Gov. Edgar M. Chatto enjoined the Boholano people in honoring the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Jesse Robredo after his untimely death. The 54-year-old Robredo’ body was retrieved on Tuesday morning from the wreckage of a four-seater light plane that crashed at sea while attempting an emergency landing at Masbate Airport. Robredo was en route home to Naga City from Cebu City, where he had delivered a speech on behalf of President Aquino. Chatto, upon hearing the news while attending the commemorative mass for the 29 th death anniversary of the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, immediately issued a memorandum requesting offices, establishments, and other institutions to fly or hoist the national flag in respective buildings, offices, and halls at half mast until the day of Robredo’s burial.

Pres. Noynoy Aquino had proclaimed through declaration a 6-day national mourning and a state funeral for the late interior secretary. Chatto said it is but proper to pay respects to a great leader and model public servant who was known for his strong advocacy for transparent, accountable and responsive government, local autonomy, people empowerment, and excellence in public service, among others. One week before the ill-fated plane crash, Chatto and 1 st District Rep. Rene Relampagos met with Robredo and DOTC Sec. Mar Roxas in Manila to discuss development programs in Bohol. Robredo, in his last acts in the performance of his duty, releasing the list of Best Performing LGUs nationwide based on the Local Government Performance Management System results, declaring Bohol as Best Governed Province for 2011. Bohol was also named Best Governed Province in 2010. Australian Ambassador to the Philippines H. E. Bill Tweddell also paid respects to the DILG Sec during the roads reform progress forum here, recalling that Robredo was the first cabinet secretary he met, which coincidentally was on the same day that he met Chatto in Manila.

Robredo had worked closely with the Australian Embassy on development cooperation matters with DILG as principal partner, and has worked productively with the national agency on mining issues, key consular cases, police cooperation, and peace and development efforts. In his tenure as DILG Secretary, Robredo had been instrumental in introducing performance-based reforms, such as the “Seal of Good Housekeeping” that rewards local governments for improved transparency and accountability. In 2011, Bohol was recipient of the Seal of Good Housekeeping, along with 36 municipalities, recognition Robredo himself conferred during a disaster management conference in Cebu last year, where in the same venue, Robredo gathered Bohol local chief executives in a special meeting. The Province of Bohol was also bestowed the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi in October last year in recognition of exemplary performance across major development initiatives in administrative governance, social governance, economic governance and environmental governance, an award conferred by no less than Pres. PNoy and Robredo themselves. As guest speaker during 115 th CPG Day Celebration last year, Robredo regarded governance and leadership in the province as both “mahusay at matino.” He also set foot inside the Provincial Capitol and even attended the blessing and inauguration of the former PLDT building. The DILG Sec. was also guest speaker at a forum on Provincial Risk Reduction Management on the same occasion. Chatto himself flew to Manila yesterday to attend the wake of the late Sec. Robredo. (Leah/EDCOM)