Ube jam & inspiring, soul-enriching stories

Anthony Ceniza, cultural worker and choreographer extraordinaire, enjoys the pristine waters of Anda Pearl Premier Resort in Anda town. Photo: Leo Udtohan

It’s Feb. 28, 2021.  Feel-good Sunday, last day of the month of February. Again, take time out from political sizzlers and negative things out there for more inspiring, spirit-lifting stories.

1.The starfish story (author a unknown, contributed by Anthony Ceniza, cultural worker and choreographer extraordinaire and now supervisor of Marilou Resort in Panglao).  

An old man walked across the beach until he came across a young boy throwing something into the breaking waves. Upon closer inspection, the old man could see that the boy was tossing stranded starfish from the sandy beach, back into the ocean.

“What are you doing, young man?” He asked. 

“If the starfish are still on the beach when the sun rises, they will die,” the boy answered.

“That is ridiculous. There are thousands of miles of beach and millions of starfish. It doesn’t matter how many you throw in; you can’t make a difference.”

“It matters to this one,” the boy said as he threw another starfish into the waves. “And it matters to this one.”

2.The seasons of life (author also not known, contributed by teacher Edison Gumapac of Manga National High School). 

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no – it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfilment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but one season in the tree’s life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are – and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life – can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it’s winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfilment of your fall.

Don’t judge a life by one difficult season. Don’t let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

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The Pearl of Anda

Countless beaches are available throughout the Bohol province, so when the "The Doctor Is In" decided to hold its first out of town public health service last Saturday, they chose Anda. 

 "The Doctor Is In," the only phenomenal public health program hosted by Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan, was held in Anda Pearl Premier Resort.  

It’s a U-shaped cove with white sand and warm turquoise water. 

Situated in Virgen village, the Anda Pearl Primier Resort has 22 villas with a large swimming pool. 

The beach is rarely crowded, and popular activities here include kayaking and snorkeling. 

Thanks to Bohol 3rd district Rep. Alexie Besas-Tutor and Mayor Christopher Tutor for the warm hospitality!

Note: More of Anda Pearl Premier Resort and Anda town in the next issue. 

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The yummiest Ubi jam 

Ube halaya, also known as ube jam (ubi in Bohol!), is a Filipino dessert made from boiled and mashed ubi (purple yam) , milk, and butter. 

Thanks to the 21st Ubi Festival which  commenced last Saturday, February 27. 

The Ubi Festival is celebrated annually in recognition of the ubi growers across the province since 2000. 

Aside from ubi products and other agri-commodities, ornamental and flowering plants were also sold at the venue.

Wannabe chef Jessa Mae Jala shows her favorite ube jam. Her parents bought purple yams during the 21st Ubi Festival. Photo: Leo Udtohan

Dr. Larry Pamugas, acting provincial agriculturist, said Boholano farmers have produced  7.2 million kilos of yam this season from 1,200 hectares. 

The Ubi Festival is also a venue for educational fora to increase farm production.

Pamugas also emphasized the importance and impact of growing and yielding Ubi as a livelihood of the Boholanos, especially in alleviating hunger amid the pandemic.

He said his office encouraged farmers to plant yam while ubi tubers were given to at least 400 farmers who are members of Bohol Ubi Growers Association for a "plant now, pay later." 

Farmer Guillermo Lupas brought 400 kilograms of ubi (yam) to the exhibition site to sell it. 

Lupas, 58, started planting yam for 30 years. 

He said it was not difficult to sell his yam since farmers like him have to bring it at the site where buyers could buy for P70-P90 per kilo. 

"Dakog ikatabang (It's a big help)," Lupas said. 

There are various ways to prepare ube jam dessert but this recipe is the simplest and easiest to follow.

Ube Jam (Purple Yam Jam)

*Ingredients: 

1 kilo uncooked purple yam

1 can condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

200 grams butter

1 can evaporated milk

1 cup white sugar

*Procedures: 

Boil the purple yam until tender then mash or grate.

