Bohol’s 25th Gov. Edgar Chatto has buckled down to work and begun his “very busy honeymoon” days of an unprecedented provincial administration with the first woman ever elected to capitol’s next most powerful post, Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim.
His first 100 days are expected to focus on health, education, agriculture and tourism, the latter as a generator of employment and livelihood.
In his inaugural address, the province’s second and only other governor this century vowed a leadership that can proximate to the people’s expectation for a transparent and participatory government. He intends to add moral element to capitol rule.
Chatto cannot fault the people for expecting him to make his best, what with the Boholanos granting him the widest winning margin in the history of Bohol’s “bloody” gubernatorial clash---and against a grand alliance so obsessed but which failed to mutilate his bid.
He is also the only governor in this part of the country who had then held the elective posts of provincial president of the Kabataang Barangay, provincial board member, mayor, vice governor and congressman.
Sharing his idea of public service and responsible citizenry, Chatto said governance is not a one-man job but a collective task.
Chatto assumed as the new provincial chief executive succeeding former Gov. Erico Aumentado, now the Second District congressman, as soon as he took his oath before Executive Presiding Judge Fernando Fuentes at the Bohol Cultural Center on Wednesday, June 30.
Respective administering officers also swore in the vice governor, Reps. Rene Relampagos (First District), Aumentado and Arthur Yap (Third District), and Board Members Cesar Tomas Lopez, Abeleon Damalerio, Vinzencio Arcamo, Josephine Socorro Jumamoy, Gerardo Garcia, Romulo Cepedoza, Dionisio Balite, Bienvenido Molina, Jr., Brigido Imboy and Godofreda Tirol.
He gave base statements of what he intends to do for Bohol and the Boholanos in the supreme aspect of sustainable development.
Chatto intends to fine tune eco-cultural tourism while ensuring sufficient food, affordable health care, quality education for all, sufficient power and water, more jobs and means of living, and sustained peace and order initiatives.
He will call for summits on health and agriculture for a wider and more participatory assessment of the prevailing conditions and setting of clearer direction.
Since people’s health cannot be compromised, Chatto batted for responsive hospitals, reactivated district health zones and strong primary health care system.
Chatto will also wage an “honest-to-goodness” zero rabies drive, recalling that big allocations from his congressional assistance fund were consumed by dog bite patients.
His administration is set to enhance and strengthen the friendly relation with the sector of commerce and industry. He is now working out to establish in Bohol a Central Bank cash unit. He encouraged investments right from inside the province.
Chatto would have a closer tie between the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Bohol Employment and Placement Office (BEPO), which he wants to be a dynamic tool for job generation.
The new provincial administration will work with the education sector for an appropriate system of allocating and assigning teachers and allocating school buildings.
Also topping his educational agenda is granting more poor but deserving students access to quality education thru scholarship expansion, study subsidy and other innovations.
He will review the Special Education Fund (SEF), which is one percent of the real property tax collection, and Sangguniang Kabataan fund for priority uses.
Chatto declared in his inaugural speech that he would unburden the teachers of usual contributions to various athletic meets.
DEV’T HOLLOW IF PEOPLE HUNGRY
While HEAT (Health, Education, Agriculture, Tourism) concerns “heat up” his first three months at capitol, Chatto encompassing service mission slogan is LIFE HELPS---Livelihood and tourism, Infrastructure, Food, Education, Health, Environment, Leadership development, Peace and order, Sports and youth development.
But all development efforts and gains can seem empty and meaningless if the people are hungry, Chatto declared.
He will establish a strong collaboration with food agencies such as the Department of Agriculture (DA) and National Food Authority (NFA). This will be complemented by the presence of Yap, former DA secretary, in Congress.
Chatto regretted to observe that a still large bulk of the agriculture sector still depends on the traditional methods when there are effective technologies and innovations.
The governor amplified his core advocacy dubbed the FAITH, which means Food Always In The Home.
He urged the mayors and other concerned rural leaders to put more men to farm field programs.
In tie-up with the agriculture sector, Chatto will tap the Bohol Island State University (BISU) as one potent training ground for food producers. He himself principally authored in Congress the BISU Law.
The governor, who advocated a “selfless servant leadership” in his gubernatorial bid, desires his administration to be a conviction that truly touches base with life.
He paraphrased inquiringly the most famous policy line of the late Boholano Pres. Carlos P. Garcia: “If the Boholanos cannot be first in Bohol, where can they be?”
Chatto would even have tourism, which he wants to complement with agriculture and vice versa, responsive to the needs of the poor. But he clarified in his “clarion call” that what Bohol wants is a tourism that cannot sacrifice the environment.
GIVE WORKERS THEIR DUES
In his inaugural speech, Chatto assured to give the provincial employees all that they deserve to receive. His commitment was greeted with elation.
But the governor, a known diligent public official, demanded them to be faithful to their works because good performance will always be acknowledged.
To be able to give the workers all their dues, Chatto wants the province’s revenue generation gets more efficient. He will have the collection system leakages plugged.
GREAT PRIVILEGE
Chatto’s vice governor, who is also the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, considered it a great privilege on her part to work with the “best” in Bohol.
Lim not just vowed full support to the Chatto leadership. As a doctor by profession, she would “make sure that he (Chatto) is healthy enough to lead us to sustainable development.”
Aumentado urged the capitol workers to double their support to the new provincial management.
The oath-taking of Chatto and all other provincial officials, including the three new congressmen, was witnessed by former Govs. Rolando Butalid, David Tirol and Victor dela Serna, as well as leaders from various faith denominations and public and private sectors.
TOUCHING CLIMAX
The inaugural rites for Bohol’s new leaders came to a sentimental climax when Chatto thanked “all those who wished that Edgar could become a governor someday.”
He acknowledged his capitol predecessors, who included his late uncle Gov. Lino Chatto, Butalid, Dela Serna, ex-Gov. Constancio Torralba, Tirol, Relampagos and Aumentado. “I am building from the gains of the past,” Chatto said.
Chatto specifically thanked his ever-supportive wife Pureza and only child Trisha, his Balilihan family, in-laws and others who have been close to his heart and touched his life.
Almost coming to tears, the governor fondly mentioned a Grade I teacher and a high school principal who motivated him to reach whatever his goal.
In utter gratitude, he also recalled a priest who spiritually intervened by his side when he once struggled between life and death resulting from a near-fatal car accident. It happened when Chatto was then the provincial president of KB.
Friends said no one could indeed believe that Chatto would ever recover from that near-tragic crash to become several years latter one of Bohol’s ablest leaders, the very governor of his province, and safely the most adored Bohol leader in his generation. (Ven rebo Arigo)
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