Wake-uppers:
Scene: A
chorus of tribute has echoed around the world to remember the Queen of Soul, Aretha
Franklin who died last Thursday, Aug. 16. She was 76.
Scene: Tributes to former Sevilla Mayor Ceferino Digal
began pouring in within minutes following the news of his death last Aug.
9. The necrological service is today,
August 19, 11 a.m. at the Sevilla Municipal Building Lobby. His youngest daughter Marie Karen Joy Digal
said that it was such a healing gift to be surrounded by people who love and respect his father. “Daddy, you were always there when I needed
you, and I know you are still with us now. Remember that I will always be ‘Daddy's
Little Girl’,” she said.
 |
| Fuertes and Montero in war of words. |
Scene: Panglao Mayor Pedro Fuertes has been locked in a war of words with former Mayor Leonila Paredes-Montero last week. It started when Montero surprisingly visited Fuertes in his office, while her supporters were outside the mayor’s office. Montero who addressed Fuertes as “Vice Mayor” told him that she will back soonest.
Scene: Police Senior Superintendent Angeles Geñorga,
Jr., director of the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO), said the
synchronized operations last Thursday in 47 towns and 1 city targeted shabu
dealers and illegal firearms owners across the province. At least 39 were
arrested and two were killed in police operations. Geñorga also said that the
drug supply in the province has significantly dropped.
***
Divina Sarabia, a resident
of Barangay Cogon, woke-up early last Thursday to visit the Agricultural
Promotions Center (APC) in Barangay Dao. However, she had to endure the long
line since the venue was extremely crowded before sunrise.
Sarabia and other consumers
bought fish and vegetables at low price after the Department of Agriculture
launched the Bohol Fish Market and Tienda to address the price manipulation in
the market which resulted in very high cost of fish, vegetables and fruits in
the province.
Broadcaster Felix Cempron
said that he was satisfied because he was able to buy a swordfish forP100 per
kilo instead of the normal price at P220 per kilo in the market.
 |
| The Department of
Agriculture launched the Bohol Fish Market and Tienda to address the exorbitant price of fish, vegetables and fruits in the province. Photos by Leo Udtohan |
“Mas barato ang mga isda
diri, dako kaayog deperensa. Hinaut nga mosustiner gyud ni bah. Mga
negosyante nga murag ilang gipalabian
pagmahal ilang tindag isda para ila pud i-us-us. Kay ang mga tawo diri sa Bohol
porbida perting lisura tungod niining pagmahal sa presyo sa isda ug ubang panaliton,” said
Cempron.
Agriculture Sec. Manny
Piñol said that 7.2 metric tons (7,200 kilos) of assorted fish from Mindanao
seas was loaded in Bohol for a cheaper price, which literally flooded the
province.
“Natingala ko nga
nalibutan mo og dagat pero perting mahal sa isda. Mao nga mingon ko mubalik ko, bahaon nako og
isda sa Bohol. Pero nabali noon ako’y
gibaha og tawo karung adlawa. Nahurot na among isda,” he said.
Not only fish was sold but
also some vegetables. Potatoes were sold
at P60 per kilo, carrots at P60 per kilo, lettuce at P80 per kilo, cauliflower
at P110 per kilo and broccoli at P110 per kilo
Before Thursday noon,
almost all the fish and veggies were sold out.
Piñol said another 20
metric tons of assorted fish will arrive this week.
He said the fish trading
in Bohol is controlled by a few big business groups in a validation conducted
by his office.
Bohol remains an expensive
destination for local and foreign tourists. In Panglao Island where it calls
with its stunning aqua-blue waters and white-sand beaches, the place is pricey.
In 2017, the provincial
lawmakers initiated an investigation on the factors in the high prices of fish
in Bohol which remains unresolved for over a decade.
It was Benjie Oliva, the
Boholano administrator of Cooperative Development Authority, who revealed that
a fish cartel exists, which has been dictating prices of goods in the province
based on a study of the Department of Agriculture.
“I believed of a monopoly
dominated by few players in the province,” said Oliva. “Government should address
business monopoly in Bohol by providing an enabling policy environment for
opening competition from other business players in the country to bring down
the cost of products and services,” he added.
Piñol said he wanted Bohol
as a fish farm tourism destination.
