Bohol can be showcase 

to the world– Nograles 

TAGBILARAN CITY, July 22 (PIA)—“Bohol can really be a showcase to the world.” 

Davao City’s First District Congressman Karlo Alexei Nograles announced this speaking during the public opening of the inaugural exhibits at the National Museum Field Office in Bohol. 

Nograles, who was guest speaker during the 164th Bohol Day which celebrated its separation from Cebu as independent province along with Siquijor, over a century and a half years ago, said if done properly, Bohol has so much potential. 

The young Nograles, who believes that if the development of a country starts in the provinces, it would spread out, pointed out that Bohol is already leading the way. 

“Una na lang mo, mosunod ra mi,” (you can go ahead, we will just follow suit) the Davao representative said. 

In the last 2 decades, Bohol has trail-blazed its own way to progress, leaping from among the poorest provinces in the country to those among the economic leaders in present times. 

When Governor Edgar Chatto assumed the top seat in Bohol, he pushed for the adoption of the over-arching development framework in the InSPIRED HEAT IT Bohol, which means Infrastructure, Social Well-being and Shelter, Peace and Order, Interconnectivity, Reforms in governance, Interconnectivity, Equitable Economic growth and Environmental Sustainability, Disaster resilience and Climate Change Adaptation (InSPIRED). 

Also in the framework is Health and sanitation, Education and skills development, Agriculture and food security, Tourism and livelihood and Information Technology (HEAT-IT). 

In the spirit of convergence, Bohol local government and national government agencies pick their development priorities in line with the framework and strategically address the development needs of the communities bringing the development to Bohol in general while responding to each agency’s mandates. 

“Tan-awa ang Bohol karon, tungod sa inyong paghiusa, pagtinabangay ug pag-ampo,” (Look at Bohol now, because of your unity, cooperation and prayers…) Nograles, who also shared about the Bohol Day homily on the religiosity of the people, pointed out. 

As Davao City Congressman and House Committee on Appropriations Chair, Nograles heaped praises for Bohol as the people responded with exploding applause during the 164th Bohol Day Commemorative Program inside the capacity filled Bohol Cultural Center. 

Detailing his commitment to Bohol, he said he is putting his support to the big ticket budget items as the P124 billion Cebu-Bohol link, the P96 billion Bohol-Leyte link and the P4.1 billion Bohol Northeast Basin Multi-Purpose Dam and the P1.9 B additional works for Panglao airport. 

Other major Nograles commitments for Bohol include priority budgets for roads leading to tourism sites, the pilot implementation of free wireless fidelity in public spaces as well as facilitation in the local government proposed establishment of the Information Communication Technology hub the abandoned airport complex in Tagbilaran. 

The initial works however need to be arranged yet by the local authorities from the land-owners. 

The Davao Congressman also committed to the expanded feeding program for a minimum of 120 days for health, and the social pension for over 60 years old indigent senior citizens for social well bring. 

When the government only funds the social pension of 75 years old then, now, Congress is bringing the age of beneficiaries to include 60 year-olds. 

On peace and order, he announced that while police and military are getting their pay increases, even with the salary standardization at the thresholds, still the move to continue with the pay increase of government employees continues. 

He also added that in Bohol, would be piloted the national identification system for 18 years old and above as the country pushes of more equitable economic growth and development. On disaster response, Bohol’s experience inspired us, Nograles said. 

After Bohol experience, the government has put up P750 million emergency and resiliency fund, this can be used to fix power infrastructure without pass-on rates to consumers during post-disaster restoration. 

In health, poor Filipino families including over 20% of Bohol’s poor get 100% PhilHeath coverage in 2019, while the government implements no tuition fees and no miscellaneous fees in state colleges continues, Nograles said free irrigation which started in 2017 would continue to help poor farmers increase their take home incomes. 

For Bohol’s ICT, he said that the government would prioritize the offer of a free wireless fidelity (WIFI) in all public areas and spaces in Bohol. 

Nograles was guest of honor for the celebrated milestone, came in like a real Boholano, when he endeared himself to the hundreds inside the venue with his mentioning the “Republic of Bohol” joke. 

The young son of then House Speaker Prospero Nograles, Karlo would know of the Boholano leadership traits, as he confessed that he has Boholanos as political campaign leaders who could not be dissuaded from homing every election season because it is fiesta in Bohol. 

Although treated by many as a joke, history would also tell that the Gobierno de Canto de Bohol before the 1898 turn of administration from the Spaniards to the Americans, had in fact, Bohol independently surviving as attested by the Aguinaldo cognizance of the local independently-ruled island. 

The leadership, Nograles however did not question. 

Nograles reminded everyone that Bohol is now leading the pack of local government units when it earned back to back the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), a highly prestigious award for the country’s LGUs. 

He cited that in the country’s budgets for its priorities, Bohol accordingly tops in the increased allocation for health, which he attributed to the leaders’ and the constituents’ identification of such as a top matter of concern. 

And for this, as a key official tasked in putting in place funding support for the country’s development programs, Nograles assured automatic approval of whatever Bohol local officials put in the 2019 budget, as the Congress tackles the 2019 Budget in a hearing anytime soon. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

Davao Representative Karlo Alexei Nograles feels Bohol has it all to take the lead for the entire country to emulate. Rep Nograles added: the museum and galleries that opened in Bohol are just some of the things that are common in European countries, not much in the Philippines. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)