MikeLigalig.com

By June Blanco

Bohol’s development efforts again came into the fore when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued an administrative order (AO) calling for relevant agencies to accelerate or expand development programs in support of local peace efforts.

AO 201 urges relevant agencies to accelerate or expand such development efforts, “especially the Bohol local peace efforts.”

“The message should be clear: When peace is forged, development follows,” the AO read.

To note, President Arroyo had addressed the Central Visayas Local Peace and Security Assembly (LPSA) at the Bohol Tropics Resort during her previous visit here. Her message responded to the outputs of the assembly’s workshops that tackled, among others, the inputs Gov. Erico Aumentado gave.

During Day 1 of the assembly, the governor discussed Bohol ’s efforts towards peace and development that dissolved three out of four guerilla fronts in the province.

Bohol through the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) that the governor chairs, and the Local Peace Forum (LPF) that he co-chairs with Msgr. Leonardo Medroso, bishop of the Diocese of Tagbilaran, is also pushing for the concurrence by both Congress and the Senate of President Arroyo’s Amnesty proclamation.

He said the proclamation will invite more rebels to lay down their arms and return to the fold of the law. The province has also been giving attractive packages to returnees like housing, ricelands and farm lots, the opportunity to plant oil palm – Bohol ’s “sunshine industry” and skills trainings preparatory to their reintegration into mainstream society.

President Arroyo called such development program in support of local peace efforts, especially the Bohol local peace efforts as a “template.”

This template should be demonstrated in several key provinces, ideally in Butuan in Mindanao, Bohol in the Visayas and Laguna or Quezon in Luzon , her order read.

The Aumentado projects under AO 201 include the Panglao Bohol International Airport Development Project; the expansion and improvement of the two causeways and bridges linking Panglao Island to the Bohol mainland and road improvement in Panglao Island;

Concreting or asphalting of the Sagbayan-Carmen-Sierra Bullones-Jagna Road to link the port of Tubigon to the Port of Jagna; Sierra Bullones-Pilar-Alicia Highway; Macaas (Tubigon)-Catigbian-Balilihan Road; Tagbilaran-Corella-Sikatuna-Loboc Road; Batuan-Macapico-Hanopol, Balilihan Road;

Poverty reduction programs, education and health services programs for counterparting with the Provincial Government of Bohol under the convergence strategy; Gawad Kalinga Housing Project with the provincial government and the Couples for Christ-GK Foundation;

Ground leveling of about 2,000 hectares more for conversion into rice paddies by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) costing P113 million which amount is already included in the P1.2 billion outlay under the 2007 General Appropriations Act for the Bohol Irrigation Project Stage 2 (BHIP 2) that the President inaugurated Friday;

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) funded development of the Catagbacan Cruise Port in Loon, the Tubigon Port , the Ubay Port and the Jagna Port which are gateways to Cebu, Metro Manila via the Leyte-Samar Matnog route, and northeast Mindanao , respectfully.

Others for Bohol ’s socio-economic development which are still in the pipeline and planning stage.
Aumentado emphasized that the poverty reduction programs include the Skills Trainings Advocating Reliance and Self-employment (STARS).

The project leverages P13 million from the President's Social Fund or other national government agency she may wish to tap as counterpart for the province's P13 million, for a total of P26 million.

STARS aims to train 12 unemployed individuals indlucing rebel returnees from each of the province's 1,109 barangays. The barangays and municipalities will mobilize the participants and provide the venue.

The trainings include, among others, manicure/pedicure, harstyling/cutting, plumbing, general electricity, small engine mechanic, TV/radio servicing, household worker training, tour guiding and welding, among others.


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