***
Drug-free
award is not forever-DDB chief
The chairman of the
Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Catalino Cuy reminded awardees that the drug-free
award for barangays is not forever as it can be revoked anytime.
“Hindi iyan forever,” said
Cuy who was the guest of honor during the declaration and awarding ceremony of
the 321 drug-cleared barangays in Bohol province last Monday afternoon attended
by village chiefs, town mayors, police officers, and other local officials.
A barangay is declared
drug affected if there is a presence of either drug users, drug pushers, drug
dens and shabu laboratories.
Cuy said that there should
be continuous vigilance of the village chiefs and law enforcement agencies.
“It’s a whole nation
approach. Hindi lang si gobyierno ang may responsibility, responsibility ng
lahat lalong-lalo na nakatira dun yung community mismo. It is their
responsibility to make their barangay drug free,” he said.
The village chiefs
received their certificates of declaration from Philippine Drug Enforcement
Agency (PDEA), the implementing agency of DDB.
Cuy said there was a
thorough and careful validation of the oversight committee and satisfying all the parameters set by the DDB that
the 321 barangays out 1,109 villages in
Bohol province were declared drug-cleared.
Last month, Bohol has been
ranked fifth in the Philippines and first in Central Visayas in terms of
barangay drug affectation percentage, according to PDEA provincial office.
But the ranking, according
to PDEA agent Nicolas Gomez was based on affected barangay even if there was
only one user. These users surrendered
to the authorities even if they used illegal drugs once to clear their names.
He said the ranking
doesn’t mean Bohol has many drugs and pushers compared to other places.
The 321 drug-cleared villages
in the province came from 23 towns and one city.
The towns which almost hit 100 percent drug-free were Jagna (32 out of 33 barangays), Lila (17 out
of 18 barangays), Maribojoc (20 out of 22 barangays, Pilar (20 out of 22 barangays),
San Isidro (11 out 12 barangays and Trinidad (19 out of 20 barangays).
Tagbilaran City had only 1
out of 15 barangays declared drug-cleared. Sikatuna town had 1 cleared barangay
out of 10 barangays, and Tubigon had 1 barangay cleared out of 34 barangays.
Lila Mayor Regina
Cahiles-Salazar said that barangay officials engaged in antidrug activities and
actively involving the youth to help maintain the drug-liberated status.
“We persistently motivate
these barangays to continuously conduct anti drug abuse initiatives to make our
town safe and progressive,” said Salazar.
She said the communities
have existing drug awareness, preventive
education and information and other programs. Livelihood programs were
given to surrenderees to sustain their families.
Chatto said that the
provincial is serious in cleaning the province and many volunteered to
surrender ecause they understood the programs of the provincial government.
“This is just the
beginning of our victory. We will not stop here,” he said.
“I hope more batches will come until 1,109
barangays will be cleared and make Bohol a truly drug-free province,” he added.
***
Cure for
drug problems remains elusive
The victory in
the war on drugs of President Rodrigo Duterte remains elusive, according Magdalo
Rep. Gary Alejano of Magdalo who was in
Bohol last Saturday, Aug. 18.
Alejao said the war on
drugs was likened a superficial band-aids meant only to stop the latest
bleeding and haven't proved a cure.
“Dapat i –accept na nating
lahat, you can’t totally eliminate illegal drugs in the country. You cannot.
Other countries have tried but they failed to address the illegal drugs,” he
told Bohol reporters.
Alejano cited some studies
that other countries such as the United States of America has grappled meaningfully
with the menace.
He said Philippines should
learned lessons from USA, Colombia and Thailand who found out that the biggest
contributing factors of the illegal drugs were economy and poverty.
Alejano, who was jailed
for seven years because of the munity in 2003, said that Duterte wanted a
shortcut that killed even those who were innocent.
“The approach of the President is shortcut.
So, kapag sinabing shortcut the president doesn’t believe in the justice
system, abogado man siya, he doesn’t believe in the justice system. Walang
maliwanag na policy,” he said.
He said additional
districts in Bohol would help in lobbying more programs and development to the
province.
He said federalism would destroy
the country.
“I know what it takes to
defend the country especially now that we’re bullied by China,” said Alejano
who accepted the nomination of the Magdalo party for him to run
for senator for the May 2019 midterm elections.
***
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