Early birds file COC in Bohol

Wake-uppers:

Scene:  Miss Bohol 2018 3rd runner-up Jesseth Nez Pasagad was crowned Miss JCI Philippines-Visayas 2018 held in Iligan City.  Pasagad, a petroleum engineer, advocates for the use of renewable energy for sustainable development.

Scene:  The 4th Bohol Milk Festival aims to promote and expand the dairy sector in the country. It was graced by Sen. Cynthia Villar. “I hope this event will teach our farmers to become productive and competitive.

Scene: Doris Dinorog-Obena, a licensed tour guide and president of the Kahugpungan sa Bol-anong Guides (Kabog)  will file her certificate of candidacy on Oct. 17, at  the Comelec Central Office as the 3rd nominee for Akbayan Partylist. She is the first Boholana who will run under a National Partylist for 2019 midterm elections.

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The first two days of filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) were another proof that elections in Philippines are full of surprises.

The provincial election office said that the first and second days of COC filing was actually slow.  Only one notable Sangguniang Panlalawigan candidate submitted the form.

The submission of COCs started on Thursday, Oct. 11 and will run until October 17, Wednesday, excluding weekends. 

More personalities are expected to flock to Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the last three days, including bets from both the administration and opposition groups.

A village chief and his three councilors in this town were among the early birds to file their certificates of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office last Thursday, Oct. 11.

Barangay captain Johnny Orioque of Poblacion, Trinidad who is also the editor and publisher of The Bohol News Today and Bohol Balita Daily News, filed his COC for town mayor at 9:30 a.m. under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

His COC was accepted by Trinidad election officer III Cecelia Araceli Balili.

Orioque was the first candidate to have filed a COC in the province, according to Comelec records.

“I just want to file early to prove that we are serious and aggressive in our campaign for change,” Orioque said.

He said he would focus on the town’s agriculture which he said was neglected.

“I am real and genuine Trinidadnon. I know how a Trinidadnon feels and I know what a Trinidadnon needs for the development and change in our municipality,” he added.

Orioque was accompanied by wife Jessica, some supporters and three candidates for councilor -Ireneo Acuña, Carmilo Tabada and Jose Marlon Autentico  —in the Comelec.

Out of eight seats in the municipal council, Orioque only has three candidates in his slate who also have filed their respective COCs.

According to Malou Cempron, assistant to the provincial election supervisor.  the Comelec will accept COCs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cempron also reminded candidates affiliated with a political party to attach their Certificates of Nomination and

Acceptance (CONA) to the COCs otherwise they would be considered as independent bets. 

Buenavista Mayor Dave Duallo and his slate filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) on Thursday, Oct. 11 at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Buenavista town.

Duallo seeks the mayoral post with Councilor Ma. Christine Torregosa as his running mate under the banner of the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

Duallo was elected vice mayor in 2016 polls but had to take over as mayor after Mayor Ronald Lowell “Sample” Tirol was killed inside the cockpit arena last May 27.

Completing their slate were candidates for councilors – Elsa Tirol, Rena Erojo, Romeo Aparece, Martin Nuñez , Jr., Rene Mero, Alice Lopez, Junel Torregosa and Nena Melecio.

Duallo said that his slate attended Mass first at the Santo Rosario Parish Church before going to the local office of the Commission on Elections to file their certificates of candidacy past 10 a.m.

They were accompanied by their family members and supporters.

“We are united leaders for a united people of Buenavista for a lasting peace, prosperity and development of the municipality,” said Duallo.

Other mayoral candidates who filed their were Mark Monton (Balilihan), Casey Camacho (Getafe) and Mayor Katrina Lim (Valencia)

Board member Elipidio Jala who is seeking reelection filed his COC at 1 p.m. last Friday, Oct. 12 without any fanfare.

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State of the art hospital will rise in Panglao

 A tourist died while diving at the world-famous Panglao Island, Bohol province last July 23.

The victim was identified as Oh Eng Hoe, 70, a Malaysian national, according to PO3 Gregorio Perocho, desk officer of the Panglao police station.

While diving at 30 meters, his companions noticed that Hoe slowly descended and was struggling.

When he was unresponsive, he was brought to the surface where personnel  from the dive shop performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while waiting for the ambulance.

He was brought to a hospital in Tagbilaran City, at least 47 minutes from Panglao, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Hoe, according to attending physician, died through asphyxia by drowning.

