A provincehood marking that signifies a development transition and a series of international fusion food nights usher in the finale of Sandugo festival, which this year celebrates the Boholano resilience after the great earthquake. The province will mark its 160th founding anniversary on Tuesday, July 22, with Gov. Edgar M. Chatto and PLDT President Napoleon L. Nazareno leading the launching of the Bohol Domestic Fiber Optic Network (Bohol DFON). Himself a Boholano, Nazareno is coming on behalf of PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan. The climate-resilient fiber link puts competitiveness onto the third leg of the province's tripod for economic recovery and development growth, the information technology – business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry. Chatto will also lead the opening of the International Fusion Cuisine Nights, a home and foreign food exhibit adding flavor to the Sandugo festivities, at Plaza Rizal across capitol early this evening, July 20.

There will be nightly cultural shows and entertainments to add attractions to the event, which runs until July 26 en route to the most-awaited spectacle of the month-long Sandugo, the streetdancing, on Sunday, July 27. Nazareno will keynote the 160th Bohol Day commemoration at Bohol Cultural Center, with Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua as guest speaker. Bohol and China's Jiangxi are sister provinces. Other Bohol Day highlights include the conferment of the Governor's Awards to banker Richard Uy and the “Father of Bohol Tourism,” Anos Fonacier. The province will present the Centennial Award to 106-year-old former San Isidro Mayor Pedro Samuya, the founding mayor of his town and the oldest living former public official in the province. Special citations will be presented to Bohol development and cultural enrichment patron Amb. Carlos Chan, who is the Philippine special envoy to China and chairman of the Liwayway Group of Companies; Henry Chuesuy, owner of Hennan Resort; Samuel Venadaigam, chief executive officer, The Shelter Company; and Lee Kay Lian, volunteer architect, The Shelter Company. A thanksgiving mass will be officiated also at the cultural center at 7:30 in the morning, followed by the commemorative program which opens with a tribute to Boholano heroes. Chatto will deliver the commemorative message. Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim and First District Rep. Rene Relampagos will also speak. Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II will introduce the keynote speaker and Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II doing the honor for the guest speaker.

BOHOL DFON: AN ECONOMIC PILLAR

Nazareno said the fiber optic network is bound to upscale Bohol tourism as it also enables the province to attract business outsourcing industry players to establish a globally-competitive IT-BPO hub. Installed at P600 million, the Bohol DFOPN can meet and satisfy the information communications technology (ICT) demands of the province as a new aviation center, too, in the country with the imminent rise of the new Bohol airport on Panglao island. During the Tagbilaran City Charter Day on July 1, Relampagos cited as a “determined work in progress” the transformation of Tagbilaran City/Bohol into a “next wave city” of the IT-BPO industry. The Bohol DFON has laid more than 245 kilometers of inland and submarine fiber optic cables that are less susceptible to outages from fiber cuts caused by natural disasters like earthquakes and strong storms, according to the PLDT. PLDT Technology Group head Rolando Pena said fiber is the foundation of all digital communications infrastructures. “If you don't have enough of it, you cannot offer extensive, resilient high-speed broadband services.” The Bohol DFON is in support of the development effort of Bohol led by Chatto, according to Nazareno.

FOOD FESTIVAL

The nightly Sandugo international food showcase at plaza Rizal starting this evening offers reasonably priced dishes for all to afford. Joining the governor in the kick-off ceremony are the city mayor, Bohol Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Resorts (BAHRR) head Rommel Gonzales and even Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) General manager Veredigno Atienza, among others. Exhibitors and their menu offerings include Gavroche Bakery (French pastries), Linaw (European cuisine), Ocean Suites (mixed cuisine, mostly European), Olman's Plaza (European, mostly German), Totolan Castle (American/southern style and Asian), TZ (European cuisine), Tarsier Botanika ((mixed international cuisine); Helmut's Place (European), Olliwood (European cuisine), Woody's Smokehouse (American burgers and bbq ribs), JJ's Dimsum (Chinese siomai, rice toppings, meat and vegetables), Jojie's Painitan (Filipino pastries), Binalot (Filipino cuisine/adobo/beef tapa); and Panda Tea Garden (Filipino and Asian dishes), Casa Nova Garden (Boholano pastries), LGU Panglao (processed foods/chorizo/bacon), Egay's Farm (organic and native products and chicken), and Bellevue (international). With the food showcase and development-focused Bohol Day marking ushering the Sandugo finale, this year's festival has reinforced Bohol's regaining of footing as a prime tourist destination and a choice investment spot after the notorious earthquake. (Ven C. Arigo)