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2003 State of the Province Address
A CALL FOR UNITY IN DIVERSITY
By Gov. Erico B. Aumentado
(State of the Province Address [SOPA] delivered
on January 13, 2003 at Plaza Rizal, Tagbilaran City)
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
With your kind sufferance and understanding, I come to you for my second State of the
Province Address inspired by the thought that we have risen above the challenges of the
times in the Year 2002 and now prepared to chart our destiny for the years ahead of us.
Yes, we overcame the challenges together and united for a greater Bohol.
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Despite our limited resources , the provincial government of Bohol attained national
prominence in tourism, sound environmental program, technology and livelihood development,
nutrition, cooperative and civil service best practices. These are clearly illustrated in
the following eleven (11) awards the province won.
The Eleven Awards
a) The Department of Tourism & Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) Award as the
No. 1 Tourists Destination in the Philippines.
b) The TUV Germany ISO-14001 final Certificate under the Environment Management System which
was awarded to Bohol on May 2002 by DENR Sec. Heherson Alvarez. It was validated in the
sustainability audit on October 2002 by the TUV auditors.
c) The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Blue Heart Award for
effective enforcement of the laws on coastal and marine resources.
d) The National Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner on Nutrition (CROWN) Award.
e) The Most Outstanding Cooperative Program Award of Region VII.
f) The Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Award to the Province of Bohol as National Finalist for
the 2002 Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran.
g) The Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Award as 2nd Runner Up in the 2002 Gawad Pangulo sa
Kapaligiran out of 79 provinces.
h) The TLDC 2002 Trade Fair & Exhibits Best Booth and Practices Award for Three Consecutive
Years.
i) The TLDC 2002 First Runner Up in Production Category.
j) The CSC Award for Records and Personnel Management, and Human Resource Management Best
Practices for Region VII; and
k) The Visionary Leadership on Tourism Award given by the 600-member Network of Independent
Travel Agencies (NITAS).
Mega Projects
We followed up with tenacity the implementation this year of Bohol’s mega projects funded by
the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) Yen Loan Package after laying the
fundamentals thereon.
(a) The P1 billion Leyte-Bohol Interconnection Project Phase II (LBIP II) was already bidded
through international competitive bidding (ICB) by the National Power Corporation (NPC) and
won by Xian Electric Import/Export Co. Ltd. and Zhenjiang Electric Transmission &
Distribution Engineering Corp. Joint Venture. The project can generate an additional 80
megawatts to complete the 100 megawatts power generation for Bohol’s economic development by
submarine cable from the Guadalupe CTS to the Tugas CTS in President Garcia and then to the
Ubay Substation. It will be completed in about 395 days from the start of the civil work
with the Leyte Transmission Line as the major work, while in the Bohol side, the upgrading
of the Ubay, Alicia, Trinidad and Garcia Hernandez Substations will be done;
(b) The P2.380 billion Bohol Irrigation Project Stage II (BHIP II) was bidded through ICB
also by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) on December 11, 2002 and won by Hanjin
Heavy Industries & Construction It can irrigate 5,300 hectares of riceland in San Miguel,
Trinidad and Ubay. The project is estimated to be completed in five years; and
(c) The P1.074 billion Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project Phase II (BCRIP II)
will likewise be bidded through ICB by the Department of Public Works and Highways on March
2003. The project covers the improvement of Valencia to Calape under Package I and Candijay
to Valencia under Package II.
The Philippine-Japan Highways Loan (PJHL) and the Pacific Consultants International (PCI)
choose to start the civil work in Valencia and Candijay for Packages I & II, respectively,
because the Tagbilaran East Road is fast deteriorating due to heavy traffic and the
destruction caused by the strong waves from the Mindanao Sea. On the other hand, the
Tagbilaran North Road has still good concrete and asphalt sections from Tagbilaran City to
Calape.
It may interest you to know that due to several postponements of the BCRIP II bidding, we
asked for the relief of Pacific Consultants International (PCI) Project Manager Tatsuo
Yamaku and our request was given due course by PCI for we cannot tolerate unreasonable
delays in the implementation of the project.
Tourism
Our aggressive tourism promotion has paid off with the emergence of Bohol as the No. 1
tourists destination, provincial category, dislodging Palawan in the process during the 2002
Travel Mart sponsored by the Department of Tourism and the Philippine Tour Operators
Association. Earlier on, the McKensy Report, commissioned by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
categorically stated that the Cebu-Bohol link, with Cebu as the international gateway, is
the No. 1 tourists destination in the country and the evidence of our tourism leap is the
continuous influx of foreign and domestic tourists to Bohol, in addition to corporate
strategic planning sessions, national and regional conferences in the province. According to
Tourism Usec. Oscar Palabyab, Bohol beat Cebu Province by 18.1% as tourists destination.
The dynamic performance of our tourism industry has encouraged PAL to place Tagbilaran City
in its 2003 Calendar distributed worldwide at par with San Francisco (California). Melbourne
(Australia), Shanghai (China), Tokyo (Japan) and Vancouver (Canada).
