Accountability Advocates in partnership with Visayas Social Pulse, and measured how residents across the province rated the performance of their local councilors.
Six Councilors Share the Highest Provincial Rating
A total of six councilors earned the top GPI score of 93.75%, the highest recorded in the second quarter survey. Alongside Lawas and Cordova, the group includes Bruno Bouffard III, Severino Capulso, Godoardo Codera, and Darren Philip Nipshagen, according to the GPI results released by Transparency, Good Governance and Accountability Advocates.
Of the six top-rated councilors, two represent Dumaguete City — the provincial capital and the most populous city in Negros Oriental — placing the city prominently in the province-wide performance rankings.
Survey Covered All 25 Cities and Municipalities
The GPI Q2 2026 survey drew participation from 4,260 registered voters spread across the province's 25 cities and municipalities, according to Visayas Social Pulse. The broad geographic coverage was designed to reflect province-wide citizen sentiment on local governance performance rather than limiting assessment to a single city or district.
The index is a citizen-led evaluation mechanism that tracks how voters perceive the responsiveness, accountability, and overall performance of their elected officials at the local legislative level.
About the GPI and Its Publishing Bodies
The Governance and Participation Index is produced by Transparency, Good Governance and Accountability Advocates together with Visayas Social Pulse, two organizations focused on civic engagement and public sector performance monitoring in the Visayas region.
The index is issued on a quarterly basis and serves as a structured feedback tool that enables residents to formally assess the conduct of their local government officials through a standardized survey instrument.
By the Numbers
- 93.75% — Top GPI score shared by six councilors in Q2 2026
- 6 — Number of councilors who tied for the highest provincial rating
- 4,260 — Registered voters who participated in the survey
- 25 — Cities and municipalities covered in the province-wide survey
- 2 — Dumaguete City councilors among the top-rated group (Lawas and Cordova)
Why This Matters
The GPI Q2 2026 results provide a rare province-wide, citizen-driven benchmark of local legislative performance across all 25 cities and municipalities of Negros Oriental, giving voters a standardized basis for evaluating their elected councilors. The recognition of Lawas and Cordova places Dumaguete City among the top-performing localities in the province according to resident assessments. As a publicly published index backed by civic organizations, the GPI also serves as an accountability tool that can inform voter decisions ahead of future electoral exercises.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Transparency, Good Governance and Accountability Advocates / Visayas Social Pulse