Pres Aquino brings bigger post quake relief to Bohol

President Benigno S. Aquino III in Bohol today, to assure Bohol of a more sustainable post-earthquake aid guaranteed to launch Bohol’s tourism to international heights.

When the President comes, it would be his 6th visit after the fateful October 15, 2013 earthquake.

It may be recalled that President Aquino immediately flew to Bohol to survey the damage and assure victims of the national government’s help as he came in October 16, 2013.

He also brought in and distributed immediate relief and food for earthquake victims at the CPG Sports Complex, before flying off to conduct an aerial survey of the earthquake damage in Bohol.

A week later, October 23, the President again visited Loon.

There, he met with the Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council, and listened as the relief agencies reported their ongoing efforts.

At the meeting, he promised the national government’s relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation funds even as he announced the Bohol earthquake Assistance funds.

He also flew to Tubigon and surveyed the church, public market and port and then flew to Sagbayan for another ocular inspection.

On November 28, the President again came to Bohol to officiate the reopening of the Abatan, Moalong and Tagbuane Bridges: his non-food relief but that had facilitated well the flow of more relief goods and services to isolated areas after bridges and landslides blocked passages.

By February 24, 2014, President Aquino came to commemorate EDSA here in Loon, where he met victims at the Loon District Hospitals and slept in a tent there, after assuring government infrastructure relief as well as aid for the cultural heritage structures which the earthquake did not spare.

Three months later, on May 2, President Aquino again came to witness the turn-over of the MIT-inspired fabrication laboratory at the Bohol Island State University.

The project, in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology, Trade and Industry, Japan International Cooperation Agency and the local governments, was a way of helping Boholanos stand on their own by coming up with their own livelihood industries.

He also visited a DTI Shared Service Facility in Tubigon, a shared technology facility for raffia loom-weaving for the local women’s organization, a facility that has now linked with international markets and spurring local economy in the town.

But these post quake aid from the national government would pale in comparison to the multi-billion Panglao Airport  which would be a gateway for international tourists now seeing Bohol but having a tough time getting here in the absence of seamless travel characteristic of successful tourism destinations.  (rac/PIA-7/Bohol)