Hoe’s friend (who asked not to be named) said that "If there is an hospital in Panglao Island,  the unfortunate 70-year-old might have been saved."

The case of Hoe was among the deaths in Panglao Island recorded.

Residents and tourists have long protested about the lack of hospital available. Many are forced to go to the city. 

Last Oct. 8, a ground breaking ceremony was held for the construction of the Bohol Doctors’ Hospital  in Barangay Bil-isan in this town to provide healthcare and wellness to the needs of tourists and residents in the island.

The demand for more quality health services also increases because of the tremendous growth of tourism industry in Bohol, according to Board Member Jade Bautista, president and chief executive officer.

Bautista, a nurse by profession, said  the project was a dream come true to her since it would be the first in the province. 

“I was exposed to the medical world since I was young as my family runs a healthcare facility in the US, which is also why I studied  Nursing and became a registered nurse thereafter. I wanted to bring our beloved Bohol everything that I learned in my experiences abroad in terms of medical practices and expertise,” she said.

Bautista said It is to  complement tourism by contributing in the area of health services sector, particularly on medical tourism, so that Boholanos and tourists alike may no longer have to go to Cebu for health  care needs.

“We don’t want our visitors to worry while on vacation,” she said.

She said that hospital would have access  to their medical records abroad to give them equal or greater quality services than in their home country.

The P450-million hospital is a five-story medical building that would have 100 beds ready to cater 24/7 after its construction within 18 to 24 months. It will be equipped with state-of the-art healthcare facilities and energy-efficient practices to optimize sustainable healing and promote less carbon footprint infrastructure.

But the hospital is also a “hospitel,” a hospital-hotel, said Bautista.

The fifth floor will have 20 rooms especially built for that purpose.

“We do not just cater the needs of the sick who seek medical attention but we also cater our grandparents and great parents who wished to relax on their retirement,” she said.

“We will make sure that our hospital’s environment will be very conducive to a sustainable healing,” she added.

Bautista said this hospital will be much like other Metro Manila hospitals and in the USA which are accredited internationally by JCI.

JCI is an international hospital accreditation body known for its Gold Seal of Approval that provides the highest standards of medical care in more than 100 countries.

In the Philippines, there are only five hospitals accredited by JCI, among them are the Makati Medical Hospital, St. Luke’s Medical Center-Quezon City, St. Luke’s Medical Center in Global City in Taguig, Asian Hospital and Medical City, all in Metro Manila.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Health Regional Director Jaime Bernadas, former board member Yul Lopez, Dr. Fruserma Mary Uy, the medical director of Bohol Doctors’ Hospital, and the founding doctors and investors led by Bautista.

This 8,000 sq meter location of the hospital will be at Barangay Bil-isan which is a few kilometers away from the newly-constructed Bohol Panglao International Airport.

Bautista, who is an incumbent board member of Bohol province, also said the hospital will employ Boholano personnel to cater to tourists and residents, adding that this is a good opportunity for medical professionals.

Bautista also said that the hospital will add texture the Bohol wonders.

Lopez also said this new hospital will change the healthcare system landscape of the province as its impact will be felt in so many ways.

Bernadas said the hospital is an idea of evolution.

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Bong Go still undecided to run

Even if his boss has announced that he is running for senator, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go remains coy on his political plans. Go told Bohol reporters here during the opening of the Malasakit Center at the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) here, he still had five days to decide whether or not he would run for an elective position.

The filing of the certificate of candidacy has started on Oct. 11 and will end on Oct. 17.

A groupie with SAP Bong Go and some of the members of the Bohol media.
Photo courtesy: Bob Galero

President Duterte told reporters in Manila on Wednesday earlier that Go was among the six Cabinet members who would soon resign to run for public office. This was the second time the President spoke about Go's candidacy.

During an event with Filipinos in Jordan last Sept. 7, Duterte said Go wanted to run for senator but advised him that they should see it first since that would be difficult.

“But if the Filipinos in Jordan allow it, then okay,” he added. But Go told reporters in Tagbilaran that he had not made up his mind.

Go said that while “I still have 5 days to decide ug mangayo kog enlightenment sa atong Ginoo kung Iya kung padaganon (and I'm asking for enlightenment from God if He wants me to run),” he said.

“Also I leave it to the wisdom of the President,” he added.

 While his boss had already issued a statement about his purported plan to run, Go maintained that he had not made up his mind.

“Hulat ko last minute tan-awon nako kung asa ko makatabang didto ko (I will wait at the last minute to check where I can help best),” said Go.

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