‘There is hope,’ says 72%

of respondents –HNU poll

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)—Seven out of every ten Boholanos, or 72 percent disagrees with the statement that there is no hope for Bohol, a huge contrast in the 19702 and 1980s when the province experienced the worst diaspora when going out to find greener pastures was the default of working-age Boholanos.

According to the Bohol Poll 2026; an annual survey to monitor opinions of Boholanos in a wide range of economic, social and political issues, only 7 percent of Boholanos asked during the survey agreed that it would be better for them to move out of Bohol.

In the same survey which used 400 respondents as sample size, while most respondents; that is 83 percent who live in rural areas, and 73 percent who belong to economic class D, would have lesser access to the comforts of those in the urban areas, the data still showed the optimism.

With 78 percent of respondents having access to running water, in fact 93 percent of them having faucets inside their houses, 96 percent do have household toilets and 97 percent or respondents having electrical connections; 95 percent own motorcycles, 98 percent with mobile phones, life indeed could be much better.

In fact, the survey said while there are only 55 percent of Boholanos who are working, and of the 40 percent who are not working, only 18 percent are actively looking for work, that unemployment rate here is pegged at 7%.

With the survey done between March 28 to April 21, 2026, when the impact of the sudden increase in fuel costs drove transport costs and the prices vacillated, 39 percent of Boholanos say their quality of life has worsened over the past year, another 38 percent are optimistic about their life in the next 12 months.

The youth aged 18-24 registered a +42 net optimism, urban respondents had +30 net optimism, and those belonging to economic class ABS at +32 net optimism.

The survey, which is done by the Holy Name University Center for Research and Publication has a margin of error of +-5 percent. (PIABohol)

PUBLIC SERVICES SET. According to the Bohol Poll results, only 21% of Boholanos say public services is the most important problem in the locality, something that was a major obstacle in the 1970 to 1980 that after the public services are in, the next issue would be economic in nature, shares Dr. Maria Paz Espiritu of the HNU Center for Research and Publication. (PIAbohol)