The establishment of the Bohol Tourists Police Force and their visibility in our top
tourists attractions have contributed to the heavy influx of tourists in the province
because this tourist police force represents the majesty of the law that gives tourists the
sense of security. In fact, I was informed by NAPOLCOM Director Bernie Calibo, BAMMI
president, that the Bohol model of a tourists police force will be replicated by the
National Police Commission all over the country.
Thus, we can proudly say that Bohol leads and the others follow on this tourism endeavor.
Incidentally, we have secured the Presidential Proclamation No. 274 dated October 14, 2002
declaring 2,023 hectares of land in Panglao Island to constitute the proposed Panglao Island
Tourism Estate (PITE) with the Panglao Airport and the Panglao Circumferential Tourism Road
as major components. Similarly, we have secured the identification of the Loay Interior
Tourism Road to Trinidad as another tourism highway which DPWH has prioritized for funding,
as in the case of the Panglao Circumferential Tourism Road. Rep. Edgar Chatto, Rep. Roberto
Cajes, and Rep. Eladio Jala are working with us for the improvement of the two tourism
highways in Bohol.
Agriculture
Under our watch, Bohol’s agriculture has improved tremendously. Its performance went beyond
our expectation. For instance, under the previous administration, the average yield of
riceland using certified seeds was pegged at 2.8 metric tons per hectare. Under our
administration, the average yield as found by the Bohol Crop Cut Yield Survey on the same
area with the introduction of inbred rice, went up to five (5) metric tons per hectare. The
hybrid rice production in the pilot 533 hectares yielded an average of about six (6) metric
tons per hectare with a high of 11 metric tons in Duero and Carmen towns.
Our dream of obtaining a tractor pool for our corn and cassava farmers was realized when
Pres. Macapagal-Arroyo turned over to the province five (5) tractors with full supporting
implements, corn shellers and dryers costing P15 million on July 17, 2002. These tractors
are now deployed in the towns of Danao, Dagohoy, Carmen, Sierra Bullones and Trinidad which
are among the eight (8) towns piloted for hybrid corn whose yield can range from three to
four metric tons per hectare using the Marcela Farms technology.
The provincial government subsidized by 50% the hybrid rice seeds and is prepared to support
by 25% of the hybrid corn seeds.
According to the statistics of the Department of Agriculture significantly, Bohol has become
the rice granary of Central Visayas producing 66% or about 149,000 metric tons of the
region’s total palay production of about 225,000 metric tons. In corn, it produced about 10%
of the region’s total production estimated at 154,000 metric tons.
Bohol is also the region’s number one producer of root crops like camote, cassava and the
aromatic “kinampay” ubi variety. Last year, its camote and cassava production was roughly
72% and 63%, respectively, of the region’s total output.
Regarding fruit production, Bohol’s mango output of 8,690 tons last year, represented 20% of
the region’s total production. The province also produces bananas, contributing 17% of the
region’s total production.
The province likewise is the region’s major fishery producer. Last year, its total fishery
production of close to 102,500 tons represented 54% of the region’s aggregate output of
various marine and aquaculture species. The fish sanctuaries strategically located around
Bohol contributed to this high fishery production.
Our biggest advantage with regard to fisheries however is aquaculture, cornering 92% of the
region’s total output, amounting to 85,400 tons last year.
Bohol’s livestock and poultry industry is also a major contributor in the overall
agricultural progress and development of the region. Its combined output in 2002 of close to
79,000 tons was 32% of the region’s total production or roughly 244,700 tons of various
livestock and poultry products.
Finally, we secured the firm assurance of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Defense Sec.
Angelo Reyes to release 3.6 hectares of the military reservation in Dao, Tagbilaran City for
the Bohol Agricultural Promotion Center (BAPC) in order that the Philippine Government can
honor its commitment to the Japanese Government and the Japan International Cooperation
Agency to provide the lot where the BAPC facilities are presently located. With this
assurance, BAPC can now function more effectively as the major agricultural promotion
center, together with the Bohol Experimental Station (BES) and Rice Testing laboratory in
Ubay for Central Visayas.
Poverty Reduction and Job Generation
When we took over, Bohol was at No. 7 position from the bottom of provinces with highest
poverty incidence level. Late last year, the National Statistics Office and the National
Anti-Poverty Commission elevated Bohol from No. 7 to No. 16 among the Philippines 20 poorest
provinces.
The improvement of Bohol’s poverty rating is due to our complementary programs of poverty
reduction and job generation which took off with the convergence of other programs such as
KALAHI, CIDSS BIARSP, Heifer Project International, Palm Oil and others related thereto.
Our Poverty Reduction Management Office (PRMO) is now in the 40 barangays in 20
municipalities considered as NPA-influenced barangays working to improve the quality of life
of the people thereat. The Bohol Employment and Placement Office and the Bohol Technology
and Livelihood Development Center under the Bohol Investment Promotion Center have been
working on job opportunities to cut down unemployment.
