Rico’s gub’l legacy: winning fight vs poverty, insurgency

poverty

By Marlon Balmadrid   

PASAY CITY. – His winning moments as governor for nine years were “moving Bohol out from Club 20 – the 20 poorest provinces in the country, and ending the over four decades of communist insurgency therein”.

Thus Rep. Erico Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) Friday told the Rotary Peace Festival panel discussion at the Mall of Asia SMX Convention Center, this city.

The solon represented the local government units (LGUs) upon the unanimous endorsement by the Office of the Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process (Opapp) and the military Civil Relations Service (CRS) that have made Aumentado’s Poverty Reduction for Peace and Development: The Bohol Experience a template for replication in other insurgency- and poverty-torn provinces.

Opapp Undersecretary Louie Montalbo keynoted the forum with his address, “We are all for peace: Our gains and winning moments” while Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. acted as moderator.

Commenting on the ongoing negotiations, Aumentado said the time is propitious and opportune to push for reaching the elusive peace with the insurgents because Pres. Benigno Aquino III is very popular and highly supported by the Filipino people, hence, the government can negotiate from the position of strength. He noted that the Aquino factor must have forced the MILF to drop its demand of carving a sub-state in Mindanao.

On the Bohol experience, Aumentado, said the problems of poverty and insurgency were interlocking when he assumed office on June 30, 2001. The poverty incidence was 53.6% in 2000, with Bohol No.16 in the country’s poorest provinces list at that time.

The insurgency situation was also “terrifying” as 305 out of Bohol’s 1,109 barangays or 30%, were either influenced, infiltrated or threatened, with 283 armed rebels in four fronts making Bohol the hotbed of insurgency in Central and Eastern Visayas.

In response, the provincial government drafted a peace and development framework centered on poverty reduction with the goals of not only removing Bohol from Club 20 but also reducing poverty incidence by 50% in 2015 under the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) commitment. The development thrust, he said, was focused on attaining peace and security in the province.

The major anchor in Bohol’s successful two-pronged fight was the establishment of Team Bohol with the civilian, military, police authorities, the private sector and even the churches of various denominations becoming major components in the strategy on building alliances and bridges.

The active collaboration of then Tagbilaran Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak, now military ordinate, and then Col. Juanito Gomez, 302nd Infantry Brigade Commander, who later on became major general commanding the 7^th Infantry Division, strengthened the provincial government’s mobilization efforts for all sectors to re-direct their programs to poverty reduction for peace and development. The massive infusion of official development assistance and national government support as well as the LGU-led campaign resulted to the success on the twin fight.

The end result, Aumentado said, was the declaration by the United Nations Development Programme Philippines 2005 Human Development Index Report that Bohol was out from Club 20 and occupied the 41^st position in the higher level of provinces. In fact, Bohol was the No.2 best performing province in poverty reduction which was reduced from 53.6% to 29.2%.

The poverty incidence was further reduced the following year when the National Statistics Coordination Board of NEDA reported that Bohol went up higher in the stratum of highly performing provinces in poverty reduction to the extent that it has moved further upwards to the 52^nd position, with the poverty level pegged at about 26.7%. The reduction attained for Bohol its goal of reducing by 50% in advance of its MDG commitment.

In the anti insurgency front, then Col. Alan Luga, then 802nd Brigade commander, declared that the four communist fronts in Bohol were already dismantled in 2009. Consequently, Maj. Gen. Arthur Tabaquero, 8^th Infantry Division commanding general, and P/Chief Supt. Lani-o Nerez, Central Visayas police director, with then Defense Sec. Norberto Gonzales, officially declared Bohol as insurgency free on February 11, 2010 during the inauguration of the rebel returnees’ Bayanihan Center, a joint project of the provincial government, the Presidential Management Staff and Opapp in Remedios, Danao.

Aumentado noted that all the brigade commanders from Col. Cardozo Luna to Luga who collaborated with him in winning the fight against poverty and insurgency in Bohol were all promoted to general, with then Col. Jessie Dellosa to lieutenant general as the highest military official for becoming the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines today. Already major general, Luga is now the Bicol military commander.

