Fabrication laboratory or FabLab. What is this? And how will it help Boholanos economically? Fabrication laboratory is what President Noynoy Aquino came to launch in Bohol, particularly at the Bohol Island State University (BISU) last Friday. According to Wikipedia, FabLabis small scale workshop offering (personal) digital fabrication. A FabLab is generally equipped with an array of flexible computer-controlled tools that cover several different length scales in various materials, with the aim to make almost “anything.” This includes technology- enabled products generally perceived as limited to mass production. Example of these are laser cutter, water jet cutter and wireless networks. While FabLabs have yet to compete with mass production and its associated economies of scale in fabricating widely distributed products, they have already showed the potential to empower individuals to create smart devices for themselves. These devices can be tailored to local or personal needs inways that are not practical or economical using mass production. What is important is that this has no special maintenance cost.

I wonder if this can fabricate computer secretaries that can replace the sexy ones inside offices of executives who have jealous wives. It would help prevent a lot of husband and wife quarrels resulting from unholy office relationships or misunderstood perceptions. The fact that it is now lodged at BISU makes Bohol a new center for testing new ideas or discovering and inventing new tools and gadgets that could make this information age the new global economic driver. This could be the flint whose spark will make Bohol shine and provide Boholanos, especially young Boholanos, with the venue for realizing their aspirations. President Pinoy must really love Bohol so much for him to come and launch the project. Other Presidents would not bother to come just to launch a project like a fabrication laboratory that costs only P9.50 million according to a distributed brochure on the project. He must really fancy Bohol that much to give it the opportunity to shine by his presence and interest in its socio-economic growth. I could see no reason but the good impression that he has about the governance of Bohol under the Chatto-Lim administration. Time and again he has always expressed his appreciation every time he came to Bohol about the way things were and are being done to address the issues that confront the people especially during and after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol last October 15th. He has always been just praises for Bohol.

If we compare the damage wrought by the earthquake to Bohol and by super typhoon Yolanda to Samar and Leyte, Yolanda's destruction is a hundred times more extensive than what the earthquake did to Bohol. But President Pinoy has already visited Bohol five (5) times since the earthquake. If that is not being inspired by what he sees in Bohol, I don't know what would. This should b e enough inspiration, too, for the Boholanos to keep united and act as one in the face of any challenge. For sure more favors are coming to Bohol to keep it on stable track to meet global challenge.