Just 10 working days since his inaugural as new Bohol governor, Edgar Chatto, proved to all and sundry, that indeed he's shown the stuff he's made of by consolidating all the power bases needed to propel him as the Capitol top tenant for the next nine years. The now familiar but tired cliché “hit the ground running” best described Chatto's first 10 days when since Day One he practically done what was supposed to be done in such a period of time. This was confirmed by Alfonso “Ae” Damalerio II in an exclusive interview yesterday where he confirmed that the governor has already convened practically all sectors working as a team in support of a new administration whose battle cry is centered on HEAT-Bohol-- as in health, education, agriculture and tourism.

Among the sectors Chatto met in quick succession were the Provincial Peace and Order Council-- League of Municipalities, Vice Mayors League of the Philippines, Bohol chapter, Provincial School Board, Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Management Executive Board (chiefs of offices and allied agencies), Special Forces Brigade, Phil. Army, Anti-Rabies Council, Food and Agricultural Council, and many others. In these different forums, Chatto spelled out the policy directions of his administration to be implemented for the next three years although preparations in some aspects of governance may be aimed to last for the next nine years, the term limit for any public office as enshrined in the Constitution. It was also in these occasions that Chatto emphasized the need for chiefs of offices to be in their workplaces during Mondays which he designated as People's Day.

POWER BASE

Although Chatto was not saying this just as yet, some quarters were seeing a different spin in Chatto's posturing the first 10 days of his new administration. Whether it was good for Chatto's politics or not , it's too early to tell but the astute politician in him tells of a different perspective that may be working in his favor in the long run. While Chatto has all his administrative bases covered since Day One, the new governor was also trying to consolidate the power center of his mandate by way of enticing all power brokers to gravitate towards his new found orbit. To his critics, this may be early politicking, but to Chatto, this is team building, whatever that means. Talking of Team Chatto augurs well with Padayon Bohol, a mantra taken to mean as Go Chatto, Go,--until 2019.

Padayon Bohol took a life of its own in the May elections as Chatto's catchphrase in his bid to win the hearts and minds of mayors including the wayward ones who shared the same sleeping bed with the enemy. As to whether they remain enemies when Chatto clinched the glam post is of no moment, since, if last reports were to be believed, they were seen to have formed a beeline to the governor's residence in Balilihan last Thursday, the eve of the town fiesta. All mayors were invited in that fiesta shindig, anyway. No mean political machine in human form, Chatto knows that consolidating his power bases in the mayors and vice mayors league, Liga ng mga Barangay, Philippine Councilors League and Sangguniang Kabataan will cement his hold on power that will not be easy for any pretender to overhaul for the next nine years. It also helps to a great extent that he has convinced to his side first district Cong. Rene Relampagos and third district Cong. Arthur Yap. As for the second district Cong. Erico Aumentado, even if they were in each other's throats in the last elections, whatever electoral scar it may have brought to both of them may be healed over time. As they say, time is a good healer of grief.

The last elections of the League of Municipalities and the Liga federation had Chatto's handwriting all over it. The coming ones— the PCL and Vice Mayors' League will have Chatto all over the place, too. Last May elections showed how Chatto operated with clockwork precision his provinciwide campaign. Campaign workers who were privy to Chatto's brand of politics will readily attest that he may be ‘tender in the outside, but is steely in the inside” when dealing with loyal and or recalcitrant ward leaders. And he left nothing to chance when he ran for public office. While his opponents may be contented with their votes entrusted to traditional political leaders, in the case of Chatto he made sure the parallel group was also working smoothly in addition to the ward organization in place in each barangay.