Tagbilaran City Hall rehabilitation has been included in the recovery fund for quake-damaged public buildings committed by Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III to the province, according to Gov. Edgar Chatto. Final arrangement will be reached after discussions, the governor said, apparently referring to the ultimate concrete execution of the rebuilding plan resulting from proper coordination. Chatto said during his regular Friday media forum that the city government, led by Mayor John Geesnell Yap II and Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso, has been informed of the repair being included in the package. City offices, including the mayor's, have been relocated to nearby Agricultural Promotions Center (APC) to avoid consequent danger and until city hall is restored to maximum safety. The Sangguniang Panlungsod led by the vice mayor has transferred to a private structure past the central public market and near the cooperative hospital.

The legislative council's temporary location, where sessions are also held, has no detailed government personnel to secure official properties and records, said some legislative staff. There are councilors who have not even been provided support casual employees in the emergency relocation site, according to Kag. Alexander Lim. But there are SP members, though, who rather frequent at the APC along with several casual aides as the place is easily accessible to the constituents. Lim considered the rehabilitation of the present city hall, which was built by former Mayor Jose Torralba, a vital administrative concern and a priority that should not linger unattended, much less neglected.

The governor said the rehabilitation fund for damaged government buildings, including the provincial capitol itself, and public infrastructures is up for release. In his fourth Bohol visit in Loon last month since the great disaster, the president committed some P2.3 billion as intended, too, for destroyed municipal and barangay halls, public markets, Day Care and cultural centers, and other public sites. Budget Sec. Florencio Abad confirmed the huge aid and in fact met with the Bohol mayors, as arranged by Chatto who was himself in the discussion, during the recent national assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Manila. Abad underscored transparency and accountability, notably on the part of stakeholder LGUs, as essential thrusts that encourage more support to recovery effort. (Ven rebo Arigo)