Bohol News, Hotels, Travel and Real Estate Property

Under Chatto Administration, Bohol Praised for Good Governance by Leah Sumampong In life, you learn from the best. When it comes to good governance, you learn from Bohol. This seems to be the theme these days as national organizations assembled here in the province for their conventions. Gov. Edgar M. Chatto shared Bohol's best practices on transparency and good governance as the local chapter host the national convention and general assembly of the Philippine Australian Alumni Association, Inc (PA3i). The PA3i is the umbrella organization for scholars and graduates of formal degree and non-degree training programs offered by Australian universities and training institutions. Seeking to participate in strengthening Philippine-Australian relations, the organization supports the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) programs in the country, of which many are being implemented in the province. Chatto also underscored the significant contribution of PA3i memb...

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Now that the battle lines have been drawn, First District Representative Rene Relampagos fires away at Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Lim, in what could be a telling preview of their one-on-one match in next year's polls. Relampagos, often at the receiving end of the city mayor's blistering tirades, returned the favor in an interview on Monday over Station dyRD's top-rated "Inyong Alagad". Mincing no words, the solon said Mayor Lim, who is fond of criticizing senior provincial officials, is doing a "poor job" as city chief executive. "Tagbilaran has been lagging behind in growth and development for the past eight years of Lim's administration. The mayor does his job through words rather than action," Relampagos stressed. Relampagos scored the "prevailing ill conditions" of the city – the worst road condition in years, garbage and drainage issues, lack of transparency and the widespread perception of financial mismanagement at C...

Heading east from Tagbilaran along the south coast takes you first to the coastal fishing town of BOOL , 5km away. Said to be the oldest settlement on the island, it's also the site of the  Blood Compact Site, marked by an attractive bronze sculpture on the seafront. This is the spot where local chieftain Rajah Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi concluded an early round of Philippine–Spanish hostili-ties in 1565 by signing a compact in blood. Every year for one week in July, Boholanos gather in Bool for the  Sandugo  (One Blood)  festival  which, apart from the usual beauty pageants and roast pigs, includes a passionate re-enactment of the blood ceremony. About 2km east of Bool, BACLAYON  is the site of  Baclayon Church, the oldest stone church in the Philippines . Much of the existing facade was added by the Augustinian Recollects in the nineteenth century, but the rest dates back to 1595 and was declared a national historical landmark in 1995. The church's convent has bee...

How Go to Anda, Bohol Around three hours by bus from Tagbilaran, the countless white sand coves near the town of   ANDA  in beautiful Guindulman Bay are an emerging choice for those looking to escape Panglao's commercialized beach and dive scene. Of the resorts which have popped up in recent years, British-owned Blue Star ( T 0919/453-4468,  W www.bluestardive.com ; 7) stands out for divers and has a good pool, wi-fi, a tiny beach at low tide and good snorkelling on the house reef.  There's a brand-new dive centre, and fan rooms are spacious and tastefully designed with lovely views out over the bay – air-conditioned rooms were nearly complete at the time of writing. For pure beach lovers,  Anda White Beach Resort ( T 0915/541-0507,  W www.andabeachresort.com ; 7) can't be beaten and has attractive rooms, the best of which front onto a bright white strip of sand. There's also a pool, billiards and wi-fi (P100/hr).  Two minutes' walk from here is one of the fe...

A number of resorts offer half-day trips for around P2000 per person to the town of  Antequera , north of Tagbilaran (you can get here independently by bus or jeepney from Tagbilaran).  The attraction for tourists here is the lively market, twice a week on Thursdays and Saturdays. Craftsmen and traders from around the island congregate to sell locally made handicrafts such as baskets, hats and various home decor items such as linen tablecloths, mirrors and attractive bowls made from stone or coconut shells.  Prices are significantly cheaper than in the cities and it's a fun place to haggle and pick up a few inexpensive souvenirs.