In a pot, melt butter then add the evaporated milk, condensed milk, sugar and vanilla extra. Stir constantly until well-combined.

Add the purple yam then stir until the texture of the mixture becomes really thick (about 15 to 20 minutes over low fire). You may also add a drop of food coloring (optional).

Transfer the mixture to a mold or any container and let the temperature cool down.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Top with a dollop of butter when serving (optional).

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.

Nasal washing is important

Siblings Drs. Doloreich Dumaluan (left) and Theodore Dumaluan on fighting against COVID-19. Photo: Allen Doydora/DYRD

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has ignited interest in viral transmission and prevention owing to the extent of it and significan morbidity and mortality associated with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Nature Medicine said the cells in the eye and some other organs also contain the viral-entry proteins. The study also predicts how a key entry protein is regulated with other immune system genes and reveals potential targets for the development of treatments to reduce transmission.

The COVID-19 affects the lungs and airways. In the worst cases, the virus causes pneumonia that can ultimately lead to death. The virus is thought to be spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and appears to be easily transmitted within affected areas. 

Just like our teeth, our nasal needs cleaning.

Last Saturday's "The Doctor is In" (with Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan as the main resource person), the topic was about nasal washing. 

Sinus rinsing, using a saline solution of salt and water, can be beneficial for those with allergies and sinus and nasal diseases. 

It moisturizes the nose while flushing out allergens and mucus, says Theodore "Doyet" Dumaluan, M.D., an eye, ear, nose and throat (EENT) surgeon. 

He said all infections of the body result from failure of innate immune system.

The primary defense against respiratory infection is in the nose in the way of mucus clearance. 

Dumaluan recommends spray washing (not nasal irrigation) "because it is very convenient and gentle, easy to apply on daily basis, adaptable to all ages and generally safe."

But with the rise of the novel coronavirus, nasal washing is recommended. 

Here' an article from Theodore Dumaluan, EENT about  Novel Nasal Wash for Airborne Particles: a home remedy solution I lifted from his Facebook page" Nasal Care": 

Nasal washing, in its practical sense, would mean sanitation. That is, lessening the number of contaminants lodged in the nasal cavity. Since it started as an ancient Hindu practice in preparation for meditation, a significant amount of liquid was used to pass into the nasal cavity to cleanse it.  Neti pot, a tea pot shaped vessel, was popularized in the early 70’s. It delivers saline solution into the nasal cavity by gravity; that is, positioning the tilted head below the pot while pressing the spout into the nostril. 

Since then, with the basic principles in place, nasal washing evolved with the use of squirt bottles and mist sprays (and even automated irrigation-aspiration device). 

A study was done to prove the efficacy of saline nasal lavage for long term use (1 year) with unfavorable outcome, showing lower incidence of infection AFTER discontinuing. 

The recommendation then was not to use saline nasal irrigation on a regular basis, only when there is infection. One possible reason for the risk of infection is the retention of fluids in the sinuses, when not properly drained, which favors pathogenic eruption as normal saline has no antiseptic potential.

Saline nasal (lavage)wash is basically good, but not for long term. We unknowingly inhale airborne particles (dust, pollen, virus, bacteria etc.) from the environment most of the time, on a daily basis, that would trigger allergic reactions to acute and chronic infection. These micro-particles are initially trapped in the mucus layer covering the nasal epithelium. Our innate immune system has limited capacity, depending on the load and virulence of the pathogen, among others.

How do we balance the issues of long-term wash, daily airborne-particle load, and pathogenic virulence which maybe carried?

In washing, what you cannot do with small volume, you can compensate with technique. Mist sprays cannot mechanically displace contaminated mucus but can deliver enough liquid coating to lessen viscosity and make it more displaceable. If we coat it with layers of saline, good mucus clearance is attained easing down particle load, without possibility of fluid retention in the sinuses that predisposes to infection.

