|
Progress
as Panglao officials unite?
 | | ALL'S
WELL THAT ENDS WELL. Panglao Mayor Benedicto Alcala and Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes
(6th and 7th from left) and other town officials extend hands of reconciliation
in a pact brokered by Gov. Erico Aumentado (8th from left) assisted by Vice Gov.
Julius Caesar Herrera and Rep. Edgar Chatto of Bohol's 1st District (3rd and 5th
from left) together with Dr. Jose Teofilo Arcay and Judge Suceso Arcamo (extreme
and 5th from right). Foto TAMIE DABALOS |
The
public will closely monitor the turn of events in the administration of Panglao
as local governance after its officials confer with top provincial leaders to
"reconcile" differences.
Gov.
Erico Aumentado and Rep. Edgar Chatto brokered the "peace talks" among
the warring political camps of Mayor Benedicto Alcala and Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes
who campaigned together to oust former Mayor Doloreich Dumaluan and vice mayoralty
bet, Kagawad Nila Montero during the 2007 polls.
The
meeting held at the Governor's Mansion last Sunday have both camps air their grievances
against each group which boils down to "disrespect and pride."
Aumentado
and Chatto called the meeting as urgent projects particularly the water system
has not reach a common ground. Supply of potable water to the island, which is
one of the popular tourists' havens in the country, still looks dim.
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The governor was
irked on the delayed action by the chief executive and the legislative branches
in approving which firm should be tapped to deliver the much needed water service
especially in the resort area.
Bohol
Water Utilities, Inc. (BWUI) as well as the Cebu-based Mactan Rock have both showed
interest to develop a water system in the town.
"Manilad
would be interested to develop the water system on the event BWUI and Mactan Rock
would fail," the governor stressed. | The
top provincial officials asked Mayor Alcala and Vice Mayor Fuertes and the members
of the Sangguninang Bayan to decide soonest since water would be basic need as
soon as the construction of the proposed P4.2 billion Panglao Bohol International
Airport would commence sometime in December this year.
The
governor appointed former OIC Mayor Dodong Arcay and Judge Sosimo Arcamo, both
respected town leaders, to attend the meetings of the Panglao officials to act
as counsel.
He
asked both camps to meet weekly in order to move faster with the delayed projects.
"It
is a shame to admit that while we are talking of a multi-million airport project,
the town has no potable water yet until this time," Aumentado stressed.
Presently,
resorts get their water supply either from their own limited sources or from the
water delivery trucks coming from the city. | 
