By MIKE ORTEGA LIGALIG and RIC V. OBEDENCIO

Bohol's hosting of the national convention of more than 1,000 vice-mayors in the Philippines has boosted the tourism industry here as the visiting officials had witnessed the province's dramatic rise from last year's devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Speaking via Skype from Japan where he attended an orientation tour hosted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Gov. Edgar M. Chatto lauded the decision of the Vice-Mayors' League of the Philippines (VMLP) to hold its 22nd national convention and 25th founding anniversary celebration at the sprawling Panglao Island Nature Resort (PINR) in Dauis town, from July 10-12, 2014.

Chatto in a virtual news conference said he hopes that the vice-mayors who came here would return to their respective localities “inspired and empowered” as they gleaned good memories about Bohol and unforgettable lessons about the province's journey to recovery from a deadly earthquake that had flattened houses, centuries-old churches, and public infrastructures.

“We hope that VMLP's convention would send a strong message to the nation that Bohol is ready to host any national convention and we assure our fellow countrymen that all our guests and tourists would be safe when they visit Bohol,” Chatto said. “There is so much to learn about Bohol,” the governor added, “and local government units can make our province as a learning destination for disaster preparedness and calamity recovery.” Tagbilaran City Vice-Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso also re-echoed Chatto's message, saying the convention was a “big success”as it received a huge turn-out of visiting legislators.

Veloso also hailed the leadership of VMLP President Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, who inspired the country's vice-mayors to act as fiscalizers and catalysts of change. “We are grateful to the VMLP leadership for pushing through the holding of convention here despite what had happened to Bohol last Oct. 15,” said VMLP Bohol Chapter president Atty. Antonino Jumawid. But many of the vice-mayors, reports said, were saddened over the sudden trip cancellation of Interior Sec. Mar Roxas who was supposed to be the convention's guest speaker.

A DILG staff told Bohol media that the secretary was all set Thursday for his second travel to Bohol in a month before Pres. Benigno Aquino reportedly called him for a crisis meeting with all the President's cabinet members. A source said the emergency meeting could be related to the issues surrounding the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and national security. Roxas, together with Budget Sec. Butch Abad, was in Bohol last June when he personally handed over a P2.4 billion check to Bohol officials. The fund will be used to rehabilitate the damaged public infrastructures of the province hit by last year's great tremor.

NO SHOW

Meanwhile, there has been no official statement on the cancelled trip of Roxas. The perceived presidential timber for Liberal Party was supposedly to be the guest speaker of convention. Bohol media members who responded to the invitation for a press conference were caught by surprise when Roxas' advanced party told them that the DILG secretary could not make it.  Roxas was represented by DILG Undersecretary Peter Irving Corbero, who reads the secretary's message during the opening program.

Balilihan Vice-Mayor Pureza Veloso-Chatto went on to introduce the secretary before Corbero took to the podium. Aside from Roxas, Manila City Vice-Mayor Francisco M. Domagoso, a.k.a. “Isko Moreno,” who is the league's national president, did not also show up in the convention, as expected of him. There was no reason given by the organizers over Moreno's absence. The VMLP president was represented by Vice-Mayor Ronald Allan Nalupta of Batac, Ilocos Norte, who serves as the league's executive vice-president. Vice-Gov. Concepcion Lim, who represented Gov. Edgar Chatto, and City Vice-Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso gave their respective welcome messages during the opening program.

Rep. Rene L. Relampagos, City Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap II, Balilihan Vice-Mayor Pureza Chatto and Dauis Mayor Miriam Sumaylo also welcomed the visitors during the same occasion. Batuan Vice-Mayor and VMLP Bohol chapter president Atty. Antonino Jumawid and provincial administrator Alfonso Damalerio II extended much-needed support to the event. This year's theme banners the league's vision: “The VMLP – Catalyst for Inclusive Growth, Good Governance and Resiliency to Environmental Change.” Several vice-mayors expressed praise for Bohol.

Bohol is the “cleanest and greenest,” said Vice-Mayor Arcadio Mendoza of Calauag, province of Quezon. He said it's been ten long years he had not set foot here, saying a lot in Bohol has been changed. Vice-Mayor Lulu Baquiran of Vigan City, Ilocos Sur expressed similar commendation. Baquiran is strongly campaigning for Vigan to become the next seven wonder cities of the world. VMLP secretary-general Willie Villegas said in his speech that the vice-mayors can get a lot of lessons from Bohol's resiliency after the calamities.