IN a clever move to preposition Bohol roads to a more reliable source of development funds, the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Bohol Chapter succeeded in declaring major roads as tourism highways thereby assuring fast funds for its upkeep. Jagna Mayor and LMP Chairman Exuperio Lloren shepherded the league in passing the corresponding resolution during the recent league gathering at the Jjs Seafoods Village. There, majority of the 47 mayors agreed that the resolution would open for Bohol development planners another potential tap source to bucket development funds for the roads other than the usual local government cash boxes.  While most of the major roads declared as tourism highways are provincial roads needing local funds, and could only get funds national government coffers when they could be converted to national roads, Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado said by declaring them as tourism highways, the roads could get funds from the president's priority projects fund.  Mayors then joined the bandwagon in suggesting their prioritized roads to be included in the LMP omnibus resolution to declare the roads as tourism highways.

 Identified and prioritized by the LMP as vital national and provincial roads which also host the Bohol Beautification and Green Highways Project are the Bacani Clarin-Sagbayan-Carmen-Sierra Bullones-Jagna Road, the Anda peninsula road network including Guindulman-Candijay-Anda-Mabini and Ubay Road, Tubigon-Catigbian-Sagbayan road, Balilihan-Hanopol-Makapiko Batuna Road, Sierra Bullones-Pilar-Alicia Road, Antequera-San Isidro-Catigbian-Sagbayan-Danao-Buenavista-Getafe-Inabanga Road, Dimiao-Bilar Road. Pilar-Guindulman Road, Maribojoc-Antequera-San Isidro-Catigbian Road, Batuan-Valencia Road, Loon-Antequera Road, Baclayon-Corella_Sikatuna-Loboc Road, Tubigon-San Isidro Road, Inaghuban Pilar-Lungsodaan Candijay Riad and the Antequera-Calape-San Isidro Road.

The roads also complement the major improved roads, which were earlier declared tourism highways and in fact have started getting national government funds, Mayor Roberto Salinas, the league executive vice president bared. Earlier identified by local authorities as tourism highways are the full stretch of the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Network I and II, Loay Interior Road , Panglao Island Circumferential Road Improvement Project and the Panglao Central Line Route.  By declaring the said roads also, the provincial government envisions the sprouting of beautified and well kept green trees and ornamental plants specifically white gumamelas, fire trees, bougainvillas and other endemic tress and plants along the said roadsides.  During the same gathering, Bohol provincial legal officer and lawyer Handel Lagunay read the mechanics of the ambitious highway greening and beautification program along these identified highways, in support of the tourism dream.  “Within these highways, showcases of pocket forests and endemic tree species lining the highways would enhance the tourism dream as well as anchor Bohol's dream of coming up with a contribution in helping nature recover and in arresting environmental problems associated with pollution, Lagunay shared during the gab. The governor also signed an executive order detailing the implementing rules and regulations of the project at the same meeting.