The solon also cited other major accomplishments during his three-term gubernatorial stint – the multi-billion peso mega projects such as the Bohol Circumferential Road, the Bohol Irrigation Project and the Leyte-Bohol Interconnection Project, the Strong Republic Nautical Highway and RoRo ports development in Tagbilaran, Tubigon, Ubay and Jagna, the concreting of major tourism highways, the surge of tourism in the province, development of hospitals and health services, education and livelihood projects for the people.

In sum, he said, good governance and the seal of good housekeeping, transparency and accountability, and bringing the government closer to the people especially in the NPA territories have broken the backbone of the communist insurgency in Bohol.

The military and police authorities, he said, together with the church leaders, business, civic and community leaders all worked together to bring about peace and development of the province with the LGUs acting as catalysts.

To prevent the re-entry of the NPAs, the solon said, the Bohol Local Integrated Security System (BLISS) should be continued and strengthened so that its network can continue to function as a deterrent force against the return of the communist rebels and other lawbreakers as well.

He added that what he did for Bohol augers well for a peaceful Philippines, ripe for development under reformist President Aquino.

Aside from Aumentado and Montalbo, other panelists for the executive branch were Police Gen. Samuel Pagdilao, PNP and Brig. Gen. Leo Ferrer, military; Cecile Alcantara, Industry: Jurgette Honculada, peace negotiating team: Fr. Edwin Garinguez, church: Karen Tanada and Jasmine Galace, NGOs: and Paulo Benigno Aquino, youth leader.

Free cataract operations in Talibon highlight CPG's 116th b-day bash

cataract surgery

 

By JUNE S. BLANCO 

FREE cataract operations will highlight the 116th birth anniversary of the lone Boholano who became Philippine president – Carlos P. Garcia.

Rep. Erico Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) is sponsoring his 2nd biggest cataract surgical mission on Nov. 2-7 at the Garcia Memorial Provincial Hospital (GMPH) in Talibon town thru Medical Director Harold Gallego, in coordination with the Philippine Gift of Life Foundation (PGOLF) thru its Chair Ramiro Cadag who is based in New York, USA, and President/CEO Fancy Baluyot, as well as the provincial government under Gov. Edgardo Chatto.

The Department of Health thru Secretary Enrique Ona and Undersecretary Elmer Punzalan, the Talibon local government unit under Mayor Restituto Auxtero and the local Lions Club under former Mayor Juanario Item are assisting in the event.

Topnotch ophthalmologists and expert eye surgeons from the Philippine Association of Medical Specialists (Pams) spearheaded by Dr. Federico Malubay will perform the operations.

The indigent beneficiaries will come from the 14 2nd District towns endorsed by their respective municipal social workers and mayors, namely Niño Rey Boniel of Bien Unido, Ronald Lowell Tirol of Buenavista, Allen Ray Piezas of Clarin, Germinio Relampagos of Dagohoy, Louis Thomas Gonzaga of Danao, Jose Jono Jumamoy of Inabanga, Cary Camacho of Getafe, Tesalonica Boyboy of Pres. C.P. Garcia, Ricardo Suarez of Sagbayan, Jacinto Naraga of San Isidro, Claudio Bonior of San Miguel, Auxtero of host Talibon, Roberto Cajes of Trinidad and Eutiquio Bernales of Ubay.

Bernales had hosted the first cataract surgical mission in May 2011 that coincided with Aumentado’s birthday.

Listing of patients for pre-screening is now going on at the offices of PGOLF and the Consultant on Gov. Chatto’s Surgical and Medical Missions at the ground floor of the Capitol Complex, Marapao Street, Tagbilaran City. For inquiries, please call 501-9196 or the offices of the mayors and municipal health officers of the 2nd District.

Aside from Cadag and Baluyot, other PGOLF officers are Rev. Fr. Victor Bompat, vice president, Peter Dejaresco, corporate secretary, Engr. Albert Uy, treasurer, Benjamin Ong, auditor, Dr. Ludgerio Torres, consultant, and Dr. Mary Ann Ruiz, Richard Uy, Toto Jabonillo, Dr. Teofilo Recitas, Dr. Edgar Lerias and Joseph Alagon, directors.

