City Mayor John Geesnel “Baba” Yap marked his first Charter Day celebration Tuesday with the awarding ceremonies of outstanding Tagbilaranons and other awardees who excelled in their chosen careers. Leading the pack of awardees was Provincial Director Dennis Palo Agustin of the Philippine National Police. He was cited for his relentless campaign against the rampant proliferation of illegal drugs and for setting an excellent role model for all law enforcers in Bohol, the PNP provincial director was awarded July 1 as an "Outstanding Public Servant" by the City Government of Tagbilaran during the city's 48th Charter Day celebration.

While some police officials in the country may have been dragged in controversies, Luzon-born Police Senior Supt. Dennis Palo Agustin is the first Bohol PNP director feted with such an honor by the local government here, in recognition of his "honesty, sincerity, integrity and hard work in maintaining the peace and order of Bohol and in hunting down those who may disturb the serenity of the island province," according to City Administrator Edi Borja. Aside from Col. Agustin, given the same award during an elaborate ceremony in time of City Mayor Baba Yap's first state of the city address were Court of Appeals Justice Gabriel Ingles and school principal Concepcion Tubal. Agustin, a Philippine Military Academy graduate, was chosen by Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto to lead the Bohol police command a month before a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck here due to the colonel's "unblemished record since he entered the police service." "Agustin serves Bohol with a pure heart and we will rally behind him," Chatto has said.

The Bohol PNP director has been known for his nearly daily crackdown of illegal drugs here, which had also cost the assassination of two anti-drug crusading town police chiefs last May 2 and June 7. Six of the slay suspects had also been killed during a police encounter. During last Friday's regional peace and order council meeting, PNP regional director Chief Supt. Prudencio Bañas hailed the Bohol Police Provincial Office for topping the anti -drug war in Central Visayas, hauling more than P7 million street value of shabu from January to May 2014 alone. Agustin said that the award given to him "may serve as an inspiration to police officers to work hard, with all honest y and sincerity, for God and for country."

LIFETIME ACCOLADE

The Tagbilaran government conferred on its 48th Charter Day the first lifetime award to Gov. Edgar Chatto whose vision for Bohol is persuading transformation into the fore of the province's lone city. City hall under Mayor John Geesnell Yap II and Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso honored Chatto's “sincerity and support” which have “truly enabled the city to continuously achieve its aspirations.” Chatto received the “Lifetime Achievement Award,” reputed to be the first ever from the city to any Boholano, as he himself honored city hall's “melting of the great divide” that had once---and for long---self-imposed upon the city LGU a refusal to capitol help to the felt disadvantage of its citizenry.

The awarding and recognition, which had other category recipients, gave a tact and glowing prelude to Yap's first State of the City Address (SOCA) that climaxed the charter celebration at the Bohol Cultural Center on July 1. It was Tagbilaran's first cityhood commemoration in many years to which a governor and a congressman of the First District, where the city belongs, were invited. City hall likewise honored Rep. Rene Relampagos' support to the reform and development agenda of the Yap-Veloso administration. The venue of the Charter Day-SOCA rites outside city hall was unprecedented, too, although this is explained by the damaged state of the city hall, which imposing new look once rehabilitated was spotlighted in the mayor's address.

City Administrator LeonidesBorja yesterday said the rehabilitation of the government center is targeted for completion in January so that it can be reoccupied in the fresh new year. City hall's reconstruction fund of over P80 million, a bulky part of the total P114 million recovery aid to the city from the national government, has already been secured by Chatto and Relampagos with the backing of other Bohol leaders. In return of the generous acknowledgment of the effort of the Bohol leadership, the governor commended city hall for “reinstalling the bridge” between the city and province. Trust in, respect for and open communication with higher authorities, fellow leaders and public servants were an absent text in the past governance of the city. The mayor congratulated in his address the SangguniangPanlungsod led by Veloso for its “swift actions” on his requests, calling it a manifestation of a collective effort to serve well and good. Yap thanked the support of Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III and his cabinet, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan headed by Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim, city barangay leaders, and Commission on Audit “for guidance.” Regaining city hall's moral ascendancy and restoring public faith in government have been regarded as already a notable accomplishment of the Yap-Veloso officialdom. Chatto admired the mayor's political maturity despite his young age and the infancy of his administration, which formally assumed at noon of June 30 last year or a year and a half day to last July 1's cityhood anniversary.

AWARDEES

Tagbilaran diocese Bishop Leonardo Medroso and Agustin, police provincial director, led awardees who were bestowed with honors during the city's 48thbirthday.  Medroso and Agustin received plaques for being Adopted Son of Tagbilaran City and Outstanding Public Servant, respectively.  Plaques of Commendation awards were also bequeathed to PSupt JovitoAtanacio and 19 other policemen for their unselfish service to prevent and fight crimes in the city.  Other police officers who received similar honors include PSInsp Adriano Bacus, SPO4 Bartolome Udtohan, SPO3 Yolando Bagotchay, SPO3 Luciano Fuentes, SPO2 Meneleo Sevilla, SPO1 Patrick Kibir,  PO3Danilo Masa, PO3 Agosto Cesario Sumaylo, PO3 Sandro Tandugon, PO2 Ignacio Inojales, PO2 Fiona Mae Lagumbay, PO2 Richie Lovete, PO2 Tristan Magtabog, PO2 Max Dexter Bacolot, PO1 Wanie Dotillos, Po1 Alsan Fornolles, PO1 Bart Paredes, PO1 Crescencio Pantinople, Jr. and  PO1 Proceso Paragoso, Jr.

 Other Outstanding Public Servants are  Justice Gabriel Ingles and school principal Concepcion Tubal;  Mariano Uy --- Humanitarian award; Loy Palapos – Outstanding Civic Leader; Bohol Chronicle – Outstanding Public Servant in Mass Media; meritorious Service Award – Francisca Baluyot, Dr. Luther Dinah Ramiro; Mother of the Year – Luisa Lim Ong; Family of the Year – Huan Lip Siok family; Couple of the Year – Judge Pablo and Margarita Magdoza; Business Achievement --- Du Ek Sam and First Consolidated Bank.  Chocolate Hills Amateur League, Tarsier 117, Bureau of Fire Protection, Phil National Red cross Bohol and Bohol Paddlers Inc. are Outstanding Community Service awardees. Gov. Edgar Chatto and Rep. Rene Relampagos were also conferred with awardees for their contribution to city development programs.  Honesty is the best policy, the mayor said, is the basis for conferring Honesty awards to Wilson Bon, Estilito Alam, Romeo Gocotano and Henry Cambangay. Athlete of the Year awards to Lloyd Jabez Antoque and Eilen Rose Perez.   Mariano Uy apparently for setting up Botika sa Katawhan got the Humanitarian award; centernarian award to Luisa Calamba (103 years old) and Feliciano Pelias (101 years old). Former mayors Dan Neri Lim, Jose V. Torralba and Rolando G. Butalid also received awards and former city mayors Venancio P. Inting and Jose Ma. Rocha, posthumous awards.