Bohol News, Hotels, Travel and Real Estate Property

The cash donations from kindhearted Boholanos intended for the typhoon victims in Iloilo City will be sent tomorrow to the Archdiocese of Jaro under Archbishop Angel Lagdameo. Rev. Fr. Efren Bonggay, head of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Tagbilaran said  P277,097.35 will be transfered to the Social Action Center of the Archdiocese of Iloilo under Msgr. Meliton Aso. The amount generated came from donations received through station dyRD amounting to  P200,567.35 while the cash donations  received through the various parishes totaled to P76,500. The fund drive was launched through "Tabang Iloilo" project of station dyRD, a member of the Catholic Media Network (CMN) and the Diocese of Tagbilaran. Earlier, two truckloads of donated used clothigns and canned goods were shipped to the  Iloilo City based archdiocese through the courtesy of Cokaliong Shipping Lines. Bishop Leonardo Medroso of the Diocese of Tagbilaran and GM Peter Dejaresco of dyRD...

Coastal law enforcement patrols in District 1 are tugging heavy operational cost problems, making efforts to drive illegal fishers off the municipal waters – sluggish.    This was the general statement of a key environment management officer at the Capitol who wished more coastal law enforcement performance, when pressed to assess illegal fishing campaign in Bohol seas.   Capitol's Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) head, during a radio interview early this week publicly wished the district's Coastal Law Enforcement Council (CLEC1) could step up its campaign like their counterparts in other districts.    Villaber explained that CLEC 1 has three clusters, one based in Panggangan Island of Calape town, with the seas of Tubigon to Loon as its area of responsibility. The two others are in Cortes and whose area of enforcement includes Maribojoc Bay and the third cluster is based in Baclayon, which patrols the seas off Panglao island until Alburquerque . ...

Yesterday's Catholic Church-led prayer rally has drawn some 15,000 to 20,000 people expressing opposition to the controversial reproductive health bill that is pending in Congress. The rally kicked off with a march along main streets coming from five different points in the city. Religious leaders of the Catholic Church, students, school administrators, government officials and mandated church organizations were all well represented in the huge rally that converged at the St. Joseph's Cathedral. Meanwhile, Bohol congressmen Edgar Chatto, Roberto Cajes and Adam Relson Jala all maintained their opposition to the current version of the reproductive health bill authored by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman. In text messages to the Chronicle yesterday, Chatto, Cajes and Jala said they are all pro life and has been consistent with their position since the 13th Congress that they are against the measure seeking to control population growth.           ...

Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera yesterday said Boholanos should focus on their basic needs instead of getting preoccupied with politics. "There are more urgent concerns that demand our attention than spending so much time on political developments," he added. The vice-governor said people can look for ways to maximize their livelihood potentials according to their own resources. He said they can plant cash crops on idle lands in their backyard or raise animals to tide them over. "I am not saying that government has no responsibility over its citizens," the vice governor stressed. Herrera said that what he means is for people to do something positive instead of doing nothing. "There is a time for politics and a time for work. Our people should know the difference," he added. Herrera said that if the people feel their elective officials have failed them, this should be a lesson for them to choose carefully the next time. "It is not rig...

"Go back to the basics: plant vegetables in your backyards."   Inabanga Mayor Jose Jono Jumamoy made this appeal to his constituents during the culmination of the celebration of July as Nutrition Month after noting that people from the barangays go to the market to buy vegetables.   "I remember that when I was younger, I observed people from the barangays going to the market to sell vegetables – not buy them," said the mayor who is only in his early 20's.   Eating vegetables the people themselves planted not only provides nutrition to the family members but is a practical way of confronting these hard times of spiraling prices of commodities and services.   Health, he explained, is among his administration's priorities, together with poverty reduction thru livelihood programs, population management and educational reforms.   "As the father of Inabanga, with the cooperation of the people, the ambition to accomplish these priorities will be well within...

