The greatest Boholanos who ever lived

With apologies to our "sano" from Bohol, I humbly believe there are no more political titans today we can compare to the icons of old Bohol. To me, the greatest Boholanos were President Carlos P. Garcia, Francisco Dagohoy, Datu Sikatuna, and Senator Ernesto Boy Herrera. Garcia was from Talibon, Dagohoy from Inabanga, Sikatuna from Loay, and Herrera from Calape, although born in Samboan, Cebu.

Today, there are no more Boholano senators in the mold of Garcia, Jose Clarin, Olegario Clarin, Juan Torralba, Herrera or Cabinet members like Juan Pajo, Edwin Lacierda, Arthur Yap, Ernesto Pernia, and Leoncio Evasco or congressmen like Bartolome Cabangang.

Garcia, eighth president of the Philippines, was born in Talibon on November 4, 1896. He studied in Abellana, Cebu City, took up pre-Law in Silliman, and finished Law in Manila's Philippine Law School. He placed in the top 10 in the 1923 Bar, and elected congressman of Bohol's 3rd District for two terms from 1928 to 1931, elected governor in 1933 to 1941 when he won as senator. He was elected Senate majority leader after World War II. He married a rich heiress from Mactan, Leonila Dimataga.

In 1953, he ran for vice president with Ramon Magsaysay in the Nacionalista Party, and both of them won. He was appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs and was in Australia on March 17, 1957 when Magsaysay died in that plane crash in Cebu. He took his oath as new president in our embassy in Canberra. In 1957 Garcia, won a full term as president overwhelmingly over Joise Yulo of LP but his running mate, Jose Laurel lost to LP's Diosdado Macapagal. In 1961, he lost to Macapagal. In 1971, he was elected president of the Constitutional Convention but died and was replaced by Macapagal again.

Dagohoy was born in Cambitoon, Inabanga, his full name was Francisco Sendrijas. The name Dagohoy was taken from "dagon" or amulet and "hoyohoy" or gentle wind. The revolt he led lasted from 1744 to 1829. Sikatuna or Catunao was a chieftain of Bo-ol. He made a blood compact with Miguel Lopez de Legazpi on March 25, 1565 aboard the Spanish vessel San Pedro. It was the first treaty entered into by the Philippines and a western nation.

Herrera was both a Boholano and a Cebuano. He was born on September 11, 1942, in Samboan, studied in Cebu and finished Law in the University of the Visayas. He joined ALU-TUCP and was a brilliant trade union leader under Democrito Mendoza, January Seno, and Cecilio Seno. He was named a member of the Agrava Commission created by President Marcos Sr. to investigate the Ninoy Aquino assassination. He led all the members, except the chairman, to issue a majority opinion pointing the guilt to Marcos' own cousin, AFP chief of staff Fabian Ver. The chair dissented.

That report endeared him to newly-installed president Corazon Aquino. He was included as the first batch of 24 senators in 1987. Herrera was number 21 of the 24 first batch of senators under the 1987 Constitution.

Other famous Boholanos included senators from Bohol. Aside from Garcia and Herrera were Juan Torralba, Jose Clarin, and Olegario Clarin. Napoleon Abueva from Duero and Tagbilaran was named National Artist for Sculpture. Jose Abueva served as the 16th UP president. Filemon Cloma, not Tomas Cloma, discovered the Kalayaan Islands. Tomas Cloma, the founder of PMI Colleges, was honorary vice-admiral and was acknowledged as the Father of Philippine Maritime Education in the Philippines.

Famous Boholanos included Edwin Lacierda from Loon, who served as President PNoy's spokesman, NEDA Secretary Ernesto Pernia, NEDA Executive Director Romulo Neri, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, DepEd Secretary Cecilio Putong, and Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Education Christopher Bernido. In religion, Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy is a Boholano, like former CBCP President Bishop Romulo Valles, Lipa Archbishop Mariano Gaviola, Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez, Apostolic Nuncio to Spain Msgr. Bernardito Auza, Butuan Bishop Cosme Almedilla, and retired AFP Chaplain Brigadier General Raul Cino.

Others are the iconic Yoyoy Villame, Cesar Montano, Luke Mejares, Gisselle Sanchez, Marco Sison, Maryo de los Reyes, and Amay Bisaya. In sports, Bohol gave us Lauro Mumar and son Lawrence, and Bernie Fabiosa, in basketball, and Nonito Donaire and Mark Magsayo in boxing. Bohol produced a president, a feat which the three Leyte provinces and the three Samars haven’t achieved. Among the Regions 6, 8 and NIR, only Cebu, Capiz, and Bohol have produced presidents. Bohol is small but admirable.