Want to know the real score on the conflicting claims of Bool and Loay as to the site of the blood compact, the first so-called Treaty of Friendship between Spain and the Philippines? Read on! The National Historical Institute (NHI), through its Acting Executive Director Emelita V. Almosara, has declared Bool as the tourist site and Loay town as the historic site of the Blood Compact. The historic Sandugo, which is a Visayan word for “One Blood,” took place, as recent studies by the NHI show, between Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna on March 16, 1565 in Loay town and not in Bool, the site as verbally handed down through generations of Boholanos. “History is dynamic,” Almosara said. “NHI people are always open to new development. The NHI is now planning to sit down with the Department of Education (DepEd) people to correct our history books as regards to this matter,” she added.

However, the agency is quite concerned upon learning about a supposed law that was passed by then Gov. Erico Aumentado declaring Bool as the official Blood Compact site and has promised to look into it once a new set of Board of Directors for the NHI is named. The NHI, which is an arm in the culture and development agenda of the government, is the agency tasked to promote Philippine history and cultural heritage through research, dissemination, conservation, sites management and heraldry works to inculcate awareness and appreciation of the noble deeds and ideals of our heroes and other illustrious Filipinos, to instill pride in the Filipino race and to rekindle the Filipino spirit through the lessons of history. It is also mandated to undertake research and publication of Philippine historical works; educational activities on historical events and personages; restoration, preservation and conservation of movable and immovable objects of historical value and implementation of the National Historic Act of the Philippines (PD 260 and PD 1505); administration of historic sites, structures and memorabilia of national heroes; and blazoning of government symbols and implementation of Republic Act 8491 or “The Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines.”

On the other hand, Almosara also came over to Bohol all the way from the capital to personally hand over the agency's P500,000.00 check which is the allocated fund granted for the request of then Cong. Edgar M. Chatto of the First District, now Bohol Provincial Governor, for the improvement and restoration of the CPG House, former residence of the 8 th President of the Philippines, Carlos P. Garcia, of Talibon, Bohol. Said amount is also for the heritage preservation of the CPG House compound of which the Provincial Government has pledged to allocate funds to construct a building on it to be used as registration site for local and international tourists and also, to serve as a museum holding background information on the life of the former Boholano President. The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Loay and the descendants of the Garcia Family have also pledged to do their part to fast track the compound's development; and at the same time, counting on the funds to be released by the NHI as restoration budget initiated by Gov. Chatto through the Tourism Act when he was still in Congress.