:: Guv brings ‘goodies’ from US trip :: (821 times read)
AFTER less than a month’s stay in the United States of America (USA), Gov. Erico Aumentado is back in Bohol, bringing home the “bacon,” so to speak.
From Salt Lake City in Utah, the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Aumentado secured the commitment of the Mormons – as they are popularly known – to continue their humanitarian support for the Boholanos.
“I requested for medical equipment and supplies, medicines and other logistical support for the 10 provincial government operated hospitals, especially the flagship hospitals: the Garcia Provincial Memorial Hospital in Talibon, Cong. Simeon Toribio Memorial Hospital in Carmen, the Cong. Teodoro B. Galagar Hospital in Jagna, and the Cong. Natalio P. Castillo Memorial Hospital in Loon,” Aumentado told his office staff in one of his daily long distance calls.
“The calls serve a dual purpose: to update me on what are happening in Bohol, and to update the Boholanos on the progress I make in my self-imposed mission to the United States,” the governor had said before he left the country.
He also pushed for the Mormons’ earlier commitment of counterparting in the waterworks system project of Sevilla town to which the provincial and the municipal governments have given contributions. Under the scheme, Sevilla will construct the reservoir and the access road, the provincial government provides two submersible pumps, the pumphouse and other accessories while the Mormons will provide the pipelines. The system will serve all of Sevilla’s 13 barangays.
The Mormon elders responded positively to both major projects now being considered for funding through their humanitarian program under the health services and drinking water components.
Informed that the Mormons found it difficult to secure tax exemptions for humanitarian donations, Aumentado committed to work on it as soon as he arrives home.
Earlier, in Tampa, Florida Aumentado rallied the members of Confederation of Boholanos in USA and Canada (Conbusac) to support President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Bohol's economic development. He got a rousing response from the well-attended 10th Conbusac Biennial Convention at the Bayanihan Arts Center.
As keynote speaker, his speech was interrupted with applause seven times, the longest and loudest being when he announced that President Arroyo signed on July 4 Executive Order No. 178 for the Panglao Airport Development Project.
Aumentado secured Conbusac’s commitment to attend the Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) in Tagbilaran City next year to see for themselves Bohol's development such as the Bohol Circumferential Road Project Phase II, the Bohol Irrigation Project Stage 2, the Leyte-Bohol Interconnection Project Phase II, port projects and the booming tourism industry for which Bohol is adjudged as the No. 1 tourist destination of the country.
Conbusac also committed to attend the economic summit within the TBTK convention here. Aumentado has been inviting Boholanos, either as individuals or groups or corporations to invest in the province. He assured newly installed Conbusac president Ted Apalisok that the provincial government is willing to match the confederation’s resources for livelihood and other economy generating projects under the convergence strategy.
Provincial Board Member Concepcion Lim, who chairs the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Committee on Appropriations and co-led the 21-man Bohol delegation to the Tampa gathering, seconded the governor.
