THE UNIVERSITY of Mindanao-Institute of Popular Opinion (UM-IPO) conducted a multisector survey from April 15, 2026 to May 13, 2026 gathering the opinions of 1,200 Davaoeños across three districts on whether the Philippines should shift to full-online classes in response to the country’s ongoing economic crisis driven by the effects of the Middle East tensions, persistent high commodity prices, and a weakening peso against the US dollar which leads to the increase in transportation and daily living costs.
Since the survey was conducted online via sponsored ads on Meta Platforms (Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram), IPO relied heavily on online, pre-defined, targeted social media users who met the inclusion criteria and were targeted for contact within the defined geographical radius.
Respondents were defined as currently employed teachers across educational levels, with valid/active email addresses, and residents of Davao City.
The survey was done at a 95% confidence level and a +/- 2.83% margin of error. This survey examines teacher sentiment toward reduced workdays, preferred scheduling arrangements, and the reasons underlying their positions.
Among the 648 student respondents, 65.3% (423 students) expressed support for the shift to full online classes, while 34.7% (225 students) were opposed.
Table 1. (STUDENTS) Are you in favor of reducing school workdays per week due to the ongoing economic crisis in the country? (n=648)
| Are you in favor? | f | % |
| Yes | 423 | 65.3 |
| No | 225 | 34.7 |
When asked why they support conducting full online classes, students said it can help them save on transport and school fees (413, 97.6%). 57.3% (161 respondents) said they can study safely at home.
Also, 44.4% (188 respondents) said they can access digital resources like recorded lessons. Meanwhile, 184 respondents (43.5%) said they can engage in self-paced learning, and only 61 students (14.5%) said it can reduce incidents of peer pressure and bullying.
Table 1.1. Reason for saying YES (n=423)
| Reason for Saying YES | f | % | Rank |
| Can save on transport and school fees | 413 | 97.6 | 1 |
| Can study from home safely | 161 | 57.3 | 2 |
| Can access digital resources like recorded lessons | 188 | 44.4 | 3 |
| Can have self-paced learning | 184 | 43.5 | 4 |
| Reduced peer pressure and bullying | 61 | 14.5 | 5 |
*Multiple selections allowed
Students who opposed online classes reported that it can only lead to low motivation at home (198, 87.9%), followed by a possible loss of hands-on learning (181, 80.3%) and screen fatigue and eye strain (160, 71.2%).
Also, 147 students (65.2%) said that they may have missed social development and extracurricular activities (113, 50.0%). 140 students (62.1%) said that it only allows a digital divide to be a barrier,
Table 1.2.Reason for saying N0 (n=225)
| Reason for Saying NO | f | % | Rank |
| Low motivation at home | 198 | 87.9 | 1 |
| Loss of hands-on learning | 181 | 80.3 | 2 |
| Screen fatigue and eye strain | 160 | 71.2 | 3 |
| Missed social development | 147 | 65.2 | 4 |
| Digital divide is a barrier. | 140 | 62.1 | 5 |
| Missed extracurricular activities | 113 | 50.0 | 6 |
*Multiple selections allowed
On the other hand, 135 parents participated in the survey. Among them, 62.5% (84 parents) supported full online classes, while 37.5% (51 parents) opposed them.
Table 2. (PARENTS) Are you in favor of reducing the number of school workdays per week due to the ongoing economic crisis in the country? (n=135)
| Are you in favor? | f | % |
| Yes | 84 | 62.5 |
| No | 51 | 37.5 |
When asked why they favor full online classes, every parent cited savings on daily commutes and meals as their top reason (84, 100%). Reduced exposure to illness, peace of mind from having children at home, and greater awareness of the child’s academic progress each received 20.0% support.
Table 2.1. Reason for saying YES (n=84)
| Reason for Saying YES | f | % | Rank |
| Savings on daily commute and meals | 84 | 100.0 | 1 |
| Reduced exposure to illness | 17 | 20.0 | 2 |
| Peace of mind – child stays home | 17 | 20.0 | 2 |
| Awareness of the child’s progress | 17 | 20.0 | 2 |
| More family bonding time | 0 | 0.00 | – |
*Multiple selections allowed
Among those who opposed, all (51, 100%) cited children’s social skills as their primary reason. Also, 17 parents (33.3%) said that the conduct of a full online class may cause higher electricity and internet bills.