The Bohol Employment and Placement Office (BEPO), for instance, deployed for employment 987
overseas domestic helpers and medical/other skills to Hongkong and the Middle East. In the
local front, it caused the employment of 60 persons in Monde Nissin Corp., Hitachi Corp. and
other establishments. Moreover, BEPO facilitated 210 applicants for National Statistics
Office (NSO) authentication, 490 applicants under the DFA Passport Mobile Service Program,
and 554 applicants for NBI clearance processing. These accomplishments of BEPO covered the
period from August to December 2002.
On the other hand, the Let’s Help Bohol Program, a joint undertaking of the Provincial
Government and the Heifer Project International, distributed 270 heads of carabaos and 319
heads of goats to 40 people’s organizations benefiting 345 families in seven municipalities
last year alone.
The tourism boom and the improvement of the provincial economic indicators plus the gains in
agriculture, among other factors, have contributed to Bohol’s elevation to the No. 16
standing among the 20 provinces with the highest poverty level.
Health
We succeeded to improve the services of our hospitals with medical equipments and supplies,
and medicines worth P18 million from the Catholic Mission Board in New York, and the
Home-Reach Foundation, Inc. headed by Dr. Teofilo Recitas and Dr. Ramiro Cadag. Similarly,
we secured from the Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, popularly known as Mormons with
headquarters in Salt Lake City, Idaho, medical equipments and supplies as well as medicines
worth P35 million. The bonanza from the Mormons Charities enhanced the capability of the
provincial government hospitals as well as the rural health units which are also
beneficiaries of the program.
We launched Operation “Tuli” where 8,258 boys were circumcised provincewide costing about
P24,774,000.00 at P3,000.00 per operation.
We also provided life-saving medicines for 45 patients with serious kidney cases costing
P45,000.00 each or a total of P1,880,000.00.
Likewise, we worked for the Gift of Life Program for 10 patients, five (5) of whom are from
Bohol, where the amount of US $1 million was spent by the Gift of Life, New York and the
Philippine Gift of Life Foundation for free open heart surgery in the United States and
Canada.
These major health programs were in cooperation with the Home Reach Foundation Inc., PNRC-Bohol
Chapter, Association of Bohol Executives for National Agencies (ABENA), and coordinated by
PNRC Administrator Fancy S, Baluyot, the governor’s consultant for Bohol hospitals and
health services, and the Gift of Life coordinator in the Philippines.
Finally, our timely intervention has solved the crisis at the Ob-Gyne Department of the Gov.
Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital with the augmentation of doctors from our district
hospitals and instituting a better referral system of maternity cases from the provincial
government hospitals and rural health units. We helped to upgrade the Tagbilaran
Puericulture Center where we constructed the center’s annex building costing P500,000.00
from our funding as Deputy Speaker, plus the P100,000.00 funding from the FCB Foundation,
and the high-tech equipments from the donations we secured from the Home-Reach Foundation,
Inc. and the Mormons Charities to accommodate more maternity patients thereby declogging
further the flow of patients to the Gallares OB-Gyne department.
Education
On education, we pursued with our congressmen the school building program by securing extra
school buildings from the Department of Education. We also worked for additional teachers,
desks and chairs for our public schools in the province.
When we took over the reins of government, we have only 147 provincial paid teachers in the
secondary schools. We increased that number to 200 last year and provided them with a much
higher wage from P150.00 to P200.00 a day. We know that the wage of P200.00 daily is very
low for teachers in the public schools and who are considered as those belonging to the
noblest profession given their role in molding the minds of the youth. Thus, we will
continue increasing their wages and elevate their status as casuals with plantilla in order
that they can benefit from incentives and bonuses.
In partnership with DTI Sec. Mar Roxas, we pushed for the deployment of 320 units of
computers and other computer peripherals to 16 public high schools in Bohol, namely:
Baclayon National High School, Badiang National High School (Baclayon), Pangangan High
School Annex (Calape), Corella National High School, Tabalong National High School (Dauis),
San Roque National High School (Mabini), Lourdes High School (Panglao), Dr. Cecilio Putong
National High School, Cangawa National High School (Buenavista), Danao National High School,
Southern Inabanga High School Annex, Tagum Sur National High School (Trinidad), Ubay Science
High School, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia High School (Bien Unido) La Union High School (Candijay)
and Lila National High School.
The computers introduced our high school students to the world of computer technologies and
information highways to prepare them for global competitiveness among future workforce for
jobs in the new economy.
Culture and Arts
For the first time, Bohol’s cultural heritage, icons, artifacts and other artworks have been
displayed and exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas drawing
thousands of viewers, including from the diplomatic corps, from November 22, 2002 until at
present. Actually, the exhibits entitled “Tubod: Bohol’s Culture and its Arts” will last
until March 2003. The historic event is made possible through the efforts of Director Ino
Manalo of the Metropolitan Museum, the provincial government and the Diocese of Tagbilaran
with the support of the Ayalas, Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction, China State
Engineering and Construction Co. and the Bohol Association in Metro Manila (BAMMI) headed by
its Pres. Bernardo Calibo and Chair Purita Soliven, and the Bohol Foreign Friendship
Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI) of Mr. Hans Schoof.
