MikeLigalig.com

(an editorial published by the Sunday Post)

       The town of Bilar is in uproar. One of its landmark, the Central Visayas State College of Agriculture, Forestry and Technology (CVSCAFT) is about to be relegated to a mere extension campus.

       The demotion of the CVSCAFT Bilar is not anything of its own making. The school has in fact distinguished itself both locally and internationally for its multi-faceted areas of specialization.

       It came about by legislative fiat, an unfortunate demotion as a consequence of House Bill 5638 creating the Bohol Island State University (Bisu).

       Nobody is claiming responsibility for the fiasco, particularly section 1 of HB 5638 which states: “The main campus of the University shall be in Tagbilaran City.”

       It is strange how the three Boholano solons, Congressmen Edgar Chatto, Roberto Cajes and Adam Relson Jala would be able to extricate themselves from responsibility on this. Although there were other solons who affixed their signatures to the bill, the three are the ones who are familiar with the issues.

       They may wash their hands in public or just simply keep silent about it, but they cannot escape the fact that as authors they are the ones accountable for it.

       Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera however has brought out a bigger issue than the transfer of the main campus from Bilar to Tagbilaran. It is the transfer of the assets of the province to the Bisu.

       Herrera says this is no small matter because it involves at least P400 million. More than just the loss of assets for a song, it weighs heavily on the province in the sense that this will demote the status of the province and reduce its share in the internal revenue allotment (IRA).

       This is a dagger that strikes at the heart of the Boholano. While everybody is hoping that the province will be entitled to a bigger share, it now stands to lose precious millions by the stroke of a pen.

       The issue here is not the Bisu. It is not bad in itself.

       The point here is that Boholanos are paying a heavy price for the Bisu. The diminution in the IRA will mean a reduction in the budget. How adversely it will affect the province, people can take it from there.

       What is unfortunate about the whole thing is that this could have been avoided if only the matter was subjected to an authentic public hearing. As it is, the damage has been done and Boholanos can only hope for a miracle.

       As it is, the genie is now out of the bottle just because some people thought they can play god. Shame on all of us because we made them think that way.

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these are our representatives sa Congress nga walay pakibana sa mga Bol-anon, ilang kaugalingong interes ra ang gui bantayan.. ingon ani nga situation nga sila unta ang mi intervene sa gipasaka nga balaod.


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Edgardo, this is what Herrera says. "...this is no small matter because it involves at least P400 million. More than just the loss of assets for a song, it weighs heavily on the province in the sense that this will demote the status of the province and reduce its share in the internal revenue allotment (IRA)."

thanks for your input here; it clarifies what Herrera is talking about.



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