There are plenty of hotels and lodges in TAGBILARAN , the hectic port capital of Bohol , but with so many beaches and sights nearby, there's no real reason to stay here. From Tagbilaran you can be on Panglao Island in less than twenty minutes and even the Chocolate Hills, hidden in the hinterlands, are less than an hour away by road. The only sights in Tagbilaran itself are the Cathedral, opposite the plaza in Sarmiento Street, a nineteenth-century hulk standing on the site of an original that was destroyed by fire in 1789, and the   Bohol Museum  (Mon–Fri 10am–4.30pm; P10) in Carlos   P. Garcia Avenue, set in the former home of Carlos Garcia (fourth President of the Philippine Republic), and containing various  presidential memorabilia and a collection of shells. The   Tagbilaran City Fiesta takes place on May 1.

Bohol , a two-hour hop south of Cebu, is an attractive little island where life today is pastoral and quiet. The only sign of heavy tourist activity is on the beautiful beaches of Panglao, a magnet for scuba divers and sun worshippers, close to the utilitarian port capital of Tagbilaran.  Most visitors only leave the beach for a day tour taking in the Bohol's most famous attractions : the much-touted Chocolate Hills, a glimpse of the  endangered tarsier , lunch on the Loboc River and a visit to the Blood Compact site, memorial to Bohol's violent past. Those with more time will be rewarded by trips to other parts of the province, including the adventure centre at Danao, the attractive island of Cabilao and the pretty beaches of Anda .  Bohol is also renowned for its wonderful old Spanish churches , many of them built with coral, which can be found all over the island, notably at Baclayon and Albuquerque. May is  fiesta month on  Bohol with island-wide celebrations includin...

By Ben Cal Thousands of Boholanos around the world continue to arrive in this bustling city for the grand celebration of the 5th "Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibook Kalibutan" that will last for two weeks.  The biggest number of arrival the past five days comprise of Boholanos residing in the United States. Other delegations come from Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and the Middle East. Not far behind are Boholanos living in other parts of the Philippines who have faithfully been coming home to attend Bohol's biggest extravaganza of merry-making and class reunions. " Bohol island will literally sink by an inch with the arrival of balikbayans," Betty Veloso-Garcia, TBTK chairperson said. The TBTK was first held in 2008 to entice Boholanos living abroad and other parts of the Philippines to visit their home province to renew their camaraderie with relatives and friends whom they have not seen for years. The annual event is usually held in July but organizers have decid...

Press Release: In tune with his advocacy to protect and preserve the country's natural wonders and the environment in general, Rep. Erico B. Aumentado (2nd district, Bohol) has filed a bill in Congress seeking the implementation of stiffer penalties to entities or individuals that would cause the pillage, destruction and defacement to any of the world renowned Chocolate Hills of Bohol.  Fuelled by the destruction of several hills in the towns of Carmen and Sagbayan, Bohol, before his nine-year governorship, the solon pressed for the filing of House Bill 6137, otherwise known as the Chocolate Hills Protection Act of 2012 described as " AN ACT DECLARING THE CHOCOLATE HILLS AS NATIONAL PATRIMONY, NATURAL HERITAGE PARK AND GEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS, PENALIZING THEIR PILLAGE, DESTRUCTION AND DEFACEMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES". When enacted into law, all persons whether natural or juridical who will violate the Act, shall upon conviction be meted with imprisonment ranging fro...

Mayor. All Tagbilaranon voters were aware that Dan Lim is the Mayor of the city. Among those aware, a slight majority (63%) was satisfied with his performance as mayor while three out of ten (27%) were dissatisfied which resulted to a net satisfaction of +36. Across economic classes, Dan Lim got a 17- net satisfaction ratings from Class ABC. This means that there were more voters who were dissatisfied than satisfied; however, his net satisfaction ratings from Classes D and E were relatively high at +50 and +56 respectively. Across sexes and age groups, Dan Lim got relatively low net satisfaction from the females (+24) and 18-24 age group (+24).

Editorial of the Bohol Chronicle: Sixty percent (60%) of the raging stories that stole the headlines in 2010 were election-pegged and violence-related. That the May 10 presidential and local polls generated 3 of the 10 Top Stories is not a surprising phenomenon, considering how Filipinos take their politics seriously. About 7 to 8 of every 10 Filipinos trooped to the polls - a big election voter turnout by any measure in any place of the globe - a big step for participative democracy. The May 10 polls, if for nothing else, liberated the province from the near monolithic dominance of Lakas - walking under the light, or was it the shadow (?) of then incumbent president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It brought a new cocktail of political options for Boholano voters. Although Lakas still dominated most of the smaller to tiny posts of power, the big shot tickets was a mixed bag. Governor Edgar Chatto and Vice Governor Conching Lim together with unopposed third district congressman-elect (former ...