Additionally, in cooperation with Mons. Leopoldo Tumulak, bishop of the Diocese of
Tagbilaran, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), we organized the
Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage (BACH) Council to enhance the preservation of Bohol’s
culture and arts as part of the crown jewel of Bohol’s history and identity as a people.
Airport and Ports
With our completion of the Tagbilaran Airport runway extension and new terminal building, we
convinced the Philippine Airlines to resume its Manila-Tagbilaran-Manila flight. PAL started
its three-times a week direct flight from Manila to Tagbilaran and back to Manila on May 17,
2002 using a Boeing 737-300 thereby accelerating the development of tourism and business in
the province of Bohol.
In tandem with our three congressmen, we have pushed for the massive improvement and
expansion of the Ports of Tagbilaran, Tubigon, Getafe, Tapal (Ubay) and Jagna with funding
from the Philippine Ports Authority corporate funds.
I wish to stress also that City Mayor Jose Torralba has contributed so much for the
Tagbilaran Airport improvement and the upgrading of the Tagbilaran Port into the Tagbilaran
Tourist Port, the first of its kind in the Philippines.
Markets
To help Tubigon recover from the fire that gutted down its public market, we constructed two
standard public markets thereat costing P2 million. And from our allocation as Deputy
Speaker of the House of Representatives, we also funded the construction of the public
markets and/or block tiendas in Lila, Garcia-Hernandez, Jagna, Cogtong (Candijay), Talibon,
Clarin, San Miguel, San Isidro, Dagohoy, Ubay, Buenavista, Bilar, Loboc, Panglao, and
Catigbian contributing P21,600,000.00 thereon. This helped the towns generate more revenues
from their market operations.
Environment & Peace and Order
In our efforts to prosecute effectively crimes involving the destruction of our marine
resources and environment, we succeeded to secure from the Department of Justice the
deputization of some outstanding environmentalist lawyers who are committed and dedicated to
the cause of environment and ecology as well as the rule of law. In the same vein, we
enhanced the capability of our police through frequent trainings under our joint Legal
Assistance for Effective Law Enforcement (LAELEP) Program with the Integrated Bar of the
Philippines-Bohol Chapter. The Provincial Legal Office (PLO) is coordinating the program on
our behalf.
To improve the capability of the Philippine National Police to combat crimes in all forms,
we established in Camp Dagohoy the Area Coordinating Center and the Crime Laboratory Office.
We also renovated the PNP Detention Cell thereat using our intelligence fund.
To bring the government closer to the people, we led the Provincial Peace and Order Council
(PPOC) and the Association of Bohol Executives of National Agencies (ABENA) in conducting
civic actions with medical and dental teams in the towns of Mabini, Buenavista, Getafe,
Danao, Antequera, Guindulman, Catigbian and Carmen, Bohol serving some 6,230 beneficiaries.
Foods, seedlings of fruit trees and forestal trees, chickens, hogs and carabaos were also
distributed in some of the civic actions. while the heads of the various government agencies
explained their functions to the people. Road improvements were also being undertaken.
Fiscal Performance
The provincial government registered a remarkable fiscal performance for Calendar Year 2002
which ended on December 31, 2002.
According to Provincial Treasurer Nestor Balatero, the General Fund time deposit amounted to
P230,290,000.00, while the Trust Fund and SEF Fund totalled P10,311,647.94 or a grand total
of P240,601,647.94. This is the money that has not been touched, and constituting the
backbone of the provincial government’s sound financial position.
As for the cash surplus as of December 31, 2002, the provincial treasurer said that the
total unappropriated balance for Calendar Years 2001 and 2002 amounted to P111,913,624.91
which included the unspent reserved or “locked” fund of P55 million intended for the
acquisition of the soil stabilizer/recycler machine and six (6) support heavy equipments as
certified to by the Local Finance Committee headed by Atty. Juanito G. Cambangay, PPDO
chief. He said the surplus also includes the P7,502,647.27 unappropriated balance of CY
2001, the P44,084,213.01 unappropriated balance of CY 2002 and the P5,326,764.63 unexpended
continuing appropriations. All of these figures, however, are based on incomes and
expenditures ending on December 31, 2002.
The fiscal performance of the provincial government specially on realty, sand and gravel,
quarry and environment taxes earned for the provincial treasurer high marks and commendation
from the Department of Finance. This proves that the provincial government’s financial
position is very strong and competitive for it to undertake vital projects including the
essential provincial road development program.
The surplus can be attributed to the administration’s austerity measures and cost-saving
devices, including not filling up of vacancies and the imposition of the 20% ceiling for
maintenance, operating and other expenses, among others, as recommended by the Local Finance
Committee. The surplus, however, can still go up as soon as the municipal treasurers of
Bohol shall remit their realty tax collections for December 2002.
The foregoing and other accomplishments such as social welfare where the Provincial Social
Welfare Development served 14,658 distressed clients, children, youth, women, disabled,
elderlies, victims of natural and man-made disasters, rebel returnees, day care workers
enrolled with GSIS insurance, and CIVAC beneficiaries, the Provincial Engineer’s Office (PEO)
implementation of the President’s Bridge Program, the human resource development, gender and
scholarship programs, and investment promotions where the BIPC assisted and facilitated
investors and locators with investments amounting to P360,200,000.00, among others,
highlighted our achievements in the year behind us.
