“Opportunities lost”—this best describes at least three mega-projects pursued in the previous administration that have now been dumped in limbo upon the take-over of a new provincial leadership from the opposing political camp. Some Boholano businessmen aired out this concern as they expressed lament that the island construction project proposed in Panglao, the special economic zone development that had been eyed to house the modern bio-ethanol processing plant from seaweeds and the seaweeds farming in Talibon have been junked by the present administration. The group of businessmen said they had been banking on the implementation of these three multi-million-peso projects for business opportunities, but they hesitated to come out in the open for fear of being caught in the political crossfire. Once a credible scientific would prove the project to be tolerable to the environment, they would come out in the open, according to the group.

They now questioned how the provincial leaders handled the proposed island construction project, saying all the contentions raised by the oppositors boiled down to the necessity of a site-specific environmental impact study. However, the hesitation of the oppositors only hinted that the scientific study might prove them wrong. Moreover, the concern on the project’s impact on the biodiversity can be addressed by the natural quantity replacement of each affected species and could even come with the introduction of new species once the islands are constructed with components similar to natural habitat of flora and fauna. However, the Boholano construction sector, especially those who lost their fortune in Surigao, ended up gnashing their teeth on the lost opportunities, saying they could have done business with the provincial government for the project—for the thousands of civil works it entails and the thousands of laborers they would hire.

Hopeful contractors also lamented that their heavy equipment are now idle for a while, noting that Bohol suddenly relaxed on infrastructures. Petroleum product distributors in the province shared the sentiment as they admitted having watched for provincial government to close the deal, considering that the operation of heavy equipment could have meant sales of about 200 liters a day, not to mention the services they would need from vulcanizing and machine shops for the maintenance of the equipment and other services. Even food vendors in Panglao, Dauis and Tagbilaran City had been projecting the economic activity as prospective market for their products. Some tour agencies and van operators also expressed disappointment on the spilled milk, because it could have been the pioneer Private-Public Partnership project in Bohol .

The island construction project could have spurred increase influx of tourists that could have been additional income for them. On the other hand, Bohol could have been on the cutting edge of the international biofuel industry with the integrated seaweeds farming and modern bio-ethanol processing plant in the proposed special economic zone in Talibon. However, Bohol lost it all to the political crossfire as they could not help it but suspect that the three multi-million-peso projects have been scrapped by the present administration just because they were espoused by the former governor.