How “Katigbi” Became Catigbian - & now home to the biggest livestock auction market in Bohol if not the Visayas

It used to be that transformation was such an unheard word in Catigbian. (The town got its name from Katigbi, a seed-bearing plant whose seeds resemble to a rosary beads). For decades, the town was nothing but a sleepy and obscure habitat of contented farmer-folks. Until transformation came like magic and morphed into a household brand. Until Mayor Roberto “Bertsal” Salinas happened to have wielded the “magic wand”.

At least two issues made transformation possible. First, that the town rose from the ranks of obscurity to what it is now—a new growth center that has all the potentials of becoming a bustling melting pot. Second, is that it gives too much hype to a new landmark that will make the town the livestock auction capital of Bohol if not the entire Visayas. For Mayor Salinas and his partners in the Sangguniang Bayan led by its presiding officer V-Mayor Fortunato Concon, its no meat feat. Today's program of activities explains all this.

How else explain the presence of Gov. Erico Aumentado, Cong. Edgar Chatto, V-Gov. Julius Ceasar Herrera , Adelberto Baniqued, technical advisor, ARCDP II, Undersecretary of Finance Roberto Tan, Director Yusoph Mama of DAR Region VII, Executive Director Patricio Baylon of PCARRD-DOST, Division Supt. Cerina Bolos and many other guests in today's program if not for the launching of the biggest auction market hereabouts. Thus, if pun is to be intended, today's big event in Catigbian is the “meat of this story”.

Indeed, the story of Catigbian's claim as the biggest livestock auction market in this part of Bohol is a dream come true for Mayor Salinas. Only a first termer mayor, he steered the reality of the ambitious project after he learned since his childhood that the old auction site located at the back of the public market became too small for comfort for both animals and auctioneers. And worst of all, it had become unsanitary to the discomfort of both livestock on one hand and to sellers and buyers on the other. There was even a time that livestock trading was done along the road. Not anymore.

Showing his penchant for hygiene and sanitation, he laid the groundwork of his grand project in cooperation with the SB leadership by acquiring first a 6,000 square meter property not far from the old site. It was the mayor's major act when he assumed office in 2004: acquiring the future location of the auction market to separate it from the public market. Next in line of his plan of action was to tap the fund sources. No problem. Like an experienced chief operating officer as a result of his stint in the military as a navy captain, it was not hard for Mayor Salinas to push the right button for funding requirements of the project. Of all the funding sources available at his beck and call, he found the Community Based Resources Management Project (CBRMP), a World Bank—funded agency, the right entity to solve his funding problem. Thus, he was able to secure a 50-50 ratio for a loan and grant scheme. The result? A P7.7 million bonanza to start the construction of the project. Cong. Chatto added P400,000 and the rest came from local fund sources. All told, the auction project is now worth about P10 million including its built in facilities like digital weighing scales and other electronic gadgets like computers.

LIVELIHOOD FACTOR

The livelihood factor was the driving force why Mayor Salinas was all agog to expand and modernize the auction market project. Casting aside the profit motive as the primordial consideration, high on top of his livelihood agenda, is first of all, make the auction market operationally sustainable and workable. After all, the main orientation of public service, according to Mayor Salinas, is to uplift the livelihood of the people through sustainable program like an intensive livestock dispersal. Hand in hand with the construction of the biggest auction market is the mayor's program to encourage Catigbianons to engage in widespread livestock dispersal. For one, the lynchpin of this dispersal project is to widen the scope of the program by encouraging the people to raise more hogs, large cattle ,goats and free range chickens. Under a successful livestock and fowl dispersal program, the auction market is assured of a ready and steady supply for buyers from as far as Cebu in the Visayas and Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao . The livestock needs of Tagbilaran's retail giants (Alturas and BQ are also sourced at Catigbian's auction market. To compliment the local livestock supply, sellers from other towns as far as Ubay and from neighboring towns like Sagbayan, Balilihan, Inabanga, Buenavista and many others converge in Catigbian for a brisk livestock sales.

TOURIST ATTRACTION

Not that Catigbian lacks the innate beauty to attract tourists. If Mayor Salinas has its way, he will packaged the town's auction market as a tourist attraction. “Nobody will contest that the auction market is the biggest in Bohol ” and therefore why can't it be promoted as a tourist destination in this part of the province, Mayor Salinas rationalized. “Is a “civilized” conduct of livestock trading not of interest to tourists?, the mayor asked. Now comes the question of profitability. Does it pay to pour in P10 million just to construct an auction market? some people were asking behind the back of the project proponent. Without missing a beat, Mayor Salinas dismissed all speculations that the project is a losing proposition in the short term. After all, there's no question about that. Basing upon earlier prognosis, the auction market was not built with Return on Investment (ROI) as the main consideration In fact, according to Mayor Salinas, if there's any increase in fees to livestock owners who will trade in the auction market, it will be in the vicinity of from 10-15 percent. There's no question that sustainability is the be—all-- and end—all of the project. ROI? All indications seemed to point that it's not part of the equation. And that's the mayor's bottom line. To him, for as long as public interest is served, under no circumstances that public service is compromised.

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