MikeLigalig.com

June 24, 2007 Editorial of the Bohol Chronicle
By Bingo P. Dejaresco III

Bohol stands tall today because of the Giants among us.

It was not too many years ago, we cringed that strangers could not locate Bohol in the Philippine map. For good reason, some asked if hotels exist or roads passable, telephones working or how many decades we had passed since age of the Island of the Apes.

We passed through the insults and made them instead as challenges to be hurdled.

Our vision-oriented, hospitable LGU officers and men, through the years, instead nurtured both home-grown Boholano entrepreneurs and interested neighbor-businessmen to plant the seeds of development in native Bohol.

Verily, through the years, this amazing cooperation between the private sector and public governance, is one overlooked key that propelled Bohol's destiny faster than our detractors can invent new tales to disparage Boholanos and their humble ways.

On Tuesday, one such Giant (the Alturas Group) celebrates its flagship project, the Island City Mall and her third anniversary as a world-class retail and restaurant mall sprawled over 5.8 hectares of prime land. Many did not place their bet that this small island province can support the business targets of signature shops and restos in ICM - forgetting the thousands of Boholanos OFWs abroad who regularly send dollars to their Boholano families.

Metropolitan retailing Goliaths like Shoemart of Henry Sy and the Robinson Group of John Gokongwei were smart sleuths in concluding Bohol was ripe for a "retailing revolution." They were even smarter in not attempting to match the local "feel of the market" of the Bohol marketing superstars: the Alturases and the Ong Huats.

Nineteen years ago, the Alturases Marlito, Mano , Loklok and Daday Uy took a gamble in pursuing retailing in a province where some roads were close to impassable. It is akin to a story of a sales agent sent to a province in China to look for business prospects.

The agent cabled his Boss: poor market prospects, here, most are even walking barefoot. The astute Boss answered: sending a million shoes and sandals there - sell them. The rest is history.

We doff our hats to the Alturas family, for starting from scratch - literally peddling wares town to town - to bring the store to the buyer - until it grew the Genie it had rubbed off the magic lamp. Today, it has three thriving outlets: the Alturas (in the heart of downtown city), Plaza Marcela (in Cogon area) and the stupendous Island City Mall.

Success, they say, breeds competition. And it was probably the hard-earned success of the hard-working and industrious Mr. Ong Huat and family who pioneered the Bohol Quality Store (department store) back in the 1960s alongside CPG Avenue (then Libertad Street) that attracted the Alturas family into retailing Bohol.

The grit and determination of the old man Ong Huat was suddenly matched by the aggressive liberality and studied approach of eldest son Fred Ong as they lurched in a marketing forays into the Boholano buying consciousness. The Ateneo/AIM (Asian Institute of Management) - trained Fred was at the forefront of parlaying his academic dissertations in buyer psychology and creative finance into retail success of tectonic magnitude.

That the Alturases followed his steps, must have been to Fred the highest form of flattery. Both families now lord it over the Boholano retail business like they had a franchise on it.

A third player, the Shoppers Mart, (originating from humble beginnings) manned by the Huan children is now also sniping at the periphery of the huge Bohol consumer market, with market-friendly prices sold province-wide . "The more, the merrier" is what the delirious Boholano shopper says in euphoria these days, as the three Retailers compete for his wallet by providing quality goods at reasonable prices.

This is just as well for government, since Bohol's disposable money is kept within the province instead of leaking into nearby metropolitan Cebu and imperial Manila. And well, too, for the three Retailers since their profits will enable them to expand their outlets here eventually.

In our flagship industry Tourism, Boholanos must pay our eternal debt of gratitude and unending tribute to the "Father of Bohol Tourism" Anos Fonacier who years back, risked breaking ground in virgin land in Panglao, where now stands the pioneering Bohol Beach Club. This Ilocano is now more Boholano than many of us and stays more time in the province than perhaps his other concerns in Cebu and Manila.

Anos Fonacier has left a Big Foot imprint on the sands of Panglao forever.

Too, let us also recall the Horas family who owned the first resort along Alona Beach called "Playa Blanca." Today, dozens of resorts owned solely by Boholanos or with some support from foreign nationals now line the pretty coastlines of Panglao. Soon, huge dollar investments from Manila and overseas will give rise to enterprises in the island.

When Big Names like Lucio Tan and the Ayalas start rumbling through town with accountants in tow, you can be sure business will be good in Bohol.

Let us not forget though - the provincial and city leaders starting with Governors Rolando Butalid, David Tirol, Rene Relampagos and Rico Aumentado. If they were hostile or even neutral to Private Business - all these would not have come to pass in Bohol. Tourism, particularly, took a gigantic leap forward under the Relampagos and especially the Aumentado administrations.

Not only businesses but medical and civic missions were attracted to the kind of responsive and responsible attitudes of the LGU leaders in Bohol. May they not falter.

The Boholanos' gratitude goes to the Bohol Business Trail Blazers and the supportive Local Government Units. Mabuhay ang Bohol!

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