AIPO delegates, observers vow to promote Bohol to countrymen

A 250-STRONG delegation of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO) members and representatives of observer-countries Wednesday enjoyed the sights and “feel” of Bohol as they made a side trip as a breather from their assembly in Cebu .

Impressed with what they saw and felt, the members and observers vowed to promote Bohol back home as a tourism destination. Gov. Erico Aumentado welcomed the party at the Bohol Beach Club in the resort town of Panglao after they visited the world-renowned Chocolate Hills in Carmen town that morning, and took a cruise up the Loboc River on floating restaurants where they also had lunch. In his message, Aumentado gave them a bit of Bohol history by telling how the Philippines first registered in the world map. He said Boholano chieftain Datu Sikatuna was the country's first diplomat. On March 16, 1565 , he entered into a Blood Compact with Spanish conquistador Capt. Gen. Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

By drinking local wine into which drops of their blood were mixed, Sikatuna and Legazpi became “blood brothers.” As such, top-performing diplomats now get the Order of Datu Sikatuna awards. “Also on this shore not too long ago, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo hosted a summit with Prime Minister Helen Clark of New Zealand,” Aumentado explained, referring to the first out-of-Manila state visit by a foreign official last March 14.

The governor also offered a toast – wishing the delegates and observers well and asking them to be Bohol 's ambassadors of goodwill in their respective countries. In his response prior to his own toast he offered as head of delegation, Ng Lip Yong, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia vowed to do so. He also invited Aumentado to Kuala Lumpur as Malaysia will host AIPO 2007. During the current AIPO gathering in Cebu , the members passed a resolution to transform itself into an organization closely integrated with the ASEAN by changing its name into an “assembly” or AIPA.

Other resolutions passed included building energy security and cooperating in the fight against cyber-terrorism. It was farewell shortly after the welcome though, because the group had to take a ferry back to Cebu by 4 p.m. Some delegates however did not content themselves with the sights – they also had a “feel” by taking a dip in the swimming pool and the sea notwithstanding the low tide and the danger of stepping on sea urchins. Warned against the discomfort in case they get pricked, the delegates most interested in a sea dip promised their tour guide that they will be “very, very careful.” Coming from a landlocked area in Vietnam , one official's wife took time to cajole her husband to let her walk barefoot on the white powdery sand beach. “We had an enjoyable and eventful day. We saw the sights and enjoyed good food. We will bring the memories back home,” Ng said.

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