By Leo Udtohan
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| Presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo speaks before a crowd of about 80,000 pink-clad supporters during a campaign rally dubbed “Dilaab: Bohol People’s Rally” in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on Friday, April 1, 2022. Photo: VP Leni Robredo FB |
It was not fiesta month but Boholanos on Friday, April 1, welcomed Vice President Leni Robredo and running mate Senator Kiko Pangilinan during the "Dilaab: Bohol People's Rally".
Speaking before 80,000 people at old Tagbilaran Airport, Robredo vowed to help the province's tourism recovery and stable power supply.
"Ngayong pandemya isa po ang turismo sa mga sektor na pinaka-apektado. At ramdam na ramdam ito ng mga Boholano. Ang nawala na kita sa probinsya dahil sa pandemya bilyun-bilyon na," said Robredo who wants a sustainable tourism development to draw more visitors and hasten tourism recovery.
The pandemic brought the global tourism industry to its knees last year. The sector in Bohol was not spared.
On Panglao Island, the tourism jewel of Bohol, resorts, hotels, cafes and restaurants were closed with only a handful few were operating during the pandemic.
Tourism makes up 15% of Bohol economic output. Bohol hosted 1.5 million foreign and domestic tourists in 2019, with Chinese visitors leading the arrivals, followed by Koreans, records from the Bohol Tourism Office showed.
These tourists disappeared when provinces started closing their borders as strict quarantine guidelines had to be followed in March 2020 in a bid to control the spread of COVID-19.
There were 85,000 tourists from January to February 2020 before the lockdown in 2020.
The provincial government created programs to lure tourists. In November 2020, Bohol reopened to local visitors who arrived by plane, ending the travel ban in hopes of reviving a lockdown-devastated tourism industry that has fed many Boholano workers in the different tourism services.
“Ang pangako ko po sa mga Boholano na palakasin at paunlarin ang buong industriya at lahat na bahagi nito-mga empleyado, mga negosyo pati komunidad mismo. Sisiguraduhin natin na turismo ay hindi lang safe kundi sustainable,” said Robredo.
Power supply remains a big problem in Bohol as brownouts are frequent in the province.
“Naalala ko ang tagal ninyo nawalan ng kuryente. Ang pangako ko po sa inyo ang Bohol personal kong tututukan ito para masiguro ang suplay ninyo bukod na sapat ito dapat lagi ninyong maaasahan,” said Robredo.
Even as a prime tourist destination, Bohol still does not have a sufficient in-island power supply and has been largely dependent on energy sources in Leyte to meet its daily power requirement.
When a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Leyte Province on July 6, 2017, it damaged the geothermal plants.
After Typhoon Odette hit the province on December 16, 2021, it affected the province’s power supply.
Robredo’s rally in Tagbilaran was one of the three rallies her team held in Bohol.
Earlier in the afternoon, Robredo and Pangilinan visited Jagna town where 3,000 people showed up in the rally inside the Jagna gymnasium past 1:30 p. m.
She urged supporters to choose leaders who are “visible” not only during elections.
Robredo said she had visited Bohol for several projects through her Angat Buhay program. When Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) devastated the province last Dec. 16, 2021, she visited the province the following day and came back twice.
After Jagna, they proceeded to Talibon town for another rally.
But it was in Tagbilaran where the crowd was at its biggest.
At least 80,000 people filled the more than half of the 1.7-kilometer long runway of the old Tagbilaran City Airport.
Robredo likened the rally to a fiesta celebration, which Boholanos would celebrate in the whole month of May.
Even before Robredo took the stage at around 8 p.m, pink-clad supporters already trooped to the venue where they watched the performances of artists such Yeng Constantino, Gab Valenciano, Sponge Cola and Ben & Ben.
In between chants of “Leni!” and “Madam President,” Robredo thanked Boholanos for voting for her in 2016 elections.
She won by just 283, 589 votes against her rival, former Senator Ferdinand "BongBong" Marcos Jr who had 79,729 votes.
Bohol has 949,791 registered voters, making it 20th vote rich-vote province.
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A supporter waves the rainbow flag to celebrate LGBTQIA+ rights
during the “Dilaab: Bohol People’s Rally” in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on
Friday, April 1, 2022. Photo: VP Leni Robredo FB |
"Makasalig ba ako sa maong suporta? Nga maangkon nato ang mas labaw pang kadaugan?" asked Robredo.
Amid cheers, Robredo said she and Kiko offer a governance where people are inspired to help and contribute.
"Ang inyong yangungo atuang paminawon, kung aduna moy problema atuang sulbarun. Paningkamutan nato. Ito po ang totoong unity, hindi pagkakaisa ng mga pulitiko, kundi pagkakaisa ng mga Pilipino. Pagkakaisa ng pagmamahal, pagkakaisa ng pangarap, pagkakaisa ng pag-asa," Robredo said.
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