By Marisol Bo-oc | 11:28 AM July 23, 2024
For the first time, the province of Bohol celebrated its 170th founding anniversary without any high-ranking officials.
Governor Erico Aris Aumentado is currently serving his suspension that started in May 2024 due to the controversy of a resort in Chocolate Hills.
Also, the elected Vice Governor Dionisio Victor Balite passed away on July 17, 2024, whose wake continues inside BIT-IC Dao Campus Chapel, the school owned by Balite family.
Acting Governor Tita Baja, now the highest official in Bohol, for her part, attended the third State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Metro Manila.
The celebration was left to officer-in-charge of the Vice Governor’s Office Benjie Arcamo and Provincial Administrator Asteria Caberte.
‘A place with a soul’
The Bohol Day celebration started with a
holy mass inside Bohol Cultural Center, succeeded by the processional of Boholano heroes, singing of the triple hymns, an ecumenical prayer, and a special tribute to the late Vice Governor Balite.
Caberte welcomed guests, saying “let us honor who have come before us, those who have dedicated themselves to martyrdom.”
“We are called to strengthen the bonds that connect us as one people as we continue to become a smart, resilient, and inclusive province,” added Caberte.
Arcamo gave a commemorative speech on behalf of Baja.
“Let us commemorate the connections that we have formed with one another, the friendships that we have forged over time, and the legacy that our forefathers left us to serve as a constant reminder of who we are and what we are as Boholanos,” said Arcamo.
Silliman University’s 12th President, Professor Emeritus Ben Malayang III, was the keynote speaker.
“We feel Bohol because it is a place with a soul. A soul shaped by the exceptional connectedness of land and people where the culture and conscience of Boholanos gave it a distinctive air and a distinctive identity (that) is so different from many other places,” Malayang said in his speech, highlighting Bohol as a home.
Moreover, various entities and individuals were also awarded and recognized for their contribution to the provincial economy and prestige in the Philippines’ first and only UNESCO Global Geopark Regenerative Island.
Awardees
The list of awardees includes Andrea Yankowski, for Archaeology and Anthropology; Angel Bautista, for Cultural Heritage; and Merlie Alunan, for Education and Literature, while Jes Tirol, Zoilo Dejaresco III, Celso Thomas Fuentes, Sonieta Labasan, and Francisco Obedencio, were recognized for their contribution in local journalism and media.
Other awardees were licensure examination (LE) top notchers, including Leonel Dave Socorin, 3rd placer for Mechanical Engineering LE; Arexcin Ray Timbal, 3rd placer for Civil Engineering LE; John Jason Bibat, 2nd placer for Master Electrician LE; Mark Limbago, 3rd placer for Master Electrician LE; Edward Maglajos, 5th placer for Master Electrician LE; Ricky Cabillanes, 7th placer for Master Electrician LE; Stella Mae Josol, 10th placer for Teacher LE – Elementary; and Jessa Bajao, 7th placer for Physical Therapist LE.
For business and commerce, the awardees were the Alturas Group of Companies, TaskUs Philippines, IBEX Global Solutions (Philippines) Inc., Jojie’s Bakeshop, Tubigon Loomweavers Multi-purpose Cooperative, and Jagna Calamay Producers Cooperative.
Outstanding PGBh employees, Eric De Las Eras, Leahra Mae Gablines, and lawyer Reynard Namocatcat were also highlighted for their exemplary performance.
The 170th Bohol Day commemorated the separation of Bohol from Cebu and its establishment as a politico-military province under Spanish rule on July 22, 1854. With a report from PIMO