Apparently, saline is not enough.  How do we address pathogenicity?

 Povidone-Iodine (PVI) is a very potent antiseptic, which is widely available and has been around for ages. It is the only antiseptic which increases biocidal potency, at contact time of 15 seconds, when diluted. Free Iodine, the active component, is released when 10% PVI is diluted, with the highest free Iodine at 0.1% dilution (4.88 ppm) where it is tasteless, odorless and colorless. 

At the same dilution, studies have shown that it is non-toxic to the ciliary lining of the nasal mucosal epithelium.  The free Iodine is involved in blocking viral attachment to cellular receptors and inhibits viral release and spread from infected cells. PVI is useful to prevent infection and limit spread of human and avian influenza viruses. 

Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is generally recommended and safe (GRAS) oil for oral intake and local application. It has antiulcerogenic activity, thus a good mucosal conditioner, minimizing the mild irritating effect of hyperyonic saline. Its monolaurin compounds reduce viral infectivity of enveloped RNA and DNA viruses. Though local application may trigger irritation and mild allergic reaction, it is not common.

Delivering the saline wash thru pump mist spray minimizes fluid retention; VCO promotes nasal mucosal epithelium function, and together with the free iodine from PVI, biocidal activity is potentiated without ciliotoxicity. This Saline-Iodine-VCO (SIV) emulsion wash is a novel home remedy solution made with boiled/sterile water.

 

Thus, SIV emulsion is a safe nasal wash solution for daily hygiene, with minimal tolerable irritation, delivered with pump nasal spray bottle and can be applied 2-3x a day.

Homemade saline solution requires the following:

1. 4 cups of distilled or boiled (for at least 20minutes) water. Cooled later.

2. 1 tsp iodized salt

3. An airtight storage container with a lid, such as 350ml bottle 

To make saline solution (stock): 

 A. Wash hands thoroughly

 B. Sterilize container and mixing utensil using dishwasher or boiling them in water

 C. Pour 300-350 of the cooled sterile water into 350 ml sterilized bottle

 D. Add and mix 1 tsp of iodized salt into the bottle.

To make SIV emulsion wash with 30 ml saline in spray bottle:

A. Add 3-5 drops of 10% PVI (Betadine) then

B. Add 2 ml VCO

To apply, shake the spray bottle thoroughly to emulsify the oil before using.  Position spray tip 2-3mm in the nasal opening. Apply 3 rounds of 5 puffs per nostril, sniffing in every puff and blow out gently after every round. Wash nose 3x a day. Refill with stock saline when consumed then add PVI and VCO.

(See technique at  "Nasal Care" Facebook page)

https://www.facebook.com/107202160845042/videos/507688963266732/

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Panglao Island has to breathe

Wake-uppers:

Scene: Bohol Province and co-host Tagbilaran City are expecting 6,000 to 7,000 student-athletes from the 19 schools divisions in the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) set on Feb. 24 to March 2. Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto said, “This is not only a DepEd event. This is a province of Bohol event which the entire people of Bohol will be welcoming our visitors and guests.  Ato silang dawaton ug ipakita ang  atong Boholano hospitality.”

  

Scene: Isabel Iris Garsuta was declared champion during the National Festival of Talents 2018 Jingle Writing and Singing competition.

Mister Supranational-Philippines 2016 AR De La Serna,
Glorivic Yap- De La Serna  and
Man of the World 2017 Mustafa Galal Elezali during an outreach program in Bohol province.
Contributed Photo

Scene: Man of the World 2017 Mustafa Galal Elezali from Egypt was spotted at “Luto-Luto ta, Bai” in Tagbilaran City last Friday night. Elizali was in Bohol for a charity event. He visited elementary schools in Haguilanan Grande in Balilihan and Badiang, Sikatuna for an outreach program organized by prime Event Productions Philippines Foundation, Inc. (Pepps).  He was assisted by Mister Supranational-Philippines 2016 AR De La Serna.  According to Glorivic Yap-De La Serna, some 280 slippers, stand fans, educational and sports items were given to the schools.