THE PROMISE OF 2003
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Year 2003 promises new hopes, new visions, and new directions
despite the crisis of leadership at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan which we pray to the Lord
Almighty for resolution.
Specifically, the year can witness the civil works implementation of Bohol’s mega projects.
Their impact on Bohol’s economic development would be tremendous for they open job
opportunities, utilize construction supplies and quarry materials, and enervates multiplier
economic effects. More importantly, the LBIP II provides power to drive the engines of
industry, the BHIP II for food security, and the BCRIP II for transportation of people and
their products which are essential to the economic progress of the Boholano people.
PROGRAMS AND DIRECTIONS
For Calendar Year 2003, we shall endeavor to focus on key areas of development in order to
maximize the effectiveness of our implementation thereon. Thus, we shall adopt the focused
area strategy (FAST) in the following projects dedicated to the general welfare and
well-being of the Boholano people.
Provincial Road Development Program
To begin with, the provincial government spent P50,565,121.00 for heavy equipment rentals
from 1996 to 2001. It also spent P282,620,725.70 from 1996 to 2002 for the maintenance of
about 970 kilometers of provincial roads. In spite of the foregoing huge
expenditures, the provincial roads, sadly, are not improved and in some cases, have
deteriorated for lack of equipment.
The provincial government has not acquired new ones since the time of Gov. Constancio
Torralba who obtained a loan in 1990 or 13 years ago P34 million from the DILG’s Second
Rural Road Improvement Project with our support as his vice governor. In fact, there are
only few remaining equipments in tip-topped operational conditions from the Torralba
project. Our provincial roads, therefore, are crying for improvement that can withstand
traffic and unfavorable weather conditions which the present conventional method of
maintenance cannot provide the remedy.
It is thus obvious, Ladies and Gentlemen, that we must have to attune ourselves with new
high-tech equipments that can respond to the requirement of good road maintenance and
improvement with longer cycle to provide our people and their products a good transportation
facility. For good roads stimulate production and economic development in the rural areas
where our provincial road is a strategic component of a network of farm-to-market roads and
the national highways.
Today, the opportunity presents itself to acquire this modern equipment known as Soil
Stabilizer/Recycler Machine with Single Drum Vibratory Compactor and support equipments
consisting of one (1) unit 10.75-tonner Rubber Wheeled Road Roller, one (1) unit 15,000
liters to 20,000 liters capacity Water Tank Truck with pump operation, one (1) unit
135-horse power capacity Road Grader, one (1) unit 0.8-cubic meter bucket capacity Backhoe,
one (1) unit 2.0-cubic meter bucket capacity Payloader, and one (1) unit Asphalt Kettle.
The total cost of the entire package is about P53,470,600.00 as of August 2002, I repeat,
for the entire equipment package and not just for the soil stabilizer/recycler machine only
which the oppositors and some media critics erroneously peddled around.
Incidentally, the team headed by Board Member Eufrasio Mascariñas, SP Public Works Committee
chairman, witnessed the demonstration of the soil stabilizer/recycler machine at the Manukan
Access Provincial Road in Dipolog City on April 8, 2002. The Mascariñas team reported, and I
will quote:
“The type of road stabilizer will drastically lower
the road maintenance cost, reduces extraction of materials from quarries and damaging effect
of haulage of materials. This HAMM RACO 350 is an answer to the upgrading program of our
provincial roads which is very affordable to the province.”
The report also said that the well stabilized, hardbound road base will have a maintenance
cycle of five (5) years.
The Technical Working Group (TWG) created by the Executive-Legislative Development Advisory
Council (ELDAC) and chaired by Board Member Mascariñas also, with Board Member Tomas Abapo
Jr., OIC Provincial Engr. Bles M. Racho, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator
Atty. Juanito G. Cambangay, and Provincial Motor Pool OIC Abraham Clarin recommended “to
proceed with the procurement of the heavy equipments through open and competitive bidding
and based on the guidelines setforth in the bidding documents to be prepared and adopted by
the Prequalification, Bids and Awards Committee (PBAC)” in a letter dated August 26, 2002.
Significantly, the Mascariñas TWG emphasized that “The Technical Working Group believes that
the said program is a significant step towards enhancing the road equipment capability of
the Provincial Government, which is vital in the improvement and maintenance of our
provincial roads.”
On the basis of the foregoing raciocinations, the Executive-Legislative Development Advisory
Council approved unanimously the acquisition of the aforecited equipments upon motion of
Board Member Mascariñas during the ELDAC meeting on September 16, 2002 where even the
Honorable Vice Governor, who was present during the deliberation thereon, did not object.