Liza is a Civil Engineer and hails from Concepcion, Loay, Bohol. She has been working for 4 years now at the Athena - a construction company in Saudi Arabia specializing on marine ports and other edifices. Romel, on the other hand, is an accountant and has been working for 2 years now in Ali and Sons, also in Saudi Arabia where he is assigned at the Motas Division. Even if he was born in Manila, he went to school at Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City, just near Bukidnon, the hometown of his parents. Photo shows (l-r) Joylyn Yazon; Dan Bacarro (the groom's father); the newlyweds - Mr. & Mrs. Romel Bacarro (nee Liza Balucan) and Melba Bacarro (the groom's mother). The wedding ceremony was held last Dec. 22, 2010 at 2 p.m. at the St. Joseph Cathedral of Tagbilaran City with Msgr. Jeffrey Malanog and Rev. Fr. Virgilio Salas as officiating priests. Gloria Leodivica Araneta of "SMILE", Philippines was host/master of ceremonies. The parents of both the newlyweds, M...

Laruche Joice Bantiles of barangay Buenasuerte of this rice granary town has been adjudged as Miss Pilar 2010 during the 49th Foundation Day celebration December 28-29, 2010 by five-man board of judges. This came as Mayor Wilson Pajo called for more unity and thanked his flock for 99% active participation in all activities for the town's big event by barangay officials and private sectors. Bantiles, who may not be able to participate to the Miss Bohol Sandugo 2011 for her being a minor at 14, also grabbed the Best in Talent plum, besting 20 other candidates during a separate pageant night, said overall coordinator Bert Jaspe in an interview. Miss Haizel Queen Pore of barangay Aurora got the first runner-up award while the curvaceous Riza Ayop of barangay Del Pilar settled for second runner-up. Ayop also got three other awards ---- Best in Swimsuit, Best in Evening Gown and Miss Photogenic. Miss Mutya Reyes of barangay Estaca and Miss Mae Ann Soriano of barangay Ilaud claimed the 3...

The 2012 Philippine Bar Exam Result is finally available here online. Here's the official list of bar passers of the Philippines who took the bar exam in 2011 in UST Manila. Please share on Facebook if you know any person who took the bar exam of the Philippines . 1751 . TARO, Cristina S 1752 . TARUC-BATALLA, Leira Leonor S 1753 . TAWAGON, Sittie Aisa Azisaida L 1754 . TAYAO, Joseph D 1755 . TAÑEDO, June Catherine G 1756 . TEJADA, Gracielle M 1757 . TEJANO, Francis John L 1758 . TEJANO, Sheena May D 1759 . TEJERO, Eric Jason S 1760 . TEJERO, Joahnna Eve S 1761 . TEJERO, III, Jaime R 1762 . TENDENCIA, Kristine A 1763 . TENEFRANCIA, Yvette C 1764 . TENORIO, Cris P 1765 . TESALONA, Michelle Anne C 1766 . TIANELA, Noel P 1767 . TIBLE, Stephanie Anne V 1768 . TINGCHUY, Azenith B 1769 . TIONGSON, Renee Stephanie B 1770 . TOLENTINO, Anne Chinika L 1771 . TOLENTINO, Francisco Paolo Ra...

A huge crowd of protestors went to the streets yesterday to drumbeat their strong objection on the controversial proposal to do an off-shore reclamation project in the tourists' haven of Bohol. By Bohol Chronicle Some 2000 protesters echoed their voices to firm up their indignation to those behind the project which is a "landmark of environmental destruction" in Panglao. According to the objectors, the reclamation will destroy an already fragile marine ecosystem and pose serious threats to the biodiversity of the area. The protesters assemble at the Plaza fronting the Capitiol as some of their leaders took turns in urging provincial officials to reject and recall all plans to reclaim land in Panglao. The project's opposition has gained support from various groups, including environmental lawyers who vowed to raise the matter to the courts. Former Panglao mayor Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan said he is optimistic any plans to reclaim Panglao Bay would not push through as t...