Rediscovering Bohol after 50 years

The last time I visited Bohol was exactly fifty years ago when I went to an island called Panggangan off Calape, where my uncle bought a motorboat and we were sailing to Cebu but were caught by strong winds and big waves along the way and had to go back to Tubigon. Today, I am in Aloha Beach in this world class hotel along Alona Beach. I arrived yesterday and today, I am giving a whole day lecture to all HR managers in the island on The Fundamentals of Philippine Labor Laws and Jurisprudence.

Bohol has tremendously progressed over the last five decades. Or was I like Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle, who slept for 20 years and woke up to realize that his Catskill Mountains have been totally changed. Maybe I am the reincarnation of Odysseus who disappeared for the longest time and came back when no one knew me, except my dog, Argus.  I feel like Miguel Lopez de Legaspi coming back in 2023 after my historic Blood Compact with Rajah Sikatuna in 1565. Bohol is a pristine beauty undefiled yet by the ostentatious and reckless licentiousness of greedy businessmen and callous politicians who allow their native lands to be sold to the devils for thirty pieces of silver. I hope Bohol shall remain a virgin despite the many predators wanting to ravish her in the name of the almighty money.

Alona Beach is famous for its coral white sand that stretches one and a half kilometers and ends in a rocky but romantic cliff. Alona is the most precious jewel on the island of Panglao, where the international airport is now located, a far cry from the original airport in the nearby city of Tagbilaran. Arguably, one can say that Alona is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines, not far from the levels of Boracay, Coron and Siargao. Of course, as a Cebuano, I prefer Moalboal, Badian. Argao, Bantayan and Malapascua, but the petty and myopic local purveyors of commerce and trade seem to have overpowered tourism and tourists are often turned off by greedy and misguided role player's. Paging DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Franco. Please look into our own Cebu

Bohol is famous not only for Alona in Panglao, but also of Dumaluan, Anda, Doljo, Danao, Libaong, Tawala, Momo, San Isidro and many others. Aside from the fabled Chocolate Hills in Carmen, there is the hostoric Baclayon Church, and the exciting Hinagdanan Cave. The cruise along Loboc River is a worthwhile experience of music, food and scenery. In Loboc, we can come into realization that it is possible to preserve the cleanliness of our waters and our natural environ if and when Filipinos learn the discipline of Boholanos. We can also spend time with the serene and silent tarsiers. We can go island hopping to the Balicasag Island, the Pamilacan Island, and the Virgin Island. Well, it is not true anymore that there is overpricing of foods in that amazing Virgin Island.

Bohol has produced a president, Carlos Polistico Garcia, who was elected but failed to win reelection against Disodado Macapagal. In a sense, Boholanos have performed better than Cebuanos politically, in the national scene. Cebu's Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. only became president by succession when Manuel Quezon died in 1944. Osmeña failed to get elected as president when he was defeated by Manuel Roxas in 1946. Bohol's Garcia ascended to the presidency when Ramon Magsaysay died in Cebu on March 1957. Later that year, Garcia of the Nacionalista defeated Jose Yulo of the Liberal Party and served as president until 1961 when he was defeated by the vice president, Macapagal. Bohol therefore is a major political force in the country.

Bohol has an area of 4,820 square kilometers, smaller than Cebu. Its population is 1,394,329 as of 2020. Its incumbent governor is Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado and vice governor Dionisio Victor A. Balite. It has three congressional districts. The first district includes the capital city, Tagbilaran, and 14 towns. with Congressman Edgar M. Chatto The second district has 14 towns represented in Congress by Maria Vabessa C. Aumentado and the third has 19 towns with Representative Kristine Alexie Besas-Tutor.  Bohol has 85 outlying islands and islets. Bohol is beautiful.

If you can even travel to the whole Europe and all over America, why not see this amazing jewel nearby, Bohol, the beautiful virgin in the right in the center of the Visayas. This was the home of President Carlos P. Garcia, Rajah Sikatuna, Francisco Dagohoy, Senator Boy Herrera, Cesar Montano and Yoyoy Villame.