Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III extolled in his Christmas message to the nation the resilience of the quake-battered Boholanos to be like the Bethlehem star that beacons and inspires. “In Bohol, (the people) were down in the disaster, but I myself witnessed: Truly, they were rising, they were fighting,” he said on the eve of Christmas. The president said that “like the star of Bethlehem that served as beacon light and inspiration to the three kings, we were also filled with energy and hope in the endurance of our people despite the tragedy that they experienced.” For the national leader, the Boholanos led by Gov. Edgar Chatto and Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim proved to their fellow Filipinos that any hardest test could be overcome.

While humbled by the president's generous words for the Boholanos, Chatto said during the year-ending episode of his regular forum with the media on Friday that “we have all reasons to believe that we can do.” The support itself from the Aquino administration in Bohol's rebuilding is one reason “that we have for what we could.” The governor also cited gratefully the help of the global community and, above all, the divine intervention for the good of men for which Christmas is celebrated “Maging tanglaw tayo ng pag-asa sa ating kapwa Pilipino,” Aquino said in his message spoken in the national language. The president said, “Perhaps, this is one of the most important lessons to us from Our Lord: We just do all that we can, and God will provide the rest.” The governor projected the massive rehabilitation to be in full swing starting next year and make Bohol busier in 2014. (See separate story.) But the province's comprehensive rehabilitation plan, which full Regional Development Council (RDC 7) endorsement he succeeded to get, needs a sustained, even more heightened, cooperation from the Boholanos themselves, according to Chatto.

In his Christmas text message, Chatto again thanked Aquino and his administration for showing great concern for the recovery of the Boholanos. The governor also forwarded to the president his text to Energy Sec. Carlos Jericho Petilla expressing his support for the stay of the secretary as soon as Chatto learned of Petilla's intent to resign. Chatto said Bohol would not have reached this far in its recovery process had power not been restored more than a month ago after the earthquake, and he credited it to the energy secretary for his invaluable help. “We know how Leyte was devastated by the super typhoon, and to think that he (Petilla) is from Leyte and yet still helping Bohol is more than enough to recognize and repay his work and kindness to us,” the Bohol leader said. Chatto said the recovery process involves not just the rehabilitation of destroyed infrastructure facilities but also of the economic and social systems which have equally been affected. With heavy government spending for reconstruction and many new investments, like the opening of new big hotels and resorts that further stimulate tourism, the governor expressed strong optimism of a new year that propels Bohol to greater heights after the unforgiving earthquake.

“We are gravely challenged, but opportunities of likely tremendous positive impacts on their lives also await the Boholanos,” Chatto said. Simultaneous with the massive reconstruction of buildings, roads, bridges and houses, among others, will be the transformation of Bohol into a learning center of heritage preservation and restoration. Chatto said this is because of the determined joint effort of the state, religious sector and various external sources of support to re-erect the antiquated, heritage churches flattened by the 7.2 magnitude quake. The calamity tested the limit of internal resources even in post-emergency response, but Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II bared the province still posted significant increases in earnings from different rev enue sources in 2013 and expected bullishly of a much better fiscal position next year.