by btpo | Aug 6, 2009 | Headlines
It is a must that Overseas Filipino Workers be given gratification by the government. Senator Manuel Villar during his last visit in the province acknowledged the OFW’s major participation in the country’s increased economy at P140 billion. In an interview, Villar said that Boholano contract workers had helped greatly in the country’s economy through their dollar remittances. Villar claimed that there are 2 million contract workers abroad that supported the country’s economic stability. Villar the former Senate President is one of the presidential aspirants for 2010 elections and known to be a wealthy candidate paying millions for advertising, he now leads the survey among those who are aspiring for the highest elected position in the country.
Meanwhile, two cousins might clash for congressman in the 1st district of the Province of Bohol. The fears were expressed by some sectors who believed that Board Member Yul Lopez will not be backing out from the race against his cousin former governor Rene Relampagos in the 2010 elections. BM Lopez had long been pronouncing his interest in running for congressman in the 1st district of the province. While the former governor had yet to consult his barangay leaders before he finally announce his bid for congressman. The said issue was found not easy to resolve for Relampagos and Lopez who are first degree cousins.
by btpo | Aug 6, 2009 | Headlines
Across the Visayas bells were ringing, balloons flown to the sky, people wore yellow shirts, pinned yellow ribbons, yellow confetti were dropped and everywhere making yellow color dominant. Most people stayed off the streets to watch the television coverage of the funeral of former President Corazon Aquino and some attended Masses held in her honor. In Tagbilaran City on Wednesday, some 100 yellow balloons with words “Salamat President Cory” and nine doves soared into the blue sky following a holy Mass at 9 a.m. officiated by Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso at the St. Joseph Cathedral. Immediately after the Holy Mass onlookers applauded and cheered at 11:20 a.m.. The former late President Corazon “Cory” Aquino had her share, too, in the development of Bohol, according to former Bohol government head officials in her term of office as President. Former City Mayor Jose V. Torralba, in an interview, cited one of Mrs. Aquino’s accomplished projects in the city which is the uptown housing in Barangay Ubujan. Former Governor Constancio Torralba of Bohol, who is now based in the U.S. said that Cory Aquino should be remembered as the president who revolutionized telecommunications in Bohol with the opening of the calling stations in all 47 towns in the province. The former governor also added that Aquino was the President who declared Panglao Island as a tourism estate zone.
by btpo | Aug 3, 2009 | Headlines
An enormous influx of tourists and travelers still coming to the region despite the global recession. Regional Development Council in the recent Council Meeting noted that a large bulk of foreign arrivals visiting were balikbayan homing for the holidays and the festivals in the first quarter of the year. Koreans still remain to be on top, comprising more than one-fourth of the total foreign visitors in the region. Japanese ranked next with about 18%. In domestic travel, the market showed a slow-down from its previous year’s high double-digit performance of 12.5% in the fourth quarter of 2007 to 8.1% in 2008. In Bohol, from 54,915 tourists in 2006, it went up to 62.033 in 2007 and then rose to 71,366 to an annual average of 15.05%. Industry players in the region also confirmed the growth, however lower than the previous year, says the Department of Tourism. The increase made occupancy rates in hotels to remained high, despite clear close-cutting measures in the light of the crisis. Chinese tourists, perhaps owing to the travel campaigns made by local officials to China have doubled their arrivals since fourth quarter of 2007. The vibrant status can be gleaned from visitor arrival data in the fourth quarter of 2008 which exceeded last year’s level by 9.6%, the RDC briefing notes reveal.
by btpo | Aug 3, 2009 | Headlines
The Department of Education in the region 7, is under investigation for the alleged scam in the bidding of school furniture supplies amounting to millions of pesos including the province of Bohol. Bohol Division Superintendent Dr. Elpidio Jala has defended the acquisition of the furniture (desks and chairs) for use of different schools in the province. The allegation stemmed from the BAC action of awarding the bid to the highest winning bidder, which appeared to a contradiction to government rules that the lowest bid should have been given the award. Jala confirmed that a complaint was filed against officials of the DepEd including members of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Bohol for the alleged irregularities in the bidding of the P10-million worth of furniture supplies. BAC Bohol awarded the project to the highest bidder— Manila-based Hope Metal and Furniture Manufacturing Incorporated—with an amount bid of P2,768,615.00 but the lowest bid amounted to P1,973,625.00 submitted by Monlac Furniture Maker. DepEd reportedly stood to lose amounting to P2.5 million when the project was awarded to highest bidder while the six other bidders were disqualified for the defective samples. The disqualified contractors alleged that there was “favoritism” because the Manila-based bidder is a nephew of a top DepEd official that the report did not identify..
by btpo | Jul 29, 2009 | Headlines
An inspection team was sent in the province of Bohol to conduct the evaluation of sites and facilities for the planned third leg of the “Philippine Kayaking Series 2009”. The PCVC or the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT) would like to make the Philippines the kayaking capital of Southeast Asia, the country being the second largest archipelago on the planet after Indonesia; with 64 out of 79 provinces having coastlines and 7,107 islands. The Philippines is therefore is a natural playing field for water sports, environment and adventure tourism activities. The PCVC Inspection Team brought with them expert photographers and videographers who took footages of the various attractions along the route, assisted by some of the tourism officers of the municipalities. Scenes of sandbars, uninhabited islets and mangrove areas were taken. Due to the very limited time and hectic schedules, they were only able to take materials from three locations. This however, was deemed more than enough for use in the promotions of Bohol as one of the kayaking destinations within the Philippine Kayaking Trail, for the tourism fair in September.