      Sunday Post - At the onset of the year's second half, Talibon Mayor Juanario Item challenged the municipal and barangay fishery councils to surpass the past accomplishment in the effort to abate illegal activities that take toll on the marine resources.       Officers of the Barangay Fishery and Aquatic Resource Management Council (BFARMC) and the newly-elected officers of the Municipal Fishery and Aquatic Resource Management Council (MFARMC) recently conducted a one-day mid-year assessment workshop at the President Carlos P. Garcia Multi-Purpose Center (PCPGMPC).       The event was designed to renew the commitment of the council members to do their tasks and to measure their accomplishments in the months of January to June.       It was also conducted to formulate a more comprehensive plan of actions for the second semester of the year 2008.       Mayo...

     The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Jagna's celebration of the annual Nutrition Month clinched on July 29 at the Jagna gymnasium with activities that confirmed the focus on maternal nutrition, in consonance to this year's theme "Sa Wastong Nutrisyon ni Mommy, Siguradong Healthy si Baby!" culminated on July 29.       Based on the theme, the Municipal Nutrition Council that Mayor Exuperio Lloren chairs, emphasized maternal nutrition, a critical factor in maternal health in line with the municipality's commitment to achieve the fifth item in the Millennium Development Goals in reducing maternal mortality by year 2015.       Jagna is one of the three pilot areas of the MDGs in Bohol .       In coordination with Jagna Rural Health Units 1 and 2 headed by Dr. Arnold Cagulada and Dr. Trish Luces, respectively, various activities were conducted, including pre-natal check up, home visit...

     In time of the birth anniversary of the sublime paralytic, Apolinario Mabini, on July 23, the local government unit (LGU) of Talibon celebrated the 30th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week at the Carlos P. Garcia Cultural Center .       Present during the event were barangay officials, chairmen of barangay committees on social services and presidents of persons with disabilities of the 25 barangays in Talibon.       Students of Special Education for Disabled (SPED), including the speech impaired ones led by Susan Radaza also attended the activity.       During the occasion, the PWDs elected new set of officers for the period, 2008-2010.       Then Mayor Juanario Item inducted the new-elected officers- -Renato Judilla of Bagacay, president; Mario Albiso of Balintawak, vice-president; Eugens Domingo of San Jose, secretary; Felix Fuentes of Zamor...

By next year, Bohol will add to its numerous awards and recognition the honor of having an International Standard Organization (ISO) Compliant Land Transportation Office (LTO) here. Joel Maloloy-on, LTO-Tagbilaran Acting District Supervisor said the city will be the first among the 17 LTO districts in the whole Central Visayas Region. The LTO Tagbilaran District passed the initial evaluation for it to be ISO candidate and it receive P1M assistance the other month for its office rehabilitation. "This will be a legacy I will contribute to the Boholano people and they will be proud of it," Maloloy-on said. The various activities are now in the final process for a series of evaluation towards ISO Compliance eyed to be completed before the year ends. LTO-Tagbilaran has posted the record of processing and issuing Student's Drivers Permit in just thirty (30) minutes while processing for New Driver's License only takes about four (4) hours. Under Maloloy-on, the office a...

More than thousand members of Bohol Provincial Employees League (BOPEL) strongly opposed the move of the union president Dr. Felino Columnas to impose a hundred percent increase of their annual dues collection starting this year. The employees reacted sharply during the midyear general assembly of the association held on Friday morning July 27, this year at the Bohol Cultural Center this city. They said that the said increase is very impractical amidst the extreme poverty suffered by the employees today due the economic crisis. Columnas explained that the increase is necessary to augment mortuary claim of the member also to answer the increase of the funeral services. BOPEL Treasurer Edgar Petallar on his part disclosed that his proposal submitted to the Board is only to effect an increase of the mortuary claim among the member from Ten Thousand to Twenty Thousand pesos without asking an increase of the annual dues but it was categorically denied by the majority member of the board ...

