THE Boholanos' chances of seeing their presidentiables and other national officials seeking elective posts up close although not too personal Friday and Saturday went pffft as Tagbilaran bound flights from Manila had to divert to Mactan in Cebu. Naughty nature blew those chances away after it dumped heavy rains without let up causing zero visibility that even gusty winds threw in for good measure could not clear. The day before that, the winds also spawned huge waves that cancelled trips of fast craft from Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental toTagbilaran City in Bohol , and onwards to Cebu otherwise these light vessels might do a Titanic. As a result, activities in Bohol went on without lawyer Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro, former defense secretary and administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential timber, Senator Manuel “Manny” Villar, Naciolista Party (NP) standard bearer and his running mate Loren Legarda, Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of Ilocos Norte and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap who is vying for a seat in Congress representing Bohol's 3rd District.

But, as the saying goes, the show must go on, hence, Bohol launched its massive production of carabaos project through artificial insemination (AI) in rites held at the Magsaysay Center in Ubay town. From the plane, Teodoro would have traveled by helicopter to Calape town to lead groundbreaking rites for a hospital, proceed to Ubay for the massive carabao production launch, onward to Valencia town for a meeting with Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) municipal federation presidents hosted by Provincial Board (PB) member Concepcion Lim, provincial federation president, and to the University of Bohol in Tagbilaran City for a forum with students before he takes the 4:55 p.m. plane back to Manila. Teodoro's visit to Calape for a multi-sectoral consultation on poverty alleviation at the town's gymnasium would have also tested his charisma and crowd-drawing power as it is the hometown of Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera, the NP gubernatorial bet. Instead, the presidentiable's visit is reset to February.

Ubay is a “friendly force” to him, it being the bailiwick of Gov. Erico Aumentado, the administration party's congressional bet for the 2nd District. Teodoro and Yap were supposed to interact with farmer leaders and 2nd District officials led by Aumentado and Ubay Mayor Eutiquio Bernales, who is seeking reelection under the administration party. More “friendly forces” await him in Valencia that was celebrating its town fiesta. Lim who used to be mayor there is now vying for vice governor under the administration party. She had gathered around 1,000 LnB municipal federation presidents to interact with the former defense secretary. As Teodoro was to leave Valencia at around 3 p.m. , Lim had invited Marcos who is eyeing a seat in the Senate under the NP umbrella to crown Miss Valencia 2010. But nature being the great equalizer, Marcos likewise failed to make it, or to the press conference arranged with the local media at the Tagbilaran City Hall earlier that day.

He would have been shepherded by San Isidro Vice Mayor Eustaquio Flor, whose wife hails from Ilocos, Meanwhile, Legarda had to cancel her climate change forum with students of the Bohol Island State University (Bisu) at the Bohol Cultural Center, the press conference set at the Soledad Suites to tackle environment issues, and the induction of the Bohol chapter of The Green Ladies all set to fight for the environment with her set at Casa Filomena. She also missed breakfast yesterday with Bishop Leonardo Medroso of the Diocese of Tagbilaran. On the other hand, Villar was supposed to meet with some mayors and vice mayors yesterday at the Chocolate Hills conference room in Carmen town. Carmen Mayor Manuel Molina, a true-blue NP, had invited Villar as guest of honor during the LGU Night – one of the activities in the countdown to the town's fiesta celebration.