DEPUTY Speaker Janette Garin on Monday said the 64% satisfaction rating given by Filipinos to their own district representatives in the latest Tugon ng Masa (TNM) survey reflects the service lawmakers continue to deliver in their respective communities.
Garin said the result could be linked to the fact that many members of Congress continue to work in their districts while using technology to stay in touch with constituents even when they are in Manila for congressional duties.
“It’s probably because karamihan ng ating mga kongresista ay nagtatrabaho naman sa kanya-kanyang distrito,” Garin said in a press briefing.
She also pointed to the wider use of technology, which allows lawmakers to communicate with constituents through Zoom, video calls and other online platforms even while attending plenary sessions and committee hearings.
According to Garin, this has helped show that the House remains a “House of the People,” where lawmakers can continue to hear directly from those they represent.
The OCTA Research survey, conducted from July 4 to 11, 2026, found that 64% of Filipino adults agreed that their current congressman or congresswoman is doing a good job representing their district in the House. Twenty-seven percent disagreed, while 9% said they did not know or could not say.
Garin also believes that the public may have taken pride in seeing lawmakers actively perform their duties, including during the impeachment proceedings that were ongoing when the survey was conducted.
Asked if the performance of the House prosecution team during the impeachment trial could have influenced the survey result, Garin said: “Highly possible.”
She explained that when a representative stands up and speaks for the concerns of constituents, people in the district can see it as a source of pride.
“Kapag ang kongresista or representative, kaya nga ang tawag voice of your constituents, kapag tumatayo ka, naririnig nila ang boses at tama yung iyong ipinaglalaban, nagiging pride siya ng iyong mga kababayan,” Garin said.
She added that seeing lawmakers at work, regardless of political affiliation, could strengthen this sense of connection between representatives and their constituents.
“Seeing working members of Congress, regardless of political affiliation, coming out in the open, nagtatrabaho, ipinapakita yung ginagawa sang-ayon sa Constitution at sa batas, it’s a sense of pride na napupunta sa kanilang mga constituents,” she said.
The survey showed that the 64% satisfaction rating was not limited to one part of the country or one particular group of Filipinos.
Satisfaction was highest in the Negros Island Region at 82%, followed by BARMM at 75% and Region I at 71%. Even the regions with the lowest ratings recorded majority satisfaction, with Region XIII at 55%, Region IV-A at 57%, and Region IX at 58%.
The four major areas of the country also posted majority satisfaction: 68% in the Visayas, 65% in Mindanao, 63% in Balance Luzon, and 60% in Metro Manila.
The positive assessment was also broadly shared across demographic groups. Satisfaction stood at 65% among rural residents and 63% among urban residents, while both men and women registered 64%.
Among age groups, the highest satisfaction was recorded among those aged 65 to 74 at 72%, while all age groups posted ratings of at least 60%.
For Garin, these figures point to the importance of representatives remaining visible and accessible to the people they serve.
She acknowledged that Congress, like any institution, is not perfect, but stressed that lawmakers continue to perform their constitutional duties and that the institution remains open to criticism and reforms.
“Congress is very open, Congress is accepting all criticisms on all sides,” Garin said, adding that reforms that are good for the country are welcomed.
For Garin the strong rating for individual representatives underscores the value of lawmakers staying close to their constituents and making sure their voices are heard in Congress.
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