Scene: Emilia Roslinda, executive director of PROCESS-Bohol on ubi (purple yam) during the Ubi Festival 2018: “Ubi is actually a good substitute for rice and corn especially now that rice is expensive.”

***

As recent reports of Panglao Island as the next target after Boracay pervaded the news, it disheartened many people who admired the island for its crystal clear water and white sand that put Bohol province on the global map.

But national leaders and environmental experts have said that Panglao, known as Bohol’s tourism jewel, is suffering from environmental problems because of unregulated development, lax enforcement of laws, and continued surge in tourist arrivals.

Tourists enjoy Panglao’s miles of powder sand beaches.
Leo Udtohan

Panglao Councilor Rogelyn Degoma said that the island is teeming with resorts with no septic tanks and proper waste disposal facilities and illegal structures.

“About 80 to 90 percent resorts are without waste water facility and sewerage treatment plant (STP). A

nd 60-70 percent are not compliant on septic tanks regulations,” said Degoma.

Most resort owners and investors were reluctant to build their own sewerage system and wastewater treatment plant because of the cost, she said.

Degoma stressed that even the requirement that septic tanks should have three to five chambers had not been complied with by some resort owners.

Some resorts on Alona Beach empty their sewage and other wastes directly into the cave or holes in the resort which would go directly the ground which then transport into the water surrounding coral reefs and other sensitive marine habitats.

Degoma said that the local government should strictly implement the “no discharge permit, no business permit,” policy and individually inspect the sewerage treatment plants to minimize and prevent the rise of coliform.

Dauis Mayor Marietta Sumaylo says the municipal government
 is closely monitoring the establishments in her town. Leo Udtohan

Panglao has at least 200 business establishments which 33 had only permits from Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), an agency attached to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

On Alona Beach in Barangay Tawala in Panglao town, the EMB reported last January that the levels of fecal coliform bacteria had exceeded DENR standards for recreational water.

The total fecal coliform in the area was 305.70 most probable number (MPN) per 100 milliliters, way above the acceptable level of 100 MPN per 100 ml.

According to the EMB report, the total coliform (including other forms of coliform) level in waters of the village of Tawala in the second quarter of 2017 peaked at 841.69 MPN per 100 ml, still below but near the safe level of 1,000 MPN per 100 ml for water for swimming and other activities.

Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto said that the resort owners had been properly warned already.

“We have never tolerated any violation,” said Chatto as he stressed that Bohol was the first local government unit in the country to pass an ordinance of an “Environmental Code.”

Resort owner Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan 

explains to reporters Dave Responte (dyTR) 

and Allen Doydora (dyRD) his wastewater 

treatment facility. Leo Udtohan

He said the provincial government had a design of the wastewater treatment facility to be put up on Alona and the whole Panglao Island. He said he asked the national government to fund it.

The Panglao municipal government also didn't have money to build a wastewater treatment facility, said acting Panglao Mayor Pedro Fuertes.

 To build a common wastewater facility for the resorts would cost millions which the town didn't have, he added.

In Dauis, Mayor Marietta Sumaylo said that the LGU is closely monitoring the town’s beaches.

She said only three of 19 establishments have no sewerage treatment facilities.

However,  she said that the Badjao community had contributed to the pollution of the seas. The Badjao community, with at least 1,000 population, refused relocation.

Resort owner Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan said that he had foreseen the environmental problems on Panglao years ago.

He spent P 9 million to construct his own wastewater treatment facility in his resort in 2005.

“Panglao is growing, Panglao is bigger that of Boracay. I expect this thing to happen because we have no sewerage treatment plant also in Alona,” said Dumaluan.

