Except for 3rd District congressional bet, former Carmen Mayor Cheche Toribio delos Reyes, the six other congressional bets as well as two gubernatorial bets graced the Candidates’ Forum of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. held at the Bohol Wisdom School gymnasium last Friday.

Re-electionist Gov. Edgar Chatto and gubernatorial bet, Loay Mayor May Imboy had a one-on-one forum tackling the various issues that are all vital for the development of the province during the next three-year term of the elected officials during the May 9 elections.

There is the feared power shortage, which Gov. Chatto said is now being addressed with the on-going screening of interested investors on renewable energy source such as solar and windmill.  Both gubernatorial bets admitted the need to address environmental issues on waste and solid garbage disposal especially that the multi-million sanitary landfill in Albur has not been functioning yet. The explosive issue on sanitation in Panglao especially in the Alona Beach area was an issue the chamber wanted the officials to seriously look into.

The issue on high prices of fish and petroleum products was also raised before the candidates for them to articulate on how to address both concerns

In tourism, Gov. Chatto is optimistic that the new Bohol Airport is a very welcome note to meet the demands of the time on the lack of airline seats for incoming passengers.

In the congressional bets’ forum, three re-electionist solons, namely Rep. Rene Relampagos, Rep. Aris Aumentado and  Rep. Arthur Yap as well as congressional bets, Crescencio Alturas, Joahna Cabalit and Board Member Gerry Garcia were unanimous to support the need to have the fiber optics development in order to be able to host call centers to address the unemployment problem especially in the towns.

On the fight against drugs, Gov. Chatto admitted the drug incidence higher during the term of former PNP Prov’l Director Constantino Barot reasons of which he did not elaborate. For her part, Mayor Imboy said drug problem is a community concern which needs the family, school, church to unite in combating drugs. Both gubernatorial bets look at the clamor for a drug rehabilitation center. The congressional bets likewise echoed their concern on the alarming incidence of drugs as they called on authorities to be serious on the campaign as well as challenged all elected officials to undergo random drug test.

The Candidates’ Forum made conscious the top political bets that graft and corruption is a must to be checked as the chamber assures to be part of the “watch” against this malpractice in governance.  The candidates individually vowed to ensure transparency in their respective governance.

The bets were also unanimous in their concern of bringing Bohol back to the list of “new wave cities” in the country by fixing all technical requirements in order to have call centers in Bohol, particularly in Tagbilaran City,

The Candidates’ Forum was a project of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. headed by Engr. Al Uy with project chair Norris Oculam.  The gubernatorial bets’ forum was moderated by Peter Dejaresco while Mayet Gasatan moderated the congressional bets’ forum, which were aired live over dyRD-AM (Worldwide).