The Year 2008 for Bohol was a year marked by tragedy, challenge, mis-governance and opportunity.

It somehow mirrored what the world was - thrown asunder by food and financial crisis and the biggest victory of democracy in the election of the first black American president.

In Bohol and the world - the events that shaped its year proved that anything - good and bad - can happen anywhere as long as man - with his human frailty - tries to take charge over the destiny of people and places.

Two stories on economic development - rice supply stability and the Panglao airport - exposed the limits of planning and the realities of Third World country. Three stories touched on the city - the Drainage Issue (environment), City Square (Agora) Mess and the Unliquidated Cash Advances (millions) - that seemed to point to the fiscal and civic ineptitude of the City Mayor and hints of graft in City Hall.

Three stories echoed the lamentation after tragedies including a sea vessel, a closed bank and an attempt to put order in a detention cell. Two controversies - involving wholesale corruption and illegal gambling - also crashed in to the Top 12 Stories of 2008.

The Bohol election and boxing fevers engulfing Bohol complete the scene. The Top 12 Stories:

(1) RICE SHORTAGE - Panic hit the Bohol market when forecast of an impending nationwide rice shortage became front-page news. NFA stepped in to stabilize prices and supply and Governor Erico Aumentado ordered the limits on rice "exportation" to rice-hungry Cebu nearby. Despite the claimed 80% rice self-sufficiency of Bohol, controversies on at least three dams - for issues of inefficiency and graft - did not die; neither the Fertilizer Scam where Bohol supposedly got its share of P14.5-million worth of fertilizers - in kind - according to the three congressmen and the governor.

(2) ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER - In a series of apparent miscues by the City Mayor of not building a waste processing system on time (as he promised), refusing to cut illegally connected pipes to the city's sewage system and unilaterally opening the water outfall - the City Chief Executive successfully inflicted a two-year punishing of foul smelling flooding at North CPG and environmentally threatened the seawaters off the tourist-oriented City Port and the long-term viability of beach resorts. The DENR lab test showed 24 million colonies of coliform - 'an impending environmental disaster" which a DENR-DPWH composite team effectively stopped by cutting most of the illegals before Christmas Day.

(3) THE PRINCESS OF THE STAR TRAGEDY - In yet another sea vessel mishap, 30 Boholano families mourned the loss of their kin(s) while departing for the Cebu City destination. The nightmare led many Boholanos for a time to consider taking the more expensive air flights and land trip: scared of another sea tragedy. Ironically, the ship captain of the ill-fated ship hails from the town of Loon, Bohol.

(4) THE ZTE-NBN DEAL - The most discussed corruption issue of the Arroyo administration was in most Boholano lips and consciousness for weeks. The tale led all the way to the golf courses in China and Wack Wack where millions in bribes supposedly changed hands (or were plotted to be so) in a clearly overpriced multi-billion deal that would have computerized the communication system of Government nationwide. Part of the fascination was one of the two whistle-blowers (other than Jun Lozada) was a Boholano in the person of former NEDA chief Romulo Neri (now SSS Commissioner). It was Neri's exposure of the bribe offer of P200 million that led to the resignation of Comelec chief Benjamin Abalos. Some Boholano ex-priests in Manila tried to offer comfort to Neri whose life and security were threatened.

(5) THE BANK HOLIDAY OF PILIPINO RURAL BANK - Hundreds of Boholanos, lured by the allure of "Double Your Money" in 5 years, could now be part of the P12-billion deposit loss suffered by depositors nationwide of the Legacy Group of Banks that abruptly declared a Bank Holiday two weeks ago. Beyond the P250,000 per deposit account which is guaranteed by the PDIC, it will be an actual loss for depositors. Worse, the sister company Legacy Group which sells pension, education and memorial plans applied for dissolution with the SEC. How many Boholanos will be holding to total or partial values of their Legacy plans - only God knows in the future.

(6) THE CHURCH OBJECTS TO SMALL TOWN LOTTO - Consistent that all forms of gambling are inherently bad and weaken the moral fiber of bettors, the Church through two bishops Leandro Medroso and Christian Vincent Noel opposed the opening of Small Town Lotto operations as introduced by 3rd District Rep. Adam Jala. Some towns had supported the STL over the illegal numbers game called swertres - which remain unabated in many areas. Many other sectors are asking the Church to show the same vigorous moral zeal in asking authorities to crush the illegal swertres.