“So, I tried to build my own treatment. It’s really worth that I spent this much because I am protecting the environment and I am making money out of the beauty of nature, I have to return back what they gave it to me,”  he added.

Beside the wastewater treatment, he also invented machines- glass pulveriser and coconut shredder- to recycle and reuse the bottles, plastics and coconuts found on the seashore.

He said there is still hope for Panglao to protect the environment.

“We should not damage the environment in the name of progress. We have only one Panglao. For me, we have brighter future than Boracay, we could still continue, mitigate, correct what is happening now,” he said.

All is not lost, however, as various government agencies are now cooperating together to protect and save Panglao Island. 

A massive cleanup will be held on March 6 so that Panglao’s sandy white beaches will see brighter days.

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Just a few more days; power and water crisis still in Bohol

Jenalyn Castaño went to bed early on Friday night since the province was plunged into darkness.

As soon as she awoke, she reached from her bed and flicked the nearest light switch.

There was light.

A student is using a rechargeable flashlight 

while studying her lesson. The province of Bohol

 is plunged into darkness after a strong earthquake

 hit Leyte last Thursday. Leo Udtohan

"Nakurat ko kay naa nay kuryente mao gi-charged nako dayun akong cellphon  (I was surprised that there was already electricity that is why I immediately charged my cellular phone)," said Castaño, 30, who lives on Lamdagan Street in this city.

"Hopeful ko padayun na unta ni nga musiga na (I am hopeful this will continue)"

Although power had resumed in Bohol last Friday night but it was limited only in the capital city of Tagbilaran and for a limited hours. An average six-hour rotational brownout had been implemented in Tagbilaran due to acute power deficiency throughout Bohol because of the shutdown of a geothermal power plant in Leyte, the province’s main energy source.

Power barge

Local leaders said the power supply in Bohol will be fully restored soon.

Acting provincial administrator lawyer John Mitchell Boiser said Bohol has sought to harness energy from two power barges which came from IloIlo City and General Santos City.

“That is another option to address the power outage since the power lines in Leyte will take weeks to restore,” said Boiser.

He said the power barge from IloIlo City is expected to arrive in Bohol in three to seven days, while the power barge from General Santos City would take about three weeks to reach Bohol.

Boiser said officials of the energy companies last Thursday inspected three proposed docking sites of the power barges in Cortes, Maribojoc, and Loon towns.

Once the barges arrive and are ready to operate, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) will then have to install lines to transmit power to electric distributors.

Each barge can generate up to 32 megawatts of power.

Bohol has a power demand of 70-80 megawatts, Boiser said.

In the meantime, Bohol Light Company Inc., the main power distributor in Bohol, tapped Bohol Diesel Power Plant (BDPP) in Barangay Dampas, Tagbilaran to supply power in the city although its capacity was not enough to meet the demand. The SPC Island Power Corporation which owns the BDPP was given provisional authority to operate by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) last week.

Residents have been hit by the double whammy

 of a power blackout and the subsequent 

water service interruption after the Leyte earthquake. 

Leo Udtohan

The BDPP’s capacity to release power to the province’s capital was granted following an appeal made by the provincial board members, according to Totsie Escobia, provincial information officer.

Escobia said the request was also expedited through the efforts of Gov. Edgar Chatto, who was in Canada for an official function. Bohol has been and still is dependent on its power supply from Malitbog Geothermal Plant in Leyte province being connected with submarine cable from Maasin City to President Carlos P. Garcia island town of Bohol.

Power requirement for Bohol was between 70-80 MW during peak hours, said May Hope Arcenal, BLCI spokesperson.

Bohol has three hydro plants in Hanopol in Balihan town, Loboc town and Sevilla town with a combined capacity of less than 10MW.

 Arcenal said BDPP can generate up to 12 MW which was alternately distributed by the BLCI to its consumers in Tagbilaran City. But it was not enough since Tagbilaran's power demand was 25 MW, she added.