Moreover, there is another factor that militates in favor of the new road maintenance
technology. By acquiring the soil stabilizer and the six (6) support equipments that can
finish one-kilometer of road daily once the operator of the soil stabilizer becomes an
expert, the provincial government will own the equipments for its provincial road
development program. In contrast, the provincial government spent P50,565,121.00 for the
rental of equipments from 1996 to 2001. The amount is lower by P2,434,879.00 but after the
use of those rented equipments, the provincial roads are still in dire need for improvement
and regular maintenance work every six (6) months or as often as maybe necessary.
The funding support for the operation of the soil stabilizer and back-up equipments would
come from the provincial government’s 20% Development Fund and the General Fund for
Personnel with an initial outlay of P35 million this year, the cement contributions of
Bohol’s distinguished congressmen and some senators since the technology needs 2,000 bags of
cement per kilometer for soil compaction and stabilization. We are also working to get the
assistance from Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Social Fund and other sources in the
Executive Department of the National Government. And in the worst case scenario, we are
prepared to “unfreeze” a sizeable portion of the funds under “special trust account” as
recommended by the Provincial Legal Office, and belonging to the provincial government of
Bohol if only to sustain the provincial government’s road development and improvement
program that is envisioned for our people’s economic progress and well-being.
The funding for the acquisition of the aforecited equipments is certified already by the
Local Finance Committee in the amount of P55 million to be taken from the monetized Value
Internal Revenue Allotment, P18,238,881.37 and the Unappropriated Surplus for CY 2001,
P36,761,118.63. The Committee provided a little “hedge” for price escalation in the light of
the falling value of the peso against the US dollars.
To assure our people that the bidding process is clean and transparent, like Caesar’s wife,
it shall be above board. We shall also follow the new procurement law and even the
requirements of the international competitive bidding using the two-envelope system for
technical and financial bids wherever necessary. Additionally, I am even willing to yield
the chairmanship of the Prequalification, Bidding and Awards Committee (PBAC) to the
distinguished vice governor to assuage his unfounded fear of any corruption in the
transaction.
For after all, I stand on my unblemished records as a public servant starting as a private
secretary of then Vice Gov. Lino I. Chatto in 1964 and as an elected senior Provincial Board
Member, Vice Governor, Congressman for three terms, Deputy Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Chairman of the strong 52-member Visayas Bloc of Congressmen, and today, as
the humble Governor of the Province of Bohol, and Chairman of the Regional Development
Council and Regional Tourism Council. In all these positions, I have never been linked to
any transaction tainted with corruption.
Having addressed the issues and concerns against the soil stabilizer and the support
equipments thereto, it is time for us to move ahead on the program which is imperative for
the provincial government to pursue a more effective, efficient and economical provincial
road development program that could complement the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement
Project Phases I & II as well as the Loay Interior Road and Panglao Island Circumferential
Tourism Highways.
This road development program will likewise dovetail with the President’s Bridge Program in
the strategic provincial roads.
The Economic Drivers
We shall continue to nourish tourism and agriculture as our main economic drivers. But this
time with new focused areas of development.
In tourism, we are pushing for a more aggressive marketing and promotion.
The linchpin, however, is to inspire the owners of hotels, resorts, restaurants, tour
agencies and transportation to improve and expand their facilities in anticipation of the
arrival of more tourists in Bohol. This rosy development is due to the forthcoming 2nd Tigum
Bol-anon, Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK), the Confederation of Boholanos in United States of
America and Canada (CONBUSAC) 9th Biennial Convention, the Home-Reach Foundation, Inc. Balik-Bohol
Medical Mission and the Sandugo Festival this coming July. Besides, it is expected that
Bohol, having emerged as the No. 1 tourists destination of the country, will be a
beneficiary for the Visit Philippines 2003 Program of the Department of Tourism which is
supported by the World Tour Organization (WTO) and the International Association of Tour
Agencies (IATA).
For the purpose of this program, we have requested the Land Bank of the Philippines and
other banking institutions to open loan windows for tourism related projects.
We shall also work for more Philippine Airlines (PAL) flights from Manila to Tagbilaran as
well as charters for mass tourism from Japan, South Korea and Taipei by PAL as the
Philippine national flag carrier, or any other interested airlines direct to Cebu, or
Tagbilaran City using the Boeing 737-300 that could land in our Tagbilaran Airport.
But our consuming goal is to ensure the inclusion of the Panglao Airport that can
accommodate bigger aircrafts under the JBIC 27th Yen Loan Package as the airport will
greatly enhance tourism, trade and industry in Bohol and the Central Visayas region as well.
We shall double our efforts also to secure the Presidential Proclamation releasing Panglao
Island from the Mangroove Reserved Classification, except 385 hectares of mangrooves, and
the Presidential Proclamation releasing the flatlands of the Chocolate Hills back to
alienable and disposable lands for titling purposes. These proposed amendatory provisions
were submitted by the Regional Development Council and the provincial government of Bohol
for presidential action on July 17 ultimo to Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for which the
proposed proclamations are now pending signature by the President. For once the
proclamations are issued by the President, we can expect the faster development of tourism
in Panglao Island and the towns of Carmen, Sagbayan and Batuan where the chocolate hills
abound.
