Survey: 66% of Boholanos still poor

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines – About 66 percent of Boholanos are still suffering from poverty this year or consider themselves poor, according to the Bohol Poll 2013 results conducted by Holy Name University (HNU) Research Center.

Sixty-two percent of them however said there’s still hope for Bohol as against 7 percent who disagreed and 24 percent undecided, said the survey.

The highest number of the poor was in the 2nd district (comprising the towns of Bien Unido, Buenavista, Clarin, Dagohoy, Danao, Getafe, Inabanga, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Sagbayan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Talibon, Trinidad and Ubay), which posted 73 percent or seven out of ten people. Only four percent here said they were not poor and 30 percent said they were “on the line.”

In the 1st district (Tagbilaran City, and the towns of Alburquerque, Antequera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Calape, Catigbian, Corella, Cortes, Dauis, Loon, Maribojoc, Panglao, Sikatuna and Tubigon), only 55 percent said they were poor and 5 percent said they were not.

In the 3rd district (Alicia, Anda, Batuan, Bilar, Candijay, Carmen, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Guindulman, Jagna, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Mabini, Pilar, Sevilla, Sierra Bullones and Valencia towns), 70 percent deemed themselves poor with only 3 percent not poor.

Self-rated poverty this year is the highest in five-year comparison, said the survey, adding that the lowest occurred in 2010 with 57 percent. Back in 2009, the rate was 60 percent, in 2011 was 62 percent while last year, it was 65 percent.

The 2013 survey revealed that about 52 percent were employed, 42 percent were not, and 5 percent were “unpaid family workers.”

Twenty seven percent of the population were still into farming as their main sources of work or livelihood, followed by 13 percent who were into private enterprises or employment, while the remaining 11 percent were into various works in transport, domestic help, cottage industry, education and sales, among others.

On satisfaction level of the work, at least five of every 10 people, or 55 percent, said they were satisfied while a sizeable 36 percent said they were not and only 9 percent undecided, resulting in a +19 net satisfaction rating, the survey said.

Dissatisfaction of their work has been due to inadequate income (80 percent), no job security (15 percent), no other sources of income (5 percent), and full of liabilities (0.3 percent).  (FREEMAN)