Consistent to its reputation as the “Best Governed Province in the Philippines,” Bohol is again made as an apple of the eye of the national government which eyes the province as a learning center for good governance and poster model for rehabilitation efforts in the wake of calamities. This confirmation came straight from Gov. Edgar M. Chatto himself who announced the news just two weeks after said proposal was made official and lobbied for in Malacañang. “The proposition to make the Province of Bohol as a learning center for rehabilitation, restoration and reconstruction center for the country was originally hatched by Tourism Sec. Ramon Jimenez, Jr., Sec. Butch Abad of the Department of Budget and Management and yours truly,” Chatto said. This way, all that happened during and after the Oct. 15 earthquake and the province's relief and recovery efforts would be properly documented and made part of the country's history; and of course, would form part of the documents that would then be subsequently studied by all concerned agencies, not only for benchmarking quick response efforts for subsequent calamities, but more so as part of the reference and study materials for future rehab plans, Chatto said.

Stories of Bohol's fast recovery right after the Oct. 15 earthquake captured the international scene when local, national, and even international media first-handedly witnessed the Boholanos' Bayanihan spirit, coupled with the people's resiliency and strong determination to rise above the rubble the soonest time possible. When the province was in total blackout for a week right after the earthquake where the people's source of information came only from the national and international media because local power lines and utilities were cut-off and damaged, Chatto's tenacity not to bow down to defeat gave light to the people's steadfast resolve to rise far above the ruins. “It was acting normal and being in a state of normalcy despite all the disorder, confusion and turmoil of which the province was in. As a father, I had to show to the people that despite the great loss that happened, everything still is normal for we have each other to reach out and cling to,” Gov. Chatto recounted the experience. Malacañang's nod for the project not only seals Bohol's fate in the annals of history as a learning center for calamity recovery efforts but also would put into proper perspective the laws and rules involved in the restoration and rehabilitation of heritage sites and historical structures involving government funds and financial assistance from concerned and interested agencies.

The Provincial Government has tapped the National Museum, the National Historical Institute, the National Commission for Culture and Arts and the academe to help in the documentation of all pertinent data of the Oct. 15 tragedy where people's accounts and experiences would all be gathered together and stored as one big documentary and forever recorded as part of the country's history. This data would then serve as references in mapping out pertinent information such as hazard maps, landslide-prone areas, sinkhole-infested sections of communities and how possible force majeure and other man-made calamities could be addressed in the future. Chatto, in a meeting with Bishop Leonardo Medroso and church officials, concurred with everyone that the project would also entail the actual repair of damaged churches and historical sites, with the challenge to restore such treasures to their original designs, giving a shot in combining modern engineering and architecture with old school construction techniques.

However, the governor said that though these agencies would give their all in restoring, rehabilitating and reconstructing the ruins, those that would be beyond repair would be considered as living monuments that witnessed the fall of Bohol and its speedy historical recovery. “These living monuments would be part of our tourism's geological tours, enticing peoples from all over the globe to come visit the province and experience the glory of the past enhanced by the technology of the future,” Chatto said. The Chatto-Lim Administration has already submitted to the national government the Post-Great Bohol Earthquake Rehabilitation Plan wherein thirteen partially and totally-damaged NHI-declared historical sites and structures are listed as part of the province's proposed priority rehab project with a total cost of P60M. The list includes the Maribojoc Parroquia de la Santa Cruz, Loon Nuestra Señora de la Luz, Loboc Saint Peter the Apostle Church, Alburquerque Sta. Monica Parish Church, Baclayon Immaculada Concepcion de la Virgen Maria, Panglao San Agustin Parish Church, Dauis Our Lady of Assumption Church, Cortes Sto. Niño Parish Church, Loay Church of the Holy Trinity, Dimiao Saint Nicolas Tolentino Church, Dauis Watchtower and Convent, Maribojoc Punta Cruz Watchtower, and the Balilihan Belfry. The governor added that he would forever be grateful to all local and international agencies who came and gave their support to the Boholanos when all seemed ruined and lost. (Janet L. Villarojo)