In the area of Agriculture, we shall vigorously implement the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA)
on rice, corn, high value crops, fisheries and livestocks. With the success of our
hybridization program, we shall concentrate on the production of our own Hybrid Rice seeds
through the process of AxB (foundation seeds), and AxR parental line cultivation to produce
the F1 Mestizo Seeds (first filial generation) for distribution to our rice farmers. The AxR
seed production will be concentrated in the towns of Carmen, Dagohoy, San Miguel, Ubay,
Alicia, Candijay, Pilar and Sierra Bullones.
We intend also to operationalize our Research and Development Office (RDO) now temporarily
headed by Mrs. Liza Quirog to coordinate with the various research institutions to open up
new opportunities of research collaboration. On this note, we encourage the Bohol
Agricultural Promotion Center (APC) and the Bohol Experimental Station (BES) to conduct
tissue culture for our famous “Kinampay” Ubi to reduce the cost of Ubi seedlings to the
barest minimum.
Palm Oil and Coconut Trees
We have programmed the palm oil and coconut industry development in Bohol for which we
issued two (2) Executive Orders for the purpose. The first creates a task force on palm oil
to accelerate the palm oil plantation in the denuded forest lands, Integrated Forest
Management Agreement (IFMA) areas and the abandoned pasture lands or ranches with a target
of 15,000 hectares that could employ 30,000 farmers. This executive order came about after
we convinced then DENR Sec. Heherson Alcarez to authorize plantations of palm oil trees in
those public lands to generate employment and economic activities as palm oil has been the
foundation of Malaysia’s economic growth. The Palm Oil, Inc. will soon set up its processing
plant in Carmen to begin its palm oil production. The plant can employ a workforce of about
1,000.
The second Executive Order is for the rehabilitation of the coconut industry with the
planting of more hybrid coconuts at the Central Visayas Coconut Seed Production Center in
Calanggaman, Ubay. Our target is to plant completely a total of 250 hectares of land therein
with hybrid coconuts which are good for copra production and sweet tuba (lina) for coconut
sugar production, a new by-product of coconut.
The hybrid coconut will be distributed to the coconut farmers to replenish their old coconut
trees with diminishing number of nuts.
The export of “lakatan” and “bongan” using organic fertilizer is now part of our program
beginning this year. These banana varieties command high prices, 50% higher than those using
commercial fertilizer, in the global market.
Anti Poverty Drive
The fight against poverty is relentless and needs more wherewithals and social preparation,
including people empowerment. This year, we shall have the World Bank (WB) and the
Australian Agency for International Development (AUSAID). The World Bank will provide US
$5.4 million, through Pres. Arroyo’s KALAHI-CIDSS Program, for Bohol’s poverty reduction in
the 274 barangays in 12 municipalities to be chosen. On the other hand, the AUSAID has about
US $1.9 million for the same program in the 50 barangays under five (5) municipalities
likewise to be chosen for the purpose. The Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO),
the Provincial Social Welfare Development (PSWD) and the Bohol Poverty Reduction Management
Office (BPRMO) will be in the forefront to assist in the program for the next five years.
Meantime, we shall continue with more vigor our own poverty reduction program in the
hinterlands and islands using the convergence strategy where all provincial government
offices, national line agencies, and non-government organizations (NGOs) with anti-poverty
programs, such as Heifer Project International expansion Project to 12 new beneficiary
towns, the Confederation of Boholanos in USA and Canada and the Bohol Association in Texas,
Inc. for a joint venture with the provincial government for upgrading Bohol’s livestock and
swine industry through artificial insemination, shall pool their resources together.
Livelihood and job generation are among the foundations of this drive.
Flagship Hospitals and Intervention Programs
Under the Local Government Code, the responsibility of the provincial government is more on
the curative aspect of the health services through its hospital operations. Towards this
end, the provincial government has envisioned the establishment of four (4) flagship
hospitals, namely: The Garcia Memorial Provincial Hospital, the Cong. Simeon Toribio
Memorial Hospital, the Cong. Natalio P. Castillo, Sr. Memorial Hospital and the Cong.
Teodoro Galagar District Hospital. These flagship hospitals shall be transformed into
referral hospitals from primary health care facilities. Support equipments and medicines for
the purpose shall be sourced from our network of global donors, including but not limited to
the Catholic Medical Mission Board in New York and the Mormons Charities, with the
Home-Reach Foundation, Inc. as our main conduit.
In tandem with the Home-Reach Foundation, Inc. and the Catholic Medical Mission Board of New
York, the provincial government will launch an intervention program for a provincewide
mother’s health care. The program aims to reduce the incidence of congenital birth defects
and mental deficits among newborns, in the province of Bohol, reduce maternal mortality
during childbirth, promote and maintain good health among mothers in the province.
In the same light , the provincial government in cooperation with the municipal governments
will launch the provincial sanitation program to reduce the incidence of gastro-intestinal
diseases in Bohol by providing the poor with sanitary toilets under a joint undertaking
program. A technical working group will finalize the mechanics for the implementation of the
proposed cooperative venture.
Reforms
Our administration will continue to institute reforms for good governance.
