Gov. Edgar M. Chatto delivered his State of the Province Address (SOPA) in less than an hour last Friday during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP). Besides the members of the SP it was alsoattended by the cross-section of the Boholano society and some of the representatives of local and foreign humanitarian organizations. Gov. Chatto was very emphatic about the outpouring of both financial and moral support for the victims of the 7.2 magnitude which he called “Great Bohol Earthquake.” The only great thing I see about the monster earthquake that brought my knees and most of us to the ground and pulverized some of our treasured heritage like our stone churches and many of our houses is perhaps its unifying effect on all of us. The earthquake has made us realize and feel as one people.

We learned from the governor that Bohol has received thru the Provincial Treasurer P45.4 million pesos financial assistance from all sectors both foreign and local and P4.4 million that the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry(BCCI) has sourced out from their members and friends. Had Yolanda not struck, we would have had more help to restore the province beyond its original status before the earthquake. But these funds will be good enough to let the province start to implement its restoration or rehabilitation plan especially in the reconstruction of the collapsed public infrastructure like government buildings, roads and bridges, and most importantly in the reconstruction of the houses of those who up to now are living in tent houses.To completely implement the rehabilitation plan the province will need some P12.314 billion.

The national government thru DSWD has earmarked a total of P912.690 million of which P436.380 million is first tranche for shelter assistance. The National Housing Authority is also pitching in P38.851 million.DepEd has already allocated P1 billion for the construction and repair of the school buildings. The Australian government will help fund the repair of 134 kilometers of provincial roads estimated to cost P221.355 million. This is over and above what the Australian government has already allocated under the current partnership with the Province of Bohol for provincial road maintenance. How Bohol responded to the emergency was summed up in President Aquino's Christmas message where he cited Bohol as a model of quick action, reliability and preparedness. He was awed by the resilience of the Boholanos and their determination to rise up from the effects of the disaster. With the rehabilitation plan underway, there is more to look forward to in 2014. There is the construction of an additional apron for the Tagbilaran Airport to accommodate more planes on the ground pending the completion and operationalization of the New Bohol Airport in Panglao. There is the modernization of health facilities like the hospitals to provide easy access to health care by the poor. With the installation of fiber optics in the province, it will be the next destination and location for business process outsourcing (BPO) and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO).

Incidentally the provincial government will celebrate the first Provincial Peace Day on Tuesday, February 11, 2014which is also the anniversary of the province being declared an insurgency-free province by then Defense Secretary NorbertoGonzales in 2010. A new advocacy for a NonkillingBoholano Society will be launched by Gov. Edgar M. Chatto during the celebration activities on Tuesday. This should be a very timely activity and advocacy as during the past few weeks and months, Bohol was shocked by the most bizarre crimes committed by the Boholanos themselves. There was the much publicised parricide and suicide case of the Co family. Then there was the incestuous rape by a son of his mother in Baclayon as a result of illegal drug use. Illegal druguse and pushing are the new enemies of peace in Bohol more than the threat of an NPA come back. Of course the old enemy – poverty – is still very much around. With more than 30 % of the Boholanos still living below poverty threshold, it will still be the No. 1 enemy of peace. Poverty just like the illegal drugs has the same effect on the behaviour and disposition of a person suffering from it. It can push him/her to commit crimes that he/she cannot imagine he/she can commit. Poverty is the poison of any society and therefore addressing it takes priority in any program of government.

Rising prices of important commodities is also an enemy of peace. The income of the man on the street is not increasing but the price of fish and rice in the market has only gone up. Even the poor man's fish of tulingan, tamarong an sapsap that used to command less than P100 per kilo price is now P150 and above. Gasoline and diesel in Bohol are priced more than P5 higher than its neighbour province – Cebu. How this can happen and continue to happen is a puzzle that has remained in Bohol without a solution. It will take the same passion and unity that Boholanos have shown in the aftermath of the “Great Earthquake” to surmount these and the other challenges of 2014 for Bohol. NOTES. Congratulations to Larry Pamugas, officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Provincial Agriculture Office for his national award in agriculture. Larry in his three years as OIC of the office of the Provincial Agriculture has achieved more than his many predecessors combined.