Table 2.2. Reason for saying No (n=51)
| Reason for Saying NO | f | % | Rank |
| Children’s social skills decline | 51 | 100.0 | 1 |
| Higher electricity and internet bill | 17 | 33.3 | 2 |
| Need to play the “co-teacher” role | 0 | 0.00 | – |
| Stress of work-from-home overlap | 0 | 0.00 | – |
| Screen time management difficulty | 0 | 0.00 | – |
*Multiple selections allowed
In the survey, only five (5) were classified as part of the business sector, all of whom favored the conduct of the full online class.
Table 3. (BUSINESSMAN) Are you in favor of reducing school workdays per week due to the ongoing economic crisis in the country? (n=5)
| Are you in favor? | f | % |
| Yes | 5 | 100.0 |
| No | 0 | 0.00 |
Further, all of them cited that the conduct of the full-online class may reduce fuel demand, equating to cost savings, help learners become a digitally ready workforce in the future, and result in less absenteeism among employees.
Table 3.1. Reason for saying YES (n=5)
| Reason for Saying YES | f | % | Rank |
| Reduced fuel demand = cost savings | 5 | 100.0 | 1 |
| Digital-ready future workforce | 5 | 100.0 | 1 |
| Less absenteeism among employees | 5 | 100.0 | 1 |
| EdTech market opportunity grows | 0 | 0.00 | – |
*Multiple selections allowed
Lastly, 412 respondents (34.33%) were classified as employees. 60.0% (247 of them) were in favor of conducting the full online class, while 165 (40.00%) were opposed.
Table 4. (EMPLOYEES) Are you in favor of reducing school workdays per week due to the ongoing economic crisis in the country? (n=412)
| Are you in favor? | F | % |
| Yes | 247 | 60.0 |
| No | 165 | 40.0 |
All 247 supporting employees (100.0%) cited savings on fuel and daily expenses as their top concern. Less errand trips during school hours (198, 80.0%) was the second most common concern, while reduced absenteeism from school runs (148, 60.0%) was the third most common reason.
Ninety nine (40.0%) employees said they may have more time with their family in the evenings, while 82 (33.3%) said they may have more time to see their children during work.
Table 4.1. Reason for saying YES (n=247)
| Reason for Saying YES | F | % | Rank |
| Save on fuel and daily expenses | 247 | 100.0 | 1 |
| Fewer errand trips during school hours | 198 | 80.0 | 2 |
| Reduced absenteeism from school runs | 148 | 60.0 | 3 |
| More family time in the evenings | 99 | 40.0 | 4 |
| Children within sight during work | 82 | 33.3 | 5 |
*Multiple selections allowed
On the other hand, among the 165 employees who opposed, 149 (90.0%) of them cited increased electricity and internet bills as their top concern. 50% (124 employees) also said that this may blur work-life boundaries, and 40% (99 employees) said that this may expose them to noise, which disrupts remote work calls. 25% of the employees expressed interest in the possibility of serving in a dual role as worker-parent tutor.
Table 4.2. Reason for saying NO (n=165)
| Reason for Saying NO | f | % | Rank |
| Increased electricity and internet bills | 149 | 90.0 | 1 |
| The work-life boundary gets blurred | 124 | 50.0 | 2 |
| Noise disrupts remote work calls | 99 | 40.0 | 3 |
| Dual role of worker + parent tutor | 25 | 10.0 | 4 |
*Multiple selections allowed
Generally, when asked about their satisfaction with the government’s response to addressing challenges in the education sector, 69.6% (835 respondents) are not satisfied, while 30.4% (365 respondents) are satisfied.
Table 5. General Satisfaction Towards the Government’s Response to the Challenges Faced by the Education Sector Due to the Ongoing Economic Crisis
| SATISFACTION | f | % |
| Yes | 365 | 30.4 |
| No | 835 | 69.6 |
Note: The University of Mindanao funded this survey through the Institute of Popular Opinion.
