Survey Group Ranks Southern Leyte Mayors in "Pulso ng Bayan" Survey

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte — The Transparency, Good Governance, and Accountability Advocates (TGAA), in partnership with Visayas Social Pulse (VSP), has released the results of its "Pulso ng Bayan" survey for Southern Leyte, ranking what the group calls the top performing city and municipal mayors in the province under its Governance and Participation Index (GPI). It is the survey group's own ranking and not an official government ranking.

How the survey was conducted

According to the group, 2,000 adult respondents, randomly selected across all socio-economic classes, were interviewed face to face in their own barangays from July 15 to 25, 2026, covering all municipalities and Maasin City. It gave a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent at a 95 percent confidence level. The group said no mayor, political party or local government unit commissioned or influenced the survey. The ranking cards carry the label "First Half of 2026 (January to June 2026)."

The Governance and Participation Index

The group said respondents rated their mayors on the index, which has two pillars of 50 percent each; the total score is the sum of the two:

• Governance Index (50 percent): service delivery in health, education, infrastructure and public safety; sound financial management; economic development and local investment; and leadership marked by transparency and accountability.
• Participation Index (50 percent): citizen engagement, responsiveness to public concerns, effectiveness of programs, and community involvement in decision-making.

The ranking as released

The list below reproduces the ranking posted by the survey group, with names and places as written on its cards. Where two mayors appear under one rank, they are shown together.

• Top 1 (92.60%): Luz Mercado (Maasin City); Sheffered Lino Tan (Municipality of Sogod)
• Top 2 (91.85%): Jocelyn L. Bungcaras (Municipality of St. Bernard)
• Top 3 (91.10%): Jonna Adan (Municipality of Liloan)
• Top 4 (90.65%): Ymard Tocmo (Municipality of Hinunangan)
• Top 5 (90.20%): Lemuel Honor (Municipality of Silago)
• Top 6 (89.70%): Oliver Rangue (Municipality of Libagon)
• Top 7 (89.15%): Melchor Petracorta (Municipality of Limasawa)
• Top 8 (88.70%): Noel Alinsub (Municipality of Bontoc); Doktora Domingo (Municipality of San Fernando)
• Top 9 (88.25%): Jerome Curtina (Municipality of Macrohon)
• Top 10 (88%): Kenneth Oben (Municipality of Malitbog); Jason Ortizo (Municipality of San Francisco)

Erratum on the St. Bernard entry

In an "Official Erratum" dated November 13, 2026, the group said its initial release had listed the late Mayor Edito Mulig of St. Bernard as Top 2, which it called an "error in attribution and encoding." It said the ranking and score (Top 2, 91.85 percent) belong to the incumbent mayor, Jocelyn L. Bungcaras. The group said the late mayor had died more than nine months before the survey period and that respondents were evaluating the current administration. It apologized to the late mayor's family and to the incumbent and said it had corrected its posts and graphics.

The group's statement

"This survey belongs to the people of Southern Leyte. When 2,000 randomly selected constituents speak, that is not opinion — that is verdict. The mayors who topped this list did not top it because they are popular. They topped it because their people trust them, feel their service, and believe they are heard. We challenge every local leader to listen to this verdict and to govern not for applause, but for the people."

The statement was attributed to the organizers. This report relays the survey group's published results; the figures have not been independently verified by this newsroom.

Graphics: TGAA / Visayas Social Pulse