So, he’s back in harness, but yes, in a walker. As an aid to mobility for balance and stability, Gov. Edgar Chatto is using a walker after recovering from a successful leg surgery. Now, that he is back, the governor’s trumpeters are hoping that all speculations about his physical condition shall have ended. He urged his critics and admirers alike to focus “our resources to the year ahead”. As always, the governor was determined as ever, even more aggressive in seeing to it that his administration and development pursuit in 2013 will remain on tract. On Day One, following his post-operations stint, he conferred with fellow Capitol officials, other government functionaries and town leaders visiting him at the Governor’s Mansion on stronger strategies achieving the priority goals in partnership with the various sectors. That was yesterday. The provincial leader arrived at the mansion Friday night after his doctors cleared and discharged him from the Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu City where he stayed after a new year freak accident that injured his right leg at a Panglao resort.

The governor is firmer about pursuing bolder programs on health, education, agriculture and tourism, all four major areas being articulated in his service banner slogan HEAT Bohol. His administration with Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim at the same time gets more bullish to execute essential, impact infrastructure projects without sacrificing environmental dignity. From the prominent to ordinary, Boholanos have seemed to have more clearly realized the higher value of leaders that can spell the difference in their lives following, first, the death of ex-governor and Rep. Erico Aumentado on the holy night of Christmas and, a week after, Chatto’s freak accident on New Year’s Day. This explained the outpouring of prayers and well-wishes from the Boholanos and other Filipinos here and abroad for Chatto’s fast recovery and their happiness for his return on Friday. To stretch the litany of stunning Bohol events in so short a time---in a span of just 17 days since Aumentado’s passing and nine days after Chatto’s accident---a third shocker happened with the January 10 sudden withdrawal of Loboc Mayor Leon Calipusan from the third district congressional fight.

Chatto said he respected the decision of Calipusan, a Liberal Party mate, and that the group is intensifying soon its campaign sorties to propel Bohol to greater heights. Even the non-supporting mayors admired Calipusan for his “graceful” exit as a candidate while remaining loyal to the ideals of the party. Before he withdrew, Calipusan informed the governor, who was still then in the hospital, of his decision not to pursue his congressional bid. He heeded the advice of Chatto, who is the LP provincial chair assing he will inform the national party hierarchy which issued Calipusan his Certificate of Official Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) as candidate for congressman. On Friday’s live broadcast of the Kita ug Ang Gobernador Program at the Governor’s Mansion, Chatto reported from the hospital thru his cellular mobile phone his coordination with Calipusan for the Bohol visit of the new Chinese ambassador to the Philippines on January 26-29. The visit is to be co-hosted by the provincial government of Bohol and municipality of Loboc.

BOLDER STRATEGIES

Chatto is bolder in executing the province’s hospital modernization program and tightening of the local integrated health zones. Capitol has sustained its partnership with the Department of Health, World Medical Relief, a US-based foundation, and other institutions and groups for quality health care services to the Boholanos. In education, the dynamic learning program, particularly in the areas of English, Science and Mathematics, will be aggressively pursued in both elementary and secondary schools as teacher’s training program is intensified. More school facilities are provided thru the bayanihan classroom building program partnership of the provincial government, Department of Education, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the private sector. Chatto said the DepEd has assured to hire more teachers. In agriculture, the rice self-sufficiency program will get keener focus as Bohol is launching the Year of the Rice while the production of corn and other high-value crops is enhanced. The launching of another aggressive program, this time engaging agri-tourism, also this year is projected to generate additional livelihood and income for the agricultural workers and many sub-sectors that produce food.

Chatto reported from the hospital room a day to his discharge that Tourism Sec. Ramon Jimenez, Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala and Sen. Francis Pangilinan convened on Wednesday on Bohol’s agri-tourism collaboration. The ube industry is one highlight of the collaboration, which already has an approved national support fund of P14 million, the governor said. A dramatic progress in tourism itself is foreseen with the implementation of the new Bohol airport on Panglao island starting this year. The infrastructure programs for roads, waterworks system and other vital facilities have sufficient funds while allocations from the Office of the President are assured for various support programs of the local government units. Not just fast recuperating but in a “working” recovery, the governor said he wants 2013 to be another banner year for governance, Bohol having been the country’s best-governed province in two consecutive years, and flag year for development. His wish is warm for the just-opened year, notwithstanding the election in May, to be one more appealing season for love, understanding, unity and cooperation among Boholanos. (Ven rebo Arigo)