(7) PANGLAO BOHOL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - Stalled last year by bureaucratic red tape inside the Manila International Authority, in charge of the P4.2-billion Panglao Bohol International Airport (PBIA), GMA tried to inject hope by the capsule-laying at the Panglao airport site last May. There appears to be more than just one answer as to where the funding will actually come from. What is certain is that the April 2009 First Phase target completion will be a pipe dream. Several major world chain resorts are reportedly waiting at the wings for the airport's completion. On the other side is a Group of Concerned Boholanos who asked Government "to make haste slowly" on the project for environmental, economic, financial and industry reasons.

(8) CITY SQUARE 'ROT' DEAL ROTTEN? - Three city top-notched lawyers recently filed a TRO against the City Square deal - ROT (Rehabilitate-Operate-Transfer) for being "grossly disadvantageous to the city taxpayers." However two judges had inhibited themselves from the case and had to be re-raffled. This is not the first time that city judges inhibited themselves from accepting cases involving City Hall. The other one was the class suit filed against the City Mayor et. al. for increasing real estate taxes by 100% without adequate public hearing. This "peculiar" legal situation in the city will be shortly brought up to the attention of the Supreme Court and the Department of Justice. Curiously, the consortium dealing with City Hall wants to "quit" the project due to some "unprogrammed expenses" that sent the city's collective tongue wagging - with directions pointed mostly to City Hall.

(9) ELECTION FEVER - After Governor Aumentado's term expires in 2010 - marked by some success in the area of circumferential roads, RORO facilities, tourism gains, power interconnection, international airport initiatives and large but often controversial dams, the province is in deep search as to who will carry the semblance of momentum behind Aumentado's governorship. The field is wide open: Rep Edgar Chatto (HNU survey front runner to date), Vice Governor Julius Herrera (who has sacrificed to be the mere Best Man in a figurative political wedding many times), Rep. Roberto Cajes (former priest and a dark horse), Cesar Montano (multi-awarded actor-director and UNESCO Commissioner) and former Governor Rene Relampagos (the popular Politician with Many Options) from City Mayor to congressman (Third District) or Governor.

(10) P 6.5 MILLION UNLIQUIDATED ADVANCES CITY HALL - The identities of those who had P 6.5 Million in unliquidated advances in 2007 as exposed by COA in the City Government kept secret by the powers-that-be , will soon be known if the Minority City Bloc led by Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso elevates the case to the Ombudsman courts. Claiming that most advances came from the Office of the City Mayor, the Minority Group says that this is just one of the six other potential legal cases to be filed against the City Mayor et. al. based on the 2007 COA Report as highlighted in a scathing privilege speech by City Kagawad Djingo Rama this month.

(11) BOOM BOOM BOHOL - Not only Bohol's tourism is boom-booming with frenetic activities but in the world of boxing as well. Spoken (in one breath) to be among the future heir apparent of the world's greatest boxer (pound for pound) today Manny Pacquiao, Bohol's ring sensation Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista has got what it takes to become a future star pugilist. Class, form and punching power envelop the name of Boom Boom and despite recent drawbacks, he is still spoken of "with great boxing promise" among aficionados. Defensive skills training and Spartan discipline are two things that might occupy Boom Boom's diary for 2009.

(12) DETENTION DAWN ASSAULT - In a script drawn from the movies, a composite PNP-SWAT-Army team assaulted at dawn the Bohol Detention and Rehabilitation Center (BDRC) to quell a growing rebellion of undisciplined inmates. The raid - blitzkrieg style - yielded several bladed weapons and broke up the gangs ruling the prison unofficially. One inmate leader became the lone casualty in an otherwise impressive imprimatur move by the PNP to prove as "to who is in charge" at the BDRC.

Even greater challenges loom in the Year 2009 horizon. We can only knell down in supplication to the Divine Master whose plans are at times beyond man's puny comprehension. Shalom!

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