Some areas in Tagbilaran City had power for only an hour due to limited supply and high demand. Arcenal said mall owners and big establishments in the city used generator sets to help maximize the power. Water was also a problem that residents stormed supermarkets and water refilling stations to buy potable water. Arcenal said water is also rationed in some barangays.

Tagbilaran residents are waiting for water until dawn.
Photo by  Leo Udtohan

The Bohol Electric Cooperatives 1 and 2 also started to ration electricity to its consumers.

Double whammy

Residents affected by the power outage also lost flowing potable water.

Many residents on Lamdagan Street in Cogon were carrying their containers as they lined-up to wait for their turn to get water from the water tankers sent by the city government to ration water to the affected areas.

The community is among the 15 barangays (villages) in the city that are affected by the temporary water supply cut-off.

 “We have endure the long line because we don’t have water in the house,” said 15-year-old Jezzrel Taal, 15, about the water service interruption, on Saturday afternoon.

Residents along Graham Avenue in Barangay Booy also queued for their water ration until Saturday night. Others went home when the fire truck didn’t return.

“It doesn’t matter if we don’t have electricity for as long as we have water,” said Bebei Lim, 46.

The Bohol Water Utilities, Inc. (BWUI) in Tagbilaran City used portable generator sets to power one of the water pumping stations along the J.A. Clarin-Dao road for its consumers. But the supply was limited to few areas.

People bought mineral water at P30 to P50 per container instead of the usual P15 to P20 in water refilling stations.

The owners said the increase in prices was due to the added cost since they were using generator sets to operate.

Some residents would go to Caingget Beach and Bulok-Bulok Spring to wash their clothes and take a bath.

But Mia Cadenas, 59, a resident of Barangay Sto. Nino in San Miguel town said many coped with the situation.

“We were getting used to not having any electricity. The big problem was we could no longer watch our favorite telenovelas,” said Cadenas.

The water service interruption was not a big deal for some since they could still get clean water from the deep well and spring.

Stores in Tagbilaran and municipal halls also offered free charging of  cellphones.

In Jagna town, Councilor Anthony Aniscal allowed residents to charge their cellphones for free using his generator set. 

Tourism affected

The tourism industry has been affected by the power outage.

Resort owners and operators in Panglao Island, the province’s tourism jewel, complain that the constant power outage in the province is cutting down the number of tourists visiting the area.

Resort owner Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan says the power crises 

has affected his resort in Panglao town. Leo Udtohan

Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan, owner of Dumaluan Beach Resort 2, said they had several booking cancellations due to the unstable power supply in the province.

Dumaluan Beach Resort 2 is a six-hectare property in Barangay Bolod in Panglao which was established in 1998. “Definitely, we are affected by the power interruption.

Although it is business as usual here, our tourist arrival declined due to power and water issues,” said Dumaluan. Dumaluan said that the decline started during the Abu Sayyaf infiltration last April.

The military forces killed all the Abu Sayyaf members in Inabanga town on the northern tip of Bohol, about 81 km from Panglao where tourists would usually go. Dumaluan said they had been relying mainly on three generator sets which were very costly to operate for his 107 rooms.

They are spending P30,000 to P50,000 daily for fuel to run the generators.

“We have no other choice since we need to cater the needs of our guests who are staying in our resort,” said Dumaluan. Most of the guests are Europeans.

Dumaluan is calling on the government to help address the power situation in the province.

In case for Panglao, Boheco 1 is distributing power in Panglao town with at least 6 megawatts. Dumaluan is urging for a power plant to be centrally located in Bohol as the province is only relying on power plants based in Eastern Visayas.

“Now that Leyte is affected, Bohol is also affected. They have to not only listen now, they have to learn not only to learn but to work now because this happened thrice already,” he said.

The first was on Oct. 15, 2013 when the province was hit by a magnitude 7.2 tremor that brought Bohol to its knees. The next month, Supertyphoon “Yolanda” hit most parts of the Visayas and affected the power suply on Nov. 8, 2013.

