VP Leni wants Boholano leader Benjie Oliva to run for Congress

Wake-uppers:  

Scene:   Bureau of Corrections chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa asked Bohol police: "Please don't leave the President, continue supporting him in his war on drugs.” Dela Rosa was invited as guest of speaker  during the “Hudyaka sa Panglao 2018.” He traced his roots to Antequera town. Of course, he did well sing the song “Bol-anon.”

Scene:  Some pupils of Booy Elementary School in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, did not report to their classes last Wednesday, 

Members if the media with Bato dela Rosa 

Aug. 29, as their parents staged a protest rally outside the school gates demanding the ouster of the school principal. The parents said school principal Eufe Rhoda Reyes-Galon "has proven on numerous occasions that she is unfit to perform the position that she has been assigned and is paid to do."   Galon said she would file a case against the parents. “It’s not true there is no basis.  And there is God he knows everything. You can personally check my character kay dili ko ingana nga pagkatawo,” she said.

Scene: National Food Authority (NFA )-Bohol manager Maria Fe Evasco on “bukbok” (weevil)-infected rice in Bohol: “ I would like to clarify the issue that the NFA rice distributed during the HEAT caravan in Loon is free of any weevils. It’s bukbok free.  It was not infested.”  Videos of “bukbok (weevil)”-infected rice went viral in the social media after it was posted on Facebook.  The rice infested with weevils in the video which were allegedly given to residents of Loon town last Thursday, Aug. 30, at the Loon Town Square during the provincial government’s HEAT Caravan.  Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto said he ordered investigation. 

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Vice President Leni Robredo said on Thursday (August 30) that she wants Boholano leader Benjie Oliva to run for Congress.

Vice President Leni Robredo visits Lourdes National High School
 in Panglao town for the turnover of kitchen tools and equipment
and feeding program for students under her Angat Buhay project.
Photo by Leo Udtohan

“Kailangan ko siya ngayon sa Kongreso,” Robredo told some teachers who had an audience with her after the turnover ceremony of the utensils and equipment to senior students at Lourdes High School in Panglao town.

Although it was not clarified if she was endorsing Oliva to run for Congress or as a partly-list representative, but it was clear Robredo has trust and confidence with the Boholano leader.

However, Oliva declined to comment when asked by your VRS.

Oliva is an expert in national budget legislation, agriculture, rural development and youth development.

Currently, he is the acting  Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) chairman of the Board of Administrators, who at 36 years old is the youngest person to have held the highest post of the regulatory body.

A native of Catigbian town, Oliva is an agriculturist by profession.

CDA Officer-in-Charge Chairman Benjie Oliva during 

an interview on PTV 4’s Bagong Pilipinas about the cooperatives

 and Marawi City rehabilitation. Contributed Photo

He graduated cum laude at the Central Visayas State College of Agriculture, Forestry and Technology (CVSCAFT) (now Bohol Island State University) in Bilar and later gained his Master’s Degree in Agricultural Development  as a summa cum laude.

Oliva has an impressive public service record as a youth leader. He served as consultant of the Philippine Senate, Chief of Operation of the Department of Agriculture Secretary’s Regional Engagement Unit, Project Director of Kabayanihan Foundation, Inc. and Commissioner for Visayas of the National Youth Commission during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Oliva is supportive in many of Robredo’s projects through her Angat Buhay Foundation.

Robredo  said she saw an opportunity at Lourdes National High School, as it is the only senior high school in Panglao, to address the need to bolster the school’s senior high culinary track.

The project is one of OVP’s Angat Buhay programs, which Robredo claims to have helped a total of 176 communities nationwide since 2016, including Panglao.

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Loay residents receive early

Christmas gift from SAP Bong Go

Christmas came early for folks in Loay town after special assistant to the president (SAP) Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go brought his "Sapatos ni SAP, Tsinelas ang Ka-Swap" on Friday (Aug. 31) afternoon.

At least 200 residents in Loay town in Bohol
 gathered in Barangay Calvario to receive Christmas
gifts from SAP Bong Go's "Sapatos ni Sap,
 Tsinelas ang ka-swap." The distribution
 was headed by Mayor Rochelle Brigitte
Imboy-Abutazil. Photo by Leo Udtohan

Shoes and rice were given to at least 200 residents of Barangay Calvario in this town, including some members of the Aeta community. 

“We’ re thankful kami ang napili diri kay dako og tabang. Nakita ninyo malipayon sila (We’re thankful our town was chosen because it is a big help. The residents are happy),” said Loay Mayor Rochelle Brigitte Imboy-Abutazil. Her  town was the first beneficiary of the advocacy project in the province.

Resident Inday Ganzon, 63,  said the rice she received could help her instead  of buying an expensive commercial rice.

“Nalipay jud ko yamu nakadawat og bugas maayo nalang ipuno sa bugas nga perting mahala run (I am happy I received pack of rice because rice now is really expensive),” Ganzon said.  “Sayu nga pinaskuhan. (It’s an early Christmas gift)”

Go's advocacy project was born when he gave his shoes to fire victims and other calamities which inspired his supporters to create such as a bridge to reach people’s dream for a better life in the Philippines.

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Attraka launched in Trinidad

At least 200 residents in this town gathered on Saturday afternoon for the mass oath-taking of the Alayon Sa Tinuod Trinidadnon Alang sa Kabag-ohan (Attraka) or Association of Real Trinidadnon for Change, a member of Alyansang Bol-anon Alang sa Kausaban(Abaka) or Boholano Alliance for Change.

Attraka will combine forces with Abaka and Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP) of Presidential Daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Members who came from the different barangays in Trinidad gathered in Barangay Poblacion to listen the movement’s objectives and mission. 

They also took oath as members of the movement.  It was the first mass oath-taking ceremony of a town-based movement in Bohol province to join Abaka.

Poblacion Barangay Captain Johnny Orioque who founded Attraka said that the movement aims to give real change from real Trinidadnon leaders.

He said Attraka was the answer the call of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, Jr. to create movements in towns to have similar struggles and need to get the attention of the national leaders for help in development and poverty alleviation.

Alayon Sa Tinuod Trinidadnon Alang sa Kabag-ohan
(Attraka) was launched in Trinidad town.
Photo by Leo Udtohan

Attraka, Orioque added, is a solid support to help Duterte to institute change and instigate a paradigm shift in the political scene in Trinidad town.

“We really need real change,” Orioque said.  “The people of Trinidad should unite to rally behind the vision of the president to eradicate the drug problem, graft and corruption, and poverty reduction.”

Businessman Norris Oculam, chair of Abaka, said that Abaka movement is the umbrella organization in Bohol for groups would be created.  Also present  was Boy Penia of the office of Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado.

Abaka was one of the 9 local parties which was accepted by Duterte-Carpio as alliance from the Visayas even it is not a political organization.

Oculam said Attraka members would be automatically members of Abaka and HNP.

Duterte-Carpio was forging alliances in a bid to boost her regional party’s agenda by having partners in various regions in the country.

“We shared the same goal and vision,” said Oculam.

Abaka members are continuously seeking the right leaders with great vision to help in the development of Bohol.

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