Gov. Edgar Chatto yesterday called for full Boholano support to incoming president Rodrigo Duterte and vice president Leni Robredo who will soon govern the nation that inherits a tiger economy from the outgoing administration.

He urged the Boholanos to “pray for our new president and vice president” who will be officially proclaimed winners in tomorrow’s joint session of Congress which, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), finished the canvassing Saturday night.

Chatto asked the same for the members of the incoming Senate.

“They need divine wisdom and guidance as they start the challenging journey of leading the country, governing our nation to sustain gains,” said the Bohol leader who is reelected governor for third and final term.

The governor reiterated in his weekly radio program that the provincial and component local plans and programs have to be consistent with the national policies prescribed by the new leadership.

“Unity and solidarity in vision and action are essential prerequisites to transformation and progress,” Chatto said.

He felt it “important” to support the administration and align the local programs with the national agenda for the best of Bohol.

The governor with his 35 years of public service is not worried if such an actuation from a responsible local leader like him is often mistaken by negative minds as turncoatism.

“We ask the same from the city, town and barangay government units,” Chatto even continued, asserting that “it is not bad seeking good for our province.”

The governor said ensuring common welfare does precisely explain for their running for different elective positions.

As the national leader, the president must be happy if the provinces harmonize their development frameworks with his agenda, Chatto stressed.

If there are Boholanos who “cannot be happy when we do good for Bohol, then there may be something seriously wrong with them,” said the provincial leader who is used to black propaganda even at non-election times.

Also, Rep. Rene Relampagos said they support the Duterte administration while remaining with the Liberal Party (LP), which has catapulted Robredo to the next highest officialdom of the land after the Congress canvassing ultimately validated her victory.

Robredo beat his closest opponent, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., for vice president by a margin of 263,473 votes as the widow of a late DILG secretary polled 14,418,817 votes over the 14,155,344 votes to the son of a dead dictator.

In Bohol alone, Robredo cast Marcos out by a gap of over a hundred thousand votes.  Duterte’s win was “deadlier” by ballot count.

Relampagos vowed to work closely with Chatto’s leadership of the province as the solon felt more “indebted” to his fellow Boholanos, especially his First District constituents who granted him for the first time a full three-term mandate.

He considered his reelection for third and final congressional term “sweet, sentimental and historic,” Relampagos having then served in the past as vice governor but for one term only and governor for just two terms.

BOHOLANOS THANK PNOY

Boholanos do thank Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III for the “many legacies” his administration is leaving to them and their province, Chatto said.

“We vow to support and work with the imminent Duterte-Robredo leadership to sustain the gains we already achieved,” the governor said, “as we do respond to the call of the president-elect for national healing” after the bruising polls.

Besides, he said, “it is very inherently Boholano to contribute more to national development and growth.”

Chatto admitted the need for “transformation towards a loftier goal” which he yearned to be a “commitment to genuine change that should begin from every Filipino and reside in every Filipino heart.”

‘INSPIRED HEAT IT’

The encompassing framework of sustainable development and inclusive growth for Bohol Chatto now calls the “INSPIRED HEAT IT” agenda.

INSPIRED translates to aggressive improvements in “infrastructure, expanded social services, peace and order, reforms in governance, investment promotions, economic development and growth, and disaster risk reduction management.”

Thru continuing caravans, the HEAT IT programs, goods and services are to scale up involving “health and sanitation, education and technology, agriculture and food security, tourism and livelihood, and information technology.”

Being “inspired,” Chatto said “we are aggressive to complete the new airport, capitol complex, hospital modernization, including a double-capacity modern Gallares Hospital, roads, bridges and feasibility studies for bigger ones, ports, reliable power and water, and many other infrastructure ventures.”

The proposed major bridges include the Panglao island-Tagbilaran City offshore bridge connector, Ubay-Pres. Garcia bridge, and Talibon-Bien Unido bridge.

The agenda aspires for social services extended to more marginalized and disadvantaged sectors; heightened counter-crime fight, especially against illegal drugs; investment promotions thru connectivity and incentives; more serious governance reforms; economic gains that do serve inclusive growth and defeat poverty; and disaster/calamity mitigation and response in hue with climate change adaptation.

Better governance involves willingness to engage in positive change and, Chatto said, “there is grace when the change that we want to see around us does start from within us, everyone of us.” (With reports  from Ven rebo Arigo)