More than three years later, another strong earthquake hit Leyte province on July 6 but still affected Bohol. Smarting from the Bohol earthquake and Yolanda, Dumaluan purchased three generator sets for his resorts. He also put up his own wastewater treatment facility and a seven-meter long and four-meter wide water tank. “But it is still not enough,” he said.

But the effect on smaller beach resorts was worse. A resort owner (who asked for anonymity) said her guests left the resort due to the brownout and inability of water.

“It is hurting us because this is causing financial setback on our part,” she said.

Davon (family name withheld upon his request), a Russian guest, said he had to cut short his three-day Bohol trip.

“I have no choice here,” he said, because he could not sleep well with the noise coming from the generator set.

But Josephine Remolador-Cabarrus, head of the Bohol Tourism Office, assured that the power crisis in Panglao was just temporary since the provincial government was closely coordinating with the Department of Energy to speed up the restoration of power in Bohol.

She said that Bohol was able to respond the power outage in 2013 that lasted for a month. The province's tourism industry then bounced back in 2015 and 2016.

“Considering that tourism is very resilient industry, it would somehow bounce back. We always have to hope even they said that hope is the greatest sin, but hope is the thing that will get us going. I know the industry will bounce back,” she said.

***

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Duterte-Cayetano political rally in Bohol ‘phenomenal’

Phenomenal.

That’s how the local chapter of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) described the political rally of presidentiable candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and his running-mate Sen. Alan Cayetano, in Bohol province last Sunday, April 3.

Duterte and Cayetano were warmly welcomed by Boholanos as if they were Bohol’s favorite sons.

Supporters called the visit “redemption,” “Duterte festival,” and “Duterte phenomenon.”

In Ubay town, where Duterte and Cayetano arrived at past 3 p.m. on Sunday, a crowd of 10,000 greeted them at the town’s gymnasium.

A sea of people at the Duterte-Cayetano rally in Tagbilaran City, in Bohol province, last Sunday (April 3).  Presidentiable candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has drawn remarkable seas of humanity to many of his high-energy rallies in Ubay, Tagbilaran and Panglao towns. Leo Udtohan/Chronicle

Ubay, about 113 km from the capital city of Tagbilaran, has a voting population of 40, 803 and is the largest in Bohol’s second district.

At past 6 p.m., the tandem arrived at Tagbilaran City, about 113 km from Ubay, where their supporters waited for them.

Residents lined up the streets chanting “Duterte, Duterte,” as the mayor peeped through his car window waving and greeting the people.

The tandem paid a courtesy call to Bishop Leonardo Medroso of the Diocese of Tagbilaran. They also met priests and seminarians at the Priests Home in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (IHMS) compound.  Duterte also visited lawyer Victor dela Serna, his mentor at San Beda College.

Roads around the Tagbilaran City Square were closed to traffic starting 2 p.m. An estimated crowd of 30,000 were already at the venue at around 3 p.m.  

Traffic flow was moderate and manageable, according to the Tagbilaran City Police Station. At least 20 policemen secured the premises, along with SWAT members.

At 6 p.m., the crowd swelled to 60,000, an event really unexpected since Bohol is touted as bailiwick of the Liberal Party (LP).

During the rally, actor Cesar Montano sang his own composition to show support for Duterte. The supporters were singing along with him for the last few lines.

Cayetano told the crowd that the Department of Tourism will be transferred to Cebu and a department of Fisheries will be created in Visayas. He also rallied to create more and better jobs and raise incomes to enjoy the benefits of a growing country.

 

In his speech, Duterte reiterated his vow to stop crime, illegal drugs and corruption in government within six months of his administration.

He cited illegal drugs as the root of all evil and warned druglords and their runners to watch out.

“Pagbantay mo kay pusilon mo nako (Be careful, I might shoot you),” Duterte said.  The crowd cheered.

