MANILA — Senator Joel Villanueva emerged as one of the top-performing lawmakers, securing a strong +49.1% rating in a new nationwide poll measuring public satisfaction with senators in the 19th Congress. That places him ahead of more senior and high-profile colleagues, reflecting what analysts say is growing support for his steady work on employment programs and education reform.

Villanueva’s rise suggests that the public is taking note of his long-running efforts to align legislation with job creation and skills development — a platform he’s quietly but persistently championed since his first term

Senators Bong Go and Grace Poe garnered net satisfaction scores of +60.8% and +58.7%, securing first and second place, respectively.

Go, President Duterte’s former aide, drew his strongest numbers from Visayas and Mindanao, where his Malasakit Centers and disaster-resilience initiatives remain popular. Poe, meanwhile, dominated urban Luzon thanks to her consistent advocacy for transport modernization and consumer protection.

Senators Loren Legarda and Sherwin Gatchalian tied at fourth with +47.2%, while Senate President Chiz Escudero is in eighth place with +30.9%, affected by lower support from Visayas and Mindanao.

Among reelectionists, only Pia Cayetano (+34.1%) and Francis Tolentino (+30.8%) cracked the top ten. In contrast, once-flashy names like Ronald Dela Rosa, Bong Revilla, and Imee Marcos all sank to the bottom half, their media exposure doing little to boost public confidence.

But the poll wasn’t just about winners. Sen. Cynthia Villar earned the dubious distinction of being the most disliked senator in the country, with nearly 1 in 3 Filipinos expressing dissatisfaction — particularly in Northern and Central Luzon. Her son, Sen. Mark Villar, and actor-turned-lawmaker Robin Padilla also fared poorly, as respondents cited underperformance and controversial remarks.

The mobile-based survey was conducted May 2–3 by Comelec-accredited research firm Tangere, with 1,800 respondents and a margin of error of ±2.2%. Regional representation included 12% from NCR, 23% from Northern Luzon, 22% from Southern Luzon, 20% from Visayas, and 23% from Mindanao.

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