INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENTS touching on power, airports, and water as well as political tremors leading to the 2025 mid-term polls laced Bohol’s environment in 2024.
Environmental concerns also played a major role in making the headlines of the Bohol news industry in 2024 which also marked the 70th birthday of this provincial paper which first hit the streets on May 16, 1954.
It was a year to remember.
This facticity shaped our choice for the Top 10 Stories for 2024.
No.1: Ombudsman suspends Aris, 67 others on Choco fiasco
-Netizens Suspect Politics is Behind
Sixty-seven officials including Governor Aris Aumentado, mayors, and officers of government agencies were swept into suspension without pay- in the national government’s effort to protect the environment.
The officers were deemed complicit in the approval and operation of the Captain’s Peak Resort in Sagbayan at the foot of the Chocolate Hills, a National Integrated Protected Area (NIPA) protected by the Nipa Act and the E-Nipa Act. The resort was reportedly carrying on business without the proper “environmental clearances”.
Earlier, Bohol was designated as the country’s lone UNESCO Geoglobal Park province which exerted more pressure for people to protect the heritage sites like the Chocolate Hills.
Many sharp-eyed netizens, however, smelt “politics” nearby as the main reason for the massive suspension en route to the 2025 mid-term polls.
Most of the officials, however, were eventually reinstated, providing legal and political exoneration.
No. 2: Abante’s Dominance Got 18 Bets Unopposed
The massive political annihilation of the previous party in power led by former Gov Art Yap and the defection of major players to the Current Aumentado’s political coalition (Abante) caused a deep vacuum in the ranks of the current opposition, that after the declaration, of candidates for 2025, some 19 official positions (9 mayors and 9 vice mayors) were contested by the dominant political party without opposition.
In fact, the gubernatorial post was unfilled until the last minute -by former city mayor Dan Neri Lim, behind the prodding of the Troika of Rep, Edgar Chatto, former Governor Yap, and former Vice governor Rene Relampagos.
Yap, making good on his promise to leave Bohol politics -after his devastating loss to Aumentado in 2022 is running for a party list position and Relampagos appears to be semi-retired, just operating behind the scenes.
The dominant stance of Abante was powered by the coalition of political forces consolidating those belonging to Kumbati Party of 3rd District Rep Alexis Tutot, the Lavan of Rep. Vanvan Aumentado of the 2nd district, and “Asenso Pa for More” of former city Mayor Baba Yap.
No.3: P 218-M SHABU SEIZED
It seems the illegal drug business is once again on the prowl for victims. This also almost always happens when relative prosperity happens say as a result of the tourist boom in the province.
Thus, more than 700 anti-drug operations conducted in the province from January until this month hauled P218 million worth of shabu.
This only confirms that the entry of drugs into this island province is continuous as shown in the huge volume of the illegal substance being confiscated from 747 persons arrested after being allegedly involved in the distribution of drugs in the province.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that 32 kilos of shabu were confiscated during massive operations on drug trafficking in this island province. The total market value is placed at P218,214,436.40.
Police authorities said the seizure of shabu is a continuous program that is given priority in order to, at least, prevent its easy distribution to many would-be victims of drugs.
No. 4: L WB Picks Bohol for P5B Water Fund Grant
Since it apparently is the only province ready with the feasibility study on water, the World Bank accorded Bohol a stupendous P 5- billion water grant which, however, will be in the form of a “soft loan” to be administered by the DPWH.
It is a soft loan to be complemented by a 10 to 20% equity contribution from the Bohol provincial government. The water project will cover the city of Tagbilaran and the major town of Panglao Dauis where the international airport is located and other towns.
Richli Corporation of Richard Lim, who is currently the largest water supplier in Bohol, welcomes the competition through proper bidding procedures, and consumers, on the other hand, are always free which water provider they will link their homes and businesses to.
Due to the intense demand for potable water, the pressure of water leading to the pipes to the Panglao International Airport has weakened posing a significant problem for the major tourism investment. NAPSI (National Anti-Poverty), on the other hand, has proven that there are still many “waterless” sitios in the province needing water distribution services.
No. 5: Aboitiz Operates Panglao Airport by June 2025
Establishing themselves as a potent business group even as early as the turn of the previous century, the Aboitiz Family of Cebu, through the Aboitiz Intracapital Corporation will finally manage the Panglao airport by June in an unsolicited sole bid by June 2025.
The airport has remained stagnant under the interim management of the CAAP where the basic needs of tourists have been largely unattended. The P4.5 B contract to operate the airport is under the PPP (Public Private Partnership) arrangement with the concession lasting up to 30 years.
The airport will not just be spruced up physically, but Aboitiz will provide the professional marketing arm for other airlines to land directly to Panglao aside from the current three direct flights for Korea.
The Panglao airport was a long time coming. It started with a feasibility study in 2000 during the Estrada administration although its vision was long hatched by the late Boholano former Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry Nonoy Torralba.
The P7.140 billion airport project actually started on June 22, 2015, under the auspices of JICA (Japan International Agency) but is completion was delayed but completed largely under the Duterte regime. Boholano former NEDA boss Ernesto Pernia was a factor in accelerating the completion and funding.
The airport is scheduled to receive multi-billion multi-year support in the coming years.
No. 6: 27MW Solar Plant Pioneers in Bohol
Lessening Bohol’s dependence on dirty fossil fuels, the P1.2 billion solar power plant was established in Dagohoy in 2024. The “clean energy” is the first of its major kind in Bohol sponsored by the Dagohoy Energy Corporation of the Petrogreen Group of the Yuchengco family (RCBC group etc.)
There are smaller enterprising solar companies, however, who directly install solar panels in homes and medium-sized business establishments.
