Senator Bam Aquino has emerged as the most favorably viewed senator in the Philippines, according to a recent end-of-year poll. The survey, conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia, placed Aquino at the top with a net favorability rating of 54 percent.
Survey Results and Political Standing
Following Aquino in the rankings were former Senator Kiko Pangilinan, who secured a 47 percent rating, and Senator Risa Hontiveros with 46 percent. This strong public approval comes after Aquino's successful return to the Senate, where he garnered an impressive 20.8 million votes in the last election. Analysts link his high rating to a clear legislative agenda centered on improving education and promoting transparency in government operations.
Driving Education Reforms and Infrastructure
As the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Aquino has been vocal about critical issues facing the sector. He recently criticized the government's slow progress in addressing the classroom shortage, highlighting that only 22 new classrooms were built this year. This minimal output starkly contrasts with the massive national backlog, which stands at approximately 145,000 classroom units.
To tackle this persistent problem, Aquino is championing a key legislative measure. He is pushing for the passage of the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act, which is listed as a priority by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC). The proposed law aims to decentralize the construction process, allowing local government units to take a more active role and potentially speed up project completion.
Advancing Transparency Through Technology
Beyond infrastructure, Aquino is also focusing on modernizing how the government conducts its business. He has been a principal advocate for the Cadena Act. This proposed legislation seeks to establish a blockchain-based platform designed for the real-time tracking of government contracts. The goal is to create an immutable and publicly accessible record to deter corruption and enhance accountability in public procurement.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Looking forward to the coming year, Senator Aquino has outlined further priorities for the education sector. His agenda includes pushing for legislation to secure higher salaries for public school teachers and working to expand access to digital learning tools and resources across the country. These initiatives aim to address both the welfare of educators and the modernization of the learning environment for Filipino students.
