MEDIA people, private and public officials, and academicians gathered in the Barder Gymnasium for the results of the Bohol Poll conducted by the Holy Name University (HNU) on April 8, 2022.
HNU President Fr. Ruel Lerio gave the opening remarks as the project team headed by Dr. Maria Paz Espiritu prepared the presentation of results.
“The Bohol Poll is Holy Name University’s commitment to the Boholano community since 1996. Ours is the commitment to give the Boholanos, regardless of status, a voice in governance. It is an exercise of democracy which brings the opinions of the Boholanos on various economic, social, and political issues to the appropriate institutions as significant inputs to aid plans, policies and decisions,” Fr. Lerio emphasized.
The Bohol Poll is an annual survey spearheaded by the HNU’s Center for Research and Publications. For the past two years the survey was halted due to the pandemic. But this year, the group made an ambitious attempt, according to Dr. Jaremiletta Arawiran, the lead statistician.
The Bohol Poll 2022 covered the period February 28 to March 21, 2022 with a total sample size of 400 respondents for the entire province.
This year’s satisfaction ratings of elected public officials reflected the Boholanos sentiment over the public service rendered, specifically during the pandemic and Typhoon Odette.
City Mayor John Geesnell “BABA” Yap got +91 excellent rating which means that nine out of ten were satisfied with his performance. Mayor Yap got the highest rating among all the elected officials in Bohol. Also, the Tagbilaran City Government was also rated very good in Investment Promotions which garnered +65 this year, Livelihood and Employment generation was +61, Environmental Protection was +62, Traffic Management improved greatly with +58, and Ensuring adequacy of drinking water also gained a high approval rating with +87.
The City Mayor’s Office was also cited as one of the best government offices in the entire province.
Yap, a staunch believer of transparency and accountability in governance, has steadily gained momentum in his term upon his implementation of relevant initiatives which directly enhanced the life of the Tagbilaranons. Prominent of which were the rationalized road repair and concreting, streamlined operations in the City Treasurer, City Assessor and City Economic Enterprises offices which resulted to a dramatic increase in revenues. This paved the way to an increased allocation in the Special Education Fund, greatly benefitting Tagbilaran City’s public schools.
Mayor Yap is grateful to the unwavering commitment and support of the Tagbilaranons. Bohol Poll is an annual monitoring activity on the sentiments of the Boholanos on social, economic and political issues of local and national concerns. (Jeanette Busano)
