Trust Rebuilt: How the House Earned the Nation's Confidence

AS THE 20th Congress opens on July 28, the House of Representatives begins a new legislative term with renewed public trust, institutional momentum, and a clear record of performance.

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The 19th Congress, under the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, marked a period of steady institutional rebuilding—characterized by legislative discipline, national alignment, and rising public confidence.

In the final months of the 19th Congress, survey results reflected a significant and sustained improvement in how the public viewed the House. According to Social Weather Stations (SWS), trust in the institution rose sharply—from 34 percent in April 2025 to 49 percent in May, and peaking at 57 percent in June. This rise coincided with an equally notable increase in the personal trust and approval ratings of Speaker Romualdez himself, who consistently placed among the top-performing national officials in independent surveys during the same period.

The parallel trend between institutional trust and leadership approval was not coincidental. It reflected a dynamic where the public saw in the Speaker a stabilizing force and in the House an institution capable of focused, responsive governance.