Published in the Bohol Chronicle
Written by Jes Tirol
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Proem
Last April 12, 2007 I attended the public presentation of HNU's Bohol Poll results held at the Lessage Hall at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. It is claimed that their sampling procedures gives them an error of 5% at 95% confidence level.
The HNU result says that 98% of Boholanos have ownership or owner-like characteristic of the houses they live in. Our result at the University of Bohol Research Center has the value of 97%. However, the HNU gives only the survey results and do not delve into the probable reasons why these results came about. In the University of Bohol, we have been trying to investigate the reason why.
Poverty In Bohol
The HNU result says that 55% of Boholano household heads say that they are poor and only 2% say that they are not poor.
If 98% of the Boholanos own the house they are living in and 95% of these houses have toilet facilities, why do majority of Boholanos consider themselves to be poor?
The most probable answer will be the religious culture in Bohol. Everybody is indoctrinated to desire to go to heaven when they die.
In the Holy Bible book of Matthew Chapter 19, verse 23, it says, "Verily I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven." In verse 24, it continues, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle that for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
In m opinion the above Biblical verses are the reasons why only 2% of Boholanos will say that they are rich. Even this 2% are considered quirks of the survey because it is within the margin of error of 5%. Even our politicians, who can spend millions of pesos during elections, will say in their speeches that they are poor.
Since practically no Boholano will say that he is rich, we will need another approach to determine the actual poverty incidence in Bohol.
Above Poverty Income
Majority of the Boholanos, poor and rich alike, say that a household income of P5,000 will make them surpass poverty. The problem is, since year 2000 until the present, this amount of P5,000 has always been cited as the magic number.
If you had P5,000 in year 2000 and with the inflation rate of 6% per year you will need P7,518.15 now in order to have the same purchasing power of your money. In other words, our money has declined in value by P2,518.15 or 50.36% in the last seven years. The question is, why do most Boholanos think that P5,000 is the magic number?
Contentment is the Measure
In the Boholano cultural value, contentment in life is the objective. Since Boholanos are afraid to be called rich, or else they could not go to heaven, they opted for contentment in life as the goal. Even if Boholanos are Christians, their precept is nearer to the Buddhistic teaching of Golden Mean, that is - be on the average.
Coping Mechanism
If you will analyze the Bohol Poll Survey results, you will find how Boholanos cope with life with the desired income of P5,000 in the last seven years.
Some 14% are unemployed in Bohol. However, only 5% say that unemployment is a problem. So even among the unemployed about 9% do not view his situation as a problem. You can just imagine the contentment factor in a Bohol.
The highest incidence in unemployment at 34% is within the age level 18-24 years. This ought to be higher, even up to 100% because this age level should still be studying in college. This is an indication that the Boholanos cope with the situation by letting their children stop studying and engage in some type of income generation.
Only 12% consider the high cost and scarcity of food as a problem. It means that 88% of Boholanos have no problem with food. This is understandable because in Bohol there are two perennial sources of food. They are both "plant and forget, come back and get." The two plants are the coconut and the banana. Once these plants are grown, you can forget them and just come back to harvest and harvest and harvest. There are many vegetable plants and trees in Bohol. The rivers and seas supplies the protein needs of the Boholanos.
Easy Life
It is really very easy to live a contented life in Bohol. Food is not a problem. Education is not a problem. Entertainment is not a problem. The government is helpful and concerned.
In my analysis, the reason why the Boholanos did not increase the P5,000 desired income level for the last seven (7) years is that the government has subsidized the other needs. This will explain where the millions of pesos obtained by politicians went into. It subsidized the intangible needs of the Boholanos.
The real problem occurs when a Boholano gets sick. The P5,000 monthly income is not enough to seek treatment in a hospital. The coping mechanism of Boholanos is to ask for help from friends and relatives. Sometimes the medical missions can help but they are not available when the need occurs. So far, it is only the City of Tagbilaran that is trying to address this problem.
If and when free hospitalization will occur like that of free high school education, then Boholanos will be living in total contentment.
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