Gov. Edgar Chatto is honored to give a lecture on the essence of power in a capacitating seminar for administration governors, vice governors and city mayors at the Liberal Party National Headquarters in Cubao on July 16-17. The Local Government Academy (LGA) of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has selected the Bohol leader “in recognition of his expertise and track record as an elected public official,” according to LGA Exec. Dir. Marivel Sacendoncillo. The two-day seminar intends to evaluate the skills, further the knowledge and capacitate particularly the newly-assumed first term governors, vice governors and city mayors of the ruling party from all over the land. At the same time, they will be oriented on the strategies towards effectively managing their respective local government units in support of Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III’s “straight path” or “daang matuwid” governance agenda.

The national LP itself initiates the enhancement of the capabilities of its leading local fronts across the country in partnership with the LGA, National Institute for Policy Studies (NIPS) and Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FnF). They have chosen and invited Chatto to be the resource speaker on “appreciating the totality of powers, roles and responsibilities of a provincial chief executive officer.” Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista will discuss the same topic in the context of city governance. Also, there will be discussions on governance at work in untangling the formula of reducing urban poverty and maximizing internal and external resources. Seminar organizers have acknowledged the breakthroughs in and major achievements of Bohol governance under Chatto, whose reelection to a second term is, to many’s perception, already feared this early by whoever may have plans to cross his path in 2016.

Chatto’s spectacular vote margin over his “closest” rival in the last May 13 gubernatorial encounter was unparalleled in the history of the province and safely revalidated his encompassing capacity. No less than Pres. Aquino swore in the reelected 25th Bohol governor at the Palace a week after his proclamation. Chatto’s symbolic oath-taking here over a month after on June 30 was administered by Associate Justice Gabriel Ingles of the Court of Appeals with LP national president and Department of Communications and Transportation (DOTC) Sec. Joseph Emilio Abaya as inaugural guest of honor. Newly-elected Provincial Board Members Tomas Abapo, Jr., a law school dean, and Elpidio Jala, a former DepEd-Bohol superintendent, expressed in a talk with mediamen after their session on Friday higher hopes for Bohol under Chatto. Actually an ex-board member of ability, record and prominence some years ago until his comeback in an opposing political camp in the last polls, Abapo is a former law teacher of the incumbent governor. (Ven rebo Arigo)