Under the stewardship of Gov. Erico Aumentado, Bohol seems to be Malacanang's backyard with no less than the President as a regular sight.

For the nth time, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo chose Tagbilaran as the venue of a major activity under her administration. We are certainly glad of the President's apparent display of Bohol's closeness to her heart which has been translated into major developments of the province.

The governor certainly deserves the accolade for making Bohol in Malacanang's doorsteps reminiscent of the late Pres. Carlos P. Garcia's time.

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In last Wednesday's regular session of the 10th Sangguniang Panlungsod, we stood up to express our dismay over the absence of any activity commemorating the death anniversary of the late Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Jr.

While the President has declared Aug. 20 as a special non-working holiday but it was part of her holiday economics considering that it was a Monday.

So Aug. 21, Ninoy's death anniversary, became a regular working day.

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Despite this situation, local officials should have initiated even short programs and activities to mark the Aquino's death which sparked the restoration of democracy in this country.

A political observer told us that we need not look far beyond the present political configuration and see how many of them enjoyed during the time of the conjugal dictatorship.

When he was still vice-mayor, Judge Jorge Cabalit never missed organizing an activity for the late Ninoy Aquino in his own little ways. Oh, how we missed Cabalit at the city hall.

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The open declaration of support by City Mayor Dan Neri Lim in our bid for the PCL presidency during his weekly "Mayor's Report" was the turning point in our campaign.

From the very start, the city mayor has been giving us pointers and guidance in our candidacy. He knows whereof he speaks as proven in the role he played during the bid of Lemuel Digal as SK provincial federation president and with that of former City Councilor George Lao as the first PCL president in Bohol.

But we did not expect his open declaration of an all out support yesterday. At this juncture, words will not suffice to thank the city mayor for his generosity. Gratitude is a memory of the heart.

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Taking a cue from his brand of leadership in the city, our platform for PCL-Bohol is anchored on a participatory governance under the principle of transparency.

The budget allocation for the PCL in the provincial board should be shared by all city and municipal councilors pursuant to existing rules on government accounting and auditing.

We are not persuaded of constructing a PCL house as Bohol is too small a province to warrant for its need. However, municipal kagawads will have a ready place to spend the night in Tagbilaran under our presidency.

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Akin to the city's bluecard program, we envision to provide Bohol's legislators with free hospitalization up to a certain level and give their children and deserving constituents good educational privileges in the city's tertiary schools.

If given the chance to serve as PCL president for the next three years, we shall revive PCL's lost glory of dynamism, camaraderie and capability enhancement activities not to mention our comprehensive sports development program to keep our fellow councilors in a clean bill of health.

All told, we have more than what the other contenders have to offer. After all, PCL-Bohol calls for the much-needed change after three years of hibernation.

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