Proem

The Bohol Circumferential Highway is about to be finished. It will bring a tremendous change in Tagbilaran City. The effects will be both good and bad.

Fast Transportation

The good roads will result into fast transportation. All the coastal towns of Bohol will be within commuting distance. It means that people can come to Tagbilaran in the morning and go home in the evening.

This situation will be good for business in Tagbilaran but bad for the traffic situation.

Our count indicates that twenty thousand (20,000) three-wheeled vehicles and above will enter Tagbilaran in a nomal day and stay in Tagbilaran for the day. Add to these the more than three thousand motorcycles, and Tagbilaran will have a problem of parking areas.

The commuting behavior are these: a) most vehicles that enter Tagbilaran in the morning through Manga Market will all go home by seven in the evening, b) most vehicles that enter Tagbilaran through Baclayon will go home only after midnight, and c) most vehicles from Panglao Island will enter Tagbilaran in the morning, go home at noon, come again to Tagbilaran and go home in the evening.

From this vehicle behavior we can discern that those who enjoy night life in Tagbilaran come from the central and eastern towns of Bohol. Also, the Manga Market will be a bottleneck for transportation in the evening.

Drainage Problem

The highway pavement is only provided with storm drain or run-off drainage. Sewage was not included in the design. However, some establishments still connect their sewage into the storm drain. The result is a distinctive odor of sewage coming out from the portholes.

The drainage outfall is at Tagbilaran Bay within the lagoon-like formation made by the wharf and its causeway. The seawater in this area is stagnant or do not drain easily to the outer sea.

The expected result will be seawater pollution. The expected malodor will drive off the customers at restaurants located at the wharf causeway. It will eventually affect the Bohol Tropics resort and the Caingget Beach resort. The marine life will be killed by pollution.

The best solution is to install a water treatment facility before the sewage is disposed to the sea. Our officials were talking of water treatment but we expect that they will only act when the damage will be done.

The "T-like" drainage intersection at CPG and San Jose St. is doubtful if it can handle run-off water from a real typhoon. So we expect flooding in the area. The problem will be the back-wash of sediments from the canals when the flooding occurs. Expect that the floodwaters will be very dirty.

Squatter Problem

Business boom will come to Tagbilaran City. Concomitant to this will be the influx of squatters. A non-immediate problem will be water supply. I just hope our city officials will be ready for these problems.