Illegal drugs continue to hound the province despite numerous operations and significant accomplishments from law enforcement agencies.

He also pushed for federalism, not only to end the decades-long secession in Mindanao but to bring progress across the Philippines.

“What Duterte did, he just shook Bohol,” said Lito Alagadmo, 38. He said he attended the rally to support Duterte.

"He's a breeze of hope totally different from traditional politicians. He is focusing on solving the problems of our country that I think many Filipinos want to hear," said Hazel Panlita, 35, who attended the rally with her friends.

"I've been to several political rallies through the years and never I have seen enthusiasm as displayed here tonight," added Panlita.

Not everyone was a Duterte fan.

Lilia Yorong, 46, from barangay Bool, Tagbilaran City attended the rally.

“I’m not a Duterte fan. I support Liberal Party but I eventually like to hear more specifics on how Duterte would achieve his goals,” she said.

Often drawing laughs, loud applause and sustained cheers from the crowd, Duterte hasn't shied away from attacking his rivals, and he kept the heat on Sunday, criticizing Roxas, Poe and Binay, saying they had no specific plans of action on how to solve criminality, poverty and illegal drugs.

“I can talk about stopping corruption, I can talk about suppressing criminality. I can even kill the drug lords,” the tough-talking mayor said.

Duterte also proclaimed the official PDP-Laban provincial bets (Senior board member Dionisio Balite for vice governor, Donald Sevilla for board member of the first district of Bohol, et al) and local bets­ (Arlene Karaan and her slate in Tagbilaran City, et al).

The rally in Tagbilaran ended at 9:30 p.m. but Duterte and Cayetano proceeded to nearby Panglao town for another rally where at least 20,000 people were waiting for them.

Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan, PDP-Laban Deputy Secretary General for Visayas and PDP-Laban provincial chair, expressed confidence that Duterte and Cayetano will gather victory in the province in the May 9 presidential elections.

“We will promise 65 t0 70 per cent Boholano votes for Duterte and Cayetano,”  said Dumaluan, who is also running for mayor in Panglao town.

Bohol, touted to be a bailiwick of the ruling Liberal Party (LP), has a total number of 798, 768 registered voters.

"The enthusiasm is spreading like wildfire. People are supporting Duterte of their own volition because they believed he is the catalyst for real change,” he said.

He said the people find Duterte’s platform relevant.

“People are tired of our corrupt system. Besides the corrupt system, we see problems on poverty, drugs and criminality. And we don’t like anymore that our lives are being controlled by the Imperial Manila. If Poe, Roxas and Binay will win, it’s still the same. But Duterte is offering federalism, "he said.

"We want change. Duterte is a man of word. He will walk his talk. We saw him in Davao, we saw he is a principled man," he added.

He added another factor is that the Duterte’s grandmother from Saligumba clan was from Bohol.

Dumaluan said that PDP-Laban didn’t worry about Bohol as Liberal Party country with incumbent Gov. Edgar Chatto as the ruling party’s head.

Unperturbed, he said “No, the governor can’t control the people. It will be problem if they will be carried away by the people. The Boholanos know Duterte is a Boholano because his grandmother was from the Saligumba clan. The Boholanos would feel for fellow Boholano,” he said.

Dumaluan also urged his party mates all over the province to consolidate and solidify its forces behind Duterte and Cayetano.

He said there were candidates who obtained their certificates of nomination and acceptance (Cona) from PDP-Laban including Loay Mayor Rosemarie Lim-Imboy who is running for Bohol governor against Chatto and former Carmen Mayor Conchita Toribio-delos Reyes who is running for representative in third district of Bohol against Rep. Art Yap, dumped Duterte in favor of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard bearer Vice-President Jejomar Binay.

At least 20,000 supporters, wearing blue and red shirts with Duterte’s face and name on it, have gathered at the Panglao gymnasium as early as 4 p.m.

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