By Rey Anthony H. Chiu

Gov. Edgar Chatto Friday shared a secret that apparently keeps in motion his style of governance taking into consideration the meager resources that hound local governments to keep both ends meet. According to the governor, local resources are barely enough to maintain its vital infrastructure in its peak condition adding that Bohol still manages to get its infrastructure development program moving. How? According to Governor Edgar Chatto, the key is counter-parting. In his State of the Province Address delivered before a packed Sangguninag Panlalawigan Session Hall Friday, Chatto insisted “i nfrastructure is a basic requirement for development.” But with its scant resources tied up to obligate its other priorities and obligations, single-handedly bank-rolling its infrastructure development program would be too costly for Bohol.

In this light, and over constant prodding of local governments from local leaders on how the province managed, the Bohol chief executive who had an extensive experience as legislator shared, “to add to our substantial resources for infrastructure, we sought counterpart funding from external partners.” “We have many of these ongoing partnerships, which has multiplied the reach of our own resources”, Chatto said Chatto revealed that Bohol’s total resources allocated for infrastructure in 2011, including both internally- and externally-sourced funds, amounted to P748 million. The governor enumerated the following: Roads (including Barangay Roads), Barangay Waterworks Development and Electrification, and other support infrastructure, including assistance from Provincial Roads Management facility (PRMF) and national government counterparts given by no less than His Excellency Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III, P 419.7 million, Hospitals, Health and Sanitation Facilities, including counterparts from the DOH, and from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) P221 million, School Buildings, including counterparts from DepEd, P 34.5 million.

Farm to Market Roads, Agricultural Equipment and Other Assistance, including counterparts from DA reached P31 million; Equipment Acquisition and Capacity Development from PRMF, P11.8 Million; and Additional funding for Other priority infrastructure projects, made possible by our Gawad Pamana ng Lahi and Seal of Good Housekeeping Awards, as well as the Local Governance Support Fund (LGSF), amounted to P30 Million, Chatto said. All of these figures highlight the Provincial Government’s strong commitment to infrastructure, Chatto, who shares the credit beamed with pride. In addition to the Provincial Engineer’s Office (PEO), which is tasked with the formidable mandate of implementing our infrastructure projects, it is proper here to also acknowledge the support services provided by the Provincial Motor Pool Office (PMPO) and the Provincial General Services Office (PGSO), according to the governor. Still lavishing from a fortunate support from the national government in Bohol’s development thrust, Chatto pointed out the presidential commitment to the concreting of the Balilihan-Hanopol-Batuan Road. He said “the initial amount of P146 million is now under implementation.”

This road which has been earlier identified as a crucial tourist support access, is the shortest route from the eastern part of Bohol to the center, connecting the major tourism sites of the eastern side, such as Abatan River and Mag-aso Falls, to the Chocolate Hills. For Chatto, the development opens new tourism attractions along the way, such as the Makapiko Rapids and the lush greenery in the area, aside from boosting agricultural transport. Aside from road development, Chatto also cited the President’s commitment and support the Albur Sanitary landfill. He said the president has committed to the release of P114M, while Bohol has also sought Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprises Zones Authority help in undertaking an inventory of all prior development in the area and subject the whole plan to re-evaluation by technical and environmental experts, namely the TWG from UP led by Dr. Rollon, to assure adherence to applicable environmental laws and waste management standards. (30)