First, we intend to improve further the efficiency of our revenue collections of realty and
quarry taxes. With the scheduled revision of our realty valuation, the collection efficiency
is indispensable.
In the previous administration, the provincial government earned about P330,000.00 only for
a year from quarry tax collections despite the implementation of the Bohol Circumferential
Road Improvement Project Phase I, the Bohol Irrigation Project Stage I and several
infrastructure projects as well as diorite mining for the Cebu South Reclamation Project.
Obviously, the tax due the government thereon went into some private pockets, for in
contrast, the provincial government collected last year about P2,777,845.50 from quarry and
environment taxes notwithstanding the fact that no major public works activities requiring
massive quarry materials took place.
I assure you, Ladies and Gentlemen, that this will not happen under my watch for I will not
hesitate to act with decisiveness on matters involving dishonesty and corruption. I fired an
engineer and a capataz where indubitable evidence of guilt was well established in the
investigation conducted by the Provincial Legal Office (PLO) last year.
Second, we shall work on innovations in the budgeting process in order to free the 20%
Development Fund exclusively for developmental
projects and thrusts in the executive budget preparation for the Year 2004 which will begin
by mid-year.
Third, We may trim down the bureaucracy to ensure the benefits due our qualified personnel,
and the insurance incentives for our
barangay tanods, barangay health workers, day care workers and barangay livestock aides
whose services are essential in the countryside.
Continuing Programs
The aforecited focused programs will not detract us from pursuing our basic continuing
programs in education, culture and arts, social welfare, PPDO’s projects packaging, sound
environmental management, law enforcement where we shall establish a provincewide PNP
computerization program, investment promotion with emphasis in small and medium industries
as well as livelihood undertakings.
A Signal Against Environment Violators
In response to the Bohol Chronicle Special Report yesterday entitled “The Rape of Maribojoc
Creek”, I ordered Task Force Kalikasan head, Col. Nanieto Arellano, to verify personally the
allegations therein. His findings confirmed the report.
To show our firm resolved that violators of our environment must not go unpunished, I order
this very moment the cancellation of the permit of one Trinidad Recemilla. The cancellation,
together with the Cease and Desist Order, shall be delivered personally by Col. Arellano to
Recemilla immediately after this affair.
In addition, I enjoin the Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) headed by Atty.
Donnie Piquero to prosecute those responsible for the alleged falsification of certain
documents committed in connection with the issuance of the permit. I commit the full support
of the Governor’s Office in that prosecution.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES FOR ACTION
The realization of our vision for the Year 2003 needs legislative action. Thus, today, I
humbly urge the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to act on the following legislations:
1. The appropriation ordinance for the Year 2003 Provincial Budget.
2. The approval of the appropriation measure for the acquisition of the soil
stabilizer/recycler machine and the six (6) support heavy equipments as recommended by the
Executive-Legislative Development Advisory Committee Technical Working Group headed by Board
Member Eufrasio Mascariñas for our road development program.
3. The long overdue resolution constituting the Provincial Selection Boards (PSB) in order
that we can proceed with the screening of applicants to important positions in our
provincial government hospitals, Bohol Detention and Rehabilitation Center (BDRC),
Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWD), Provincial Assessor’s Office and
Provincial Engineer’s Office, among others; among others; and
4. The legislations institutionalizing the Bohol Employment and Placement Office (BEPO) and
the Bohol Poverty Reduction
Management Office (BPRMO) as regular offices in the light of their strategic importance in
poverty reduction.
AN APPEAL
We view with deep concern the present internal fight that leads to the crisis of leadership
at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. But from the angle of positivism, we consider the
unprecedented power struggle therein as part of the democratic process wherein the majority
rules. There is a penumbra or gray line, however, establishing that majority that until now
has not been resolved by the contending parties or by higher authorities.
We will try to work on a compromise with the contending parties during the
Executive-Legislative Development Advisory Council (ELDAC) executive session at 10:00 A.M.
tomorrow. The date is chosen by the honorable vice governor. And if we fail, I will exercise
the powers vested in me by the Local Government Code to break the legislative impasse on the
Provincial Budget and other urgent legislations for which the Executive Order is now being
drawn for the purpose.
Thus, today I appeal for a moratorium of that struggle in order that the legislative
gridlock can be untangled. We need to reach a compromise, even a temporary one, and set
aside the discordant notes that would prejudice the general welfare of our people.
We know that all of us in the elective positions of government ran for public office with a
commitment to serve our people in accordance with our Oath of Office.
In this light, let our patriotism and love of country reign over us and consecrate ourselves
to build the edifice of a greater and stronger Bohol forgetting politics in the process. We
know that we can rise above partisanship in the pursuit of that ennobling goal.
Let us therefore work together once again under the mantra of unity in diversity for the
greater glory of our beloved Bohol and the Boholano people as well, and contribute to build
a strong and solid Republic as envisioned by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who even
sacrificed her political career for the common good. And in this light, let us lift our
hearts to the Lord and to the altar of public service unbridled by political considerations
with the battle cry, ABANTE BOHOL SA KAUSWAGAN!
Mabuhi ang Bohol!
I thank you.
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