The over 26-kilometer Balilihan-Hanopol-Batuan road is now finally nationalized, thus henceforth causing the province to save millions in road maintenance-improvement funds and instead use them for other vital projects and services. This will also pave the way for the necessary permanent improvement of the essential agro-tourism road that traverses the interior hinterlands in Bohol , which has been envisioned to be a prime eco-cultural tourism destination and a balanced agro-industrial province. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) declared it as a national road thru Department Order No. 52 in pursuance of Section 5 of Executive Order No. 124, Series of 1987, which empowers the DPWH to reclassify roads and highways. The order, dated October 16, 2009 , was issued by then DPWH Sec. Hermogenes Ebdane in one of his last official acts before resigning from the topmost post of the country's infrastructure cabinet the other day. Rep. Edgar Chatto principally worked out the nationalization of the then provincial road in coordination with Rep. Adam Relson Jala to whose Third District the Batuan stretch of the highway belongs.

Chatto knows fully well that once nationalized, a road will have a regular allocation for its maintenance, if not sure budget later for its concreting or permanent improvement from the national government. As an agro-tourism highway, the Balilihan-Hanopol-Batuan road is vital to the transport of farm harvests from the mountains to the plains while at the same time serving tourism, declared as an engine of national economic recovery and growth. Balilihan is fast emerging as a vegetable basket while being actively involved in a cluster of five towns packaged in the Abatan River Eco-Cultural Tourism and Community Tour. Batuan, where agriculture is also a main industry, connects the Abatan cluster of LGUs to the Chocolate Hills in Carmen and other interior Bohol attractions via Hanopol.

The road will serve other modes of livelihood and education since Balilihan is the site of the new training center of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Congressional District Library of Bohol, which is one of only three in the country fronting the town's campus of the Central Visayas State College of Agriculture, Forestry and Technology (CVSCAFT). Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law just last week Republic Act 9722, principally authored in Congress by Chatto, converting the CVSCAFT System into the Bohol Island State University (BISU), the first and only state university in this part of the country. The System has also campuses in Bilar, Candijay, Calape, Clarin and Tagbilaran City. Chatto thanked the provincial government thru Gov. Erico Aumentado and the Provincial Engineering Office for supporting the road nationalization, especially in the documentation process.

The Bohol congressman also thanked the LGUs of Balilihan and Batuan for the acquisition of the road right of way. Chatto expected the nationalization of other provincial roads like the Antequera-Tubigon road passing San Isidro , Alburquerque-Sikatuna road, and Bacalayon-Sto. Niño-Tagbilaran Road. Several road sections have bills awaiting Senate approval after their passage in the Lower House as strongly lobbied by Chatto, Jala and Rep. Roberto Cajes. There are administrative and legislative processes to nationalize roads. The Balilihan-Hanopol-Batuan road took the administrative course. Chatto earlier nationalized the Panglao island circumferential road by legislative process thru the law he principally authored in Congress. Meanwhile, Chatto allocated P4.5 million flood control fund for the public market in Alburquerque and Poblacion in Tubigon. (Ven rebo Arigo)