NOTE: THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.

The Barangay Council of Bo-ol, this city questioned the planned construction of the Central Visayas Cultural Hub atop the scenic Mount Banat-i in said barangay.

Barangay Captain Alfredo Angalot sent a letter to the Capitol questioning the said project as he demanded a public hearing to be conducted first before the project could start.

The statement of the village chieftain came after a groundbreaking ceremony was held last Thursday at the site led by Gov. Art Yap and Chairman Kenneth Cobonpue of the Regional Development Council (RDC-7).

The event was held as one of the highlights of the observance of the 125th natal day of the late President Carlos P. Garcia, the fourth president of the Republic and the first president of the 1971 Constitutional Convention.

Angalot said he expects the technical team from the Capitol to attend tomorrow’s session of the Sangguniang Bayan of Bo-ol.

Residents especially those residing at the foot of Mt. Banat-i are objecting to the project considering their safety especially when landslides will occur.

The environmental issue is the reason behind the need to call for a public hearing regarding the project, the barangay chief said.

Meanwhile, Marianito Luspo, director on cultural affairs of Holy Name University (HNU) said that the hub is a facility to service not just the creative sectors of Bohol but of Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

This is a project of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts with support by the Regional Development Council and the Provincial Government of Bohol, one of many other similar facilities to be raised in other regions of the country, as well.

The CVR Cultural Hub is a public facility for use by people who want to know, absorb, explore and gain skills at the artistic expression of the Visayan spirit, Luspo concluded.