The energy generated from the sun’s rays through panels will be connected to the national grid and will be distributed to designated locations.
This groundbreaking foray into large clean energy investments here could trigger similar investments such as wind and hydroelectric power. Currently, Bohol is dependent on Leyte’s geothermal power, partially on other dirty fuel and hydro sources.
The demand for power in Bohol is expected to grow exponentially with the rebirth of strong tourism which is expected to hit 1.4 million in 2024 and the 1.3 million permanent Boholano residents.
No. 7: Swine Watch in Dauis 59 Pigs Die
For one moment, the P6-B hog industry in Bohol (made up of mostly small household operators) was threatened by the dreaded ASF (African Swine Fever) which seemed to afflict the tourist island of Dauis. (and earlier, to a smaller extent, the town of Pilar, as well).
Fifty-nine pigs perished from the disease that is around the world emanating from Africa and immediately Governor Aumentado issued executive orders rightening the exit of pig-generated meat from Dauis aside from the usual border controls for incoming pork products.
The ASF was eventually controlled but our ASF-free status was once more threatened when Cebu Governor cleared all pork exports of Cebu as ASF-free and threatened Bohol which is a major buyer of Cebu pork. Thus, screws were tightened once again on pork border entries.
Though not fatal to humans, the ASF can kill many livelihoods here and possibly increase the prices of pork if an epidemic sets in. It is an environmental lookout which can affect food security as we are a pork-eating people.
No. 8: Five Running for 1st District
A plum district, since it houses the capital city and the tourist haven in Panglao and Dauis,
the 1st congressional district has been considered a district to die for candidates.
It did not come as a surprise, then, that there were initially five contenders for the post at the
beginning of the registration of candidates.
Standing out was reelectionist Edgar Chatto and who is contested by previous ally former city mayor Baba Yap who is extremely popular with the youth. Chatto, the political wonder boy; who has yet to taste an electoral defeat was dismayed at Yaps sudden interest in his post.
There were moves to move Yap out of the district race by encouraging him to run for
governor against Aumentado and purported to have a winning chancet; against the incumbent.
Yap did not bite the bait.
There were also detractors dreaming of a Rep Tutor-Yap tandem vs the team of Governor
Aris-cashing on in the city political intramurals between the Aumentado and Yap camps in the
2022 polls. A conciliatory Manila meeting between the Aumentado and Tutor families quickly
defused the ruse.
Thus, joining the 1st district race were “Binggay” dela Serna, wife of the late Gov. Victor, Dra. Mutya Tirol Macuno, former head of the Gallares Memorial Hospital, and lawyer Jordan Pizarras. Social media influencer Willy Ramasola and Dr. Macuno who was earlier listed as a congressional candidates slid to the board member race.
No. 9: Four Earthquake Faults in Bohol
In October 2013, Bohol’s North Fault line, after decades of dormancy, awoke and devastated Bohol with a 7.2 magnitude that left 200 dead and 350,000 displaced persons.
Bohol has three other fault lines: the Bohol East Fault, the South Offshore Fault, and the Maribojoc Fault. In 2024, with no record of seismic activity for the last 100 years, the Bohol East Fault recorded 27 mild tremors. placing it under “critical watch”.
PHILVOLCS estimated that it has the potential to rear a 7 7-magnitude earthquake. Boholanos were aghast since they were assured back in 2013, that no such magnitude is going to happen again in Bohol in the next 100 years.
Bohol’s considerable hits before the Big One in 2013 were recorded in (1990) 6.8 magnitude and (1996) 5.6 magnitude.
No. 10: P1 B to Improve Bohol Power Distribution Bohol Light Sold to Razon
Prime Electric Holding of the Razon Group invests a total of P1 billion to buy 70% of the shares of BLCI (Bohol Light) majority owners SPC Power and 30% of the government share to be used to modernize and rehabilitate the BLCI power distribution facilities.
BLCI has a power validity up to October 2025.
The entry of the Razon group is expected to elevate consumer power services and James Villareal of SPC Power is confident about Razon’s capabilities as shown in their dominating provision of power in Iloilo City.
This development and Bohol’s interconnection with the Cebu grid will greatly positively affect Bohol’s power generation and distribution facilities and do away with the brownouts that have been a bane for businesses here.
No. 10A: CHRONICLE Turns 70 Years Old Today
Ex-Reuters Correspondent to Keynote
The Bohol Chronicle first hit the streets on May 16, 1954, and thus turned 70 years old this 2024. The paper was founded by the late PPI (Philippine Press Institute) Chairman Zoilo Dejaresco Jr., said to be the “father of Bohol journalism”. From then on-it has maintained an: “independent editorial policy”.
Turning 70 makes the Chronicle one of the most enduring newspapers in the nation today. It has been a recipient of numerous awards from the Philippine Press Institute and the Rotary Club of Manila.
The keynote speaker during its anniversary at the Bohol Tropics was Manuel Mogato, a 2017 Marshall McLuhan Fellow and 2018 Pulitzer Prize Winner for international reporting. A lecturer for politics and journalism at the UST, Mogato has 4 decades of newspaper work and 15 years as a Correspondent for Reuters.
Bingo Dejaresco, BC Editor gave the anniversary address while BCRC chairman and Associate editor Preter Dejaresco and BCRC director Ely Dejaresco rendered their remarks.
With a: “Grow with Us” anniversary slogan, the celebration allowed the Chronicle to honor Bohol’s pioneering and enduring business establishments: Holy Spirit School, Ramiro Hospital, First Consolidated Bank, Bohol Quality Store, Marcela’s Farms, Sayas Restaurant, Ramasola Studios, Bohol Peoples Lumber, Maniwan Optical, and Sayong Furniture.
The Chronicle also paid tribute to employees who had worked from 10-15 years.
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