Advisers are Aumentado, Gov. Edgardo Chatto and Bishop Leonardo Tumulak, D.D. while consultants are Drs. Avelino Aventura, Francisco Dizon, Santos Jose Abad, Florante Lomibao, Malubay, Dr. Lourdes Casas, Edgarto Ortiz, Punzalan, Kazan Baluyot and Julia Maape.

Rico tree planting bill hailed

Man made forest in Bilar

 

By JUNE S. BLANCO 

YAHOO News has picked up the story on the tree planting bill introduced by Rep. Erico Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) and the article has since been swamped with good job comments.

One reader exhorted the people of the land to rejoice for having this lawmaker “who has a brain.” Another reader replied to that comment, saying that the solon has “a real and true great mind.”

Still another said the Aumentado bill was “sensible, well thought-off and has great benefits to nature and society.”

One reader however expressed apprehension that the tax holiday might be abused. She said greedy capitalists might encroach into lands that are not for sale in the first place, develop and claim them to be theirs alone thereby making the rich, richer and the poor, poorer.

In his reply to the above comment, another reader said safety nets must be put in place to guard against abuse. Trees are important, but so are taxes, he said.

House Bill 5461 aims to allow planters time to grow, nourish and nurture their trees before they are required to pay taxes and fees for them.

Aumentado said the taxes come only when these are being harvested for commercial purposes.

In his explanatory note, the solon observed that the slow reforestation effort on denuded lands is largely due to the lack of incentive from both the national and local governments.

More often than not, he said, local government units (LGUs) impose high realty taxes on trees as these are considered to be improvement on the taxable land. He said the “exorbitant local taxation” has discouraged land owners from planting forestal or even fruit-bearing trees.

Trees are important, he pointed out, because these serve as flood controls, typhoon breakers, and in the case of mangroves, tidal buffers which mitigate the impact of tidal action on the shorelines.

Trees also help preserve underground water, ensure the flow to rivers, creeks and streams that feed hydropower and facilities to irrigate rice lands, and in some cases, provide potable water to inhabitants.

Rampant, irresponsible and wanton cutting of trees causing denudation of forest land, private properties, idle lands and watershed areas of the public domain, however, have triggered devastating floods “causing tremendous damage to lives and properties,” Aumentado said.

He quoted internationally renowned architect Felino Palafox Jr. as saying that trees are elements of the environment, major components to flood controls as well as wind and tidal breakers, hence they must be preserved.

But, he said, preservation and reforestation efforts can be encouraged only by providing incentives like the Aumentado measure.

Once approved, his proposed “Tree Planting Seven-Year Incentive Act of 2012” will take effect 15 days after its publication in at least two national newspapers of general circulation.

NIA allots P800M FAPs for Malinao upgrading

Malinao Dam

By Marlon Balmadrid 

 QUEZON CITY – The P800-million Malinao dam upgrading is set for implementation next year as the House of Representatives approved Thursday night the proposed General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2013.

Rep. Erico Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District), co-author of the GAA said next year’s budget includes P81.366 milion under the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) foreign assisted projects (FAPs) for one of Bohol’s mega dams.

Aumentado said Administrator Antonio Nangel had positively responded to his letter urging NIA to allocate the initial funding as forward obligational authority to jumpstart the multi-year Malinao dam upgrading.

In a letter to the solon, Nangel said the sum of P38.183 millon was earmarked from the Korean government concessional loan through its Export Import Bank (Eximbank). Another P3.183 million is allotted as initial counterpart of the Government of the Philippines (GOP).

The upgrading project will double the storage capacity of the Malinao dam from five million to 10 million cubic meters which can then irrigate an additional 2,730 hectares of rice land in Pilar, Dagohoy, San Miguel, Trinidad, Ubay and Alicia.

The project can also enhance the possibility of the construction of a hydropower plant that can be installed in the Bayongan dam chute or tunnel located in Buenavista, Ubay under the public-private partnership program of the Aquino administration between NIA and SunWest Power and Water Corporation.