For the cause of poor children with disabilities (CWD), 3 representatives to pool at least a million pesos each while Capitol allots 150 square meters of space at the province-owned lot for the establishment and operation of a permanent rehabilitation center for the under-privileged. The P3M pesos would be used to bankroll the building housing the permanent Stimulation and Therapy Activity Center (STAC) for Bohol kids at the Bohol Motorpool site. Through Breaking Barriers for Children (BBC) project, Bohol ties up with Kapisanan nga mga May Kapansanan sa Pilipinas Inc. (KAMPI) for the organization to assist Bohol in the need for rehabilitation and non formal education training for CWDs. KAMPI through a team in Bohol operates the soon to rise center for Bohol's children and youth with disabilities in the next 30 months, according to the understanding (MOA) signed Friday, July 25, 2008 at the LMP Building, K of C Drive. Representative Edgar Chatto, Board Members Cesar Tomas Lope...

Bohol arts patron and Raja Sikatuna awardee Beatriz Susanna "Bea" Zobel de Ayala declared so during the Bohol Day celebration at the Bohol Cultural Center last Tuesday. In her acceptance speech, Zobel stressed on the three pillars of Ayala Foundation - Education, Environment and Entrepreneur-ship as guiding principles of responsible and sustainable tourism. Zobel said that because Bohol has so much to offer , "I never tired of pointing out to people that it would be very difficult to find all these resources in one province anywhere else in the Philippines." What she referred about are the tourism come-ons such as caves, forests, wildlife, sparkling rivers, centuries-old churches, old houses, native crafts, white beaches, coral reefs and the Loboc Children's Choir. But such an abundance of resources carries with it a lot of responsibilities, she said, citing an adage "to whom much has been given, much shall be required." She reminded the to...

By Kit Bagaipo - Bohol Chronicle In recognition for their commitment to the upliftment of Bohol and its people, the provincial government bestowed the Datu Sikatuna Award to four outstanding individuals during the 154th Bohol Day commemorative program yesterday morning at the Bohol Cultural Center. Vice President Noli de Castro conferred the Datu Sikatuna award, in behalf of the Bohol officialdom, to this year's four awardees - Philippine Airlines chair and CEO Lucio Tan, Cebu Pacific Air president and CEO Lance Gokongwei, Beatriz Zobel de Ayala Jr. of Ayala Foundation and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) general manager Atty. Oscar Sevillla. Gov. Erico Aumentado said in his message that Tan, Gokongwei, Zobel Jr. and Sevilla are given the Datu Sikatuna Award, the highest citation given by the provincial government, to recognize the partnership they forged with Bohol in the field of local development, tourism and trade and industry. Tan and Gokongwei have helped spur the influx o...

By SEVERINA B. PALINGCOD Carmen Bohol -  The executive and legislative department of this municipality go on the stride to promote the world-renowned tourist destination of this island province - Chocolate Hills. In consonance with the search for the New 7 Wonders of Nature, the Sangguniang Bayan headed by Vice Mayor Ramonito A. Torrefranca is attending the PCL Continuing Legislative Education Program in Naga City and to campaign for voting Chocolate Hills as one of the candidates for the global search. On the other hand, Mayor Manuel Molina also initiated a special force in coordination with the Bohol Sandugo Foundation Inc. to go with the campaign. During the Sandugo street dancing extravaganza today, a computer with Internet connection will be installed at the CPG Sports Complex Area available for the voting process.

As part of its commitment to add festive mood to this year's Sandugo celebration , Globe Telecom Inc. in cooperation with the Bohol Sandugo Foundation Inc. brings Rivermaya live in concert at the CPG Sports Complex at 7 p.m. tonight, right after the Sandugo reenactment. For free admission, just buy load worth P30, enroll in everybody text 20, and get a free Globe Starter Sim and a free concert ticket. For Existing Globe and TM Subscribers, just load P15. Get your free concert tickets from any authorized roving agents and at the concert gate. Rivermaya, has released their first full-length studio album in five years, entitled "Buhay." The album spotlights two intriguing must-listens - the songwriting skills of Mark Escueta, Mike Elgar and Japs Sergio as well as the vocals of brand-new and equally handsome, 18-year old member Jayson Fernandez who was plucked out of a field of 500 hopefuls to become the newest brother in the Rivermaya family. Jayson joins Mark, Mike, and...