Apart from irrigating additional rice land, the upgrading project can greatly mitigate the effects of any El Nino phenomenon because of the sheer volume of water that could be stored at the Malinao dam. It is also expected to irrigate the areas that have been converted into rice paddies by NIA but could not be provided with water because the dam has a lower water level, and therefore, could not support fully its irrigable service area.

To recall, during the incumbency of Aumentado as governor, the Korean government through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) provided NIA with a grant of $1 million for the Malinao dam feasibility study and detailed engineering design.

Korean Ambassador Joong-Kyung Choi, an adopted son of Bohol, facilitated the grant, and introduced into Bohol the Korean multi industry cluster (MIC) strategy which propelled South Korea as a highly industrialized country after it went through World War II and the Korean peninsula war.

As an MIC complementary project for the Malinao dam upgrading, Choi also worked for the grant of the Pilar rice processing center whose ground breaking ceremonies were officiated by Choi, Minister Man-soo Kang, then agriculture Sec. Arthur Yap, Mayor Wilson Pajo of Pilar and Aumentado.

Aumentado pushes for Malinao Dam upgrading

Malinao Dam

By JUNE S. BLANCO

REP. Erico Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) is pushing anew for the upgrading of the Malinao Dam in Pilar town.

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, the solon said it is high time to implement the project, to be funded by the Korea Export-Import Bank (Eximbank), in order to double its reservoir capacity from five million to 10 million cubic meters.

This way, he said, water for its present service area of 4,968 hectares will be sufficient to spare the rice lands therein from the ravages the El Niño phenomenon.

Congress is now preparing the 2013 budget. He said he commits to prioritize the insertion of funding for the dam upgrading project so that it can be implemented next year.

He said the project was already approved by the National Economic Development Authority Investment Coordination Committee Technical Board (Neda-ICC Technical Board) and is due for deliberation by the Neda Board and Cabinet group on  September 25 for their approval.

To note, he said, the Korea Eximbank and Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) had allotted around P800 million for the upgrading project in official development assistance (ODA) as a concessional loan with a liberal and long-term repayment schedule.

The additional five million cubic meters, he explained, can already add about 2,730 hectares of irrigable rice lands in Pilar, Dagohoy, Trinidad, San Miguel, Ubay and Alicia towns.

He suggested to Alcala that the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) put up the forward obligational authority Government of the Philippines (GOP) counterpart fund to trigger the initial release of ODA. This way, the project can be started in 2013 and completed in 2016 – within the reformist and righteous path of the Aquino administration.

To recall, under Aumentado’s watch as governor, the provincial government received a UD$1 million grant or P800 million from the Korean International Cooperation Agency for the conduct of a feasibility study (FS) and detailed engineering design (DED) for the Malinao Dam upgrading project.

At the same time, Aumentado submitted to Alcala a letter formalizing his request for the release of funding for 50 solar driers for the 2nd District. The post-harvest facilities, he explained, are urgently needed to ensure the proper drying of palay to the acceptable moisture content.

A ready buyer, he said, is committed to buy the palay at one peso higher per kilo than the buying price of the National Food Authority (NFA). The Alturas Group of Companies, he explained, has entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with his office and the irrigators’ associations (IAs) in his district as part of the comprehensive “Plant Hybrid Rice and Fertilize Now Pay Later” program and the ratooning project.

Aumentado provides P3 million from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PAF) for the fertilizer for participating farmers with an aggregate 3,000 hectares of irrigated rice lands devoted to hybrid and in-bred rice with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Region 7 office based in Tagbilaran City and the Bohol Agricultural Promotion Center as project implementers.

Hybrid rice, the proper fertilization, offers double yield from the same land area while rationing allows a second crop from one planting or a third crop in a year – with the proper fertilization also.

Both the Malinao Dam upgrading and the solar driers are basic support infrastructure for President Aquino’s rice self-sufficiency program and goal of discontinuing rice importation as this benefits foreign farmers only, he said.