Learning something from Bohol's tourism

PANGLAO, BOHOL, Philippines — Out of the blue, my good friend, Bobby Joseph and friends, Jenny Franco and former Department of Tourism (DoT) Regional Director Patria Dawnee Roa invited my and my wife for a short stay at the Blue Water Resort in Panglao, Bohol. And since I’ve not been there recently, we decided to take a short break from our usual duties. It’s always great to have a two-day off from our hectic duties and we’re lucky in Cebu that the country’s great tourism sites are so close.

One thing I immediately noticed on our SuperCat or 2Go fast craft is that, at least the new owners have kept the standards that were set during the time this company was owned by the Aboitiz Transport System (ATS). So as far as crossing to Bohol from Cebu is concerned, it was business as usual.

Arriving in Bohol, what really amazed me is that the 19-kilometer road towards the beach resorts in Panglao have been widened and concreted. This only shows to you that we can learn a thing or two from Bohol’s political leadership, led by Gov. Edgar Chatto, who was the Congressman of our district in Bo. Candumayao, Catigbian where the Segura Farms is located.

As a big bike enthusiast, my bike group has travelled to most of the Visayan provinces and it is sad to note that Bohol’s road infrastructure network is superior to that of Cebu and yes, you do not see garbage strewn along the sides of the road, unlike what tourists get to see in Mactan. Let me just say that I still can’t understand why we don’t cement our roads in Cebu when we play host to three or four huge cement factories. CEMEX (formerly Apo Cement) for instance is known worldwide as the cement used in the Golden Gate Bridge and Boulder Dam in Las Vegas.

Since we went mid-week, the fast craft wasn’t crowded with tourists and I’m sure not all the beach resorts had brisk business. But for sure, during the weekend, Bohol gets crowded with tourists from all over the country. Arriving at the plush Maribago Panglao was a sight for sore eyes. It’s been almost a year since they opened and the trees and the grass have grown and matured… but more importantly, the hotel serves great food and the pool was exhilarating. What more could one ask for?

Tuesday evening we drove up to the town of Loboc for the now famous Loboc River cruise, but this time we left the resort at 5:00pm because the river is now lighted for an evening dinner cruise. How things have changed since I was last in Loboc. The old shanties along the riverbanks have disappeared and tourists only get to see clean riverbanks in various colors. Others think that it is too “Christmasy” but then it was the first time I saw this and it wasn’t really that offensive to the eyes. But the lights reflected the still river water and it was beautiful to behold.

Yesterday morning, we drove a few kilometers to the other side of Panglao Island to see the up and coming Bellevue Panglao Resort. This is Bohol’s 1st 5-Star resort owned by the Chan Family who operates the Bellevue Manila in Alabang. They are feverishly working to meet their mid August schedule for their soft-opening. We were given a special tour by Bellevue’s General Manager Franz Eichenauer.

There is no doubt that with the opening of the Bellevue, one can now say that finally Bohol has arrived. I had a small hand in Bohol’s tourism development when in the mid-90s, when I was chairman of the Regional Development Council Region 7 (RDC-7) Infrastructure and Utilities (IUC) Committee, which has since been changed into the Infrastructure Development Committee, we held a public hearing on Bohol’s planned tourism development at the Provincial Capitol.

I recall one nun from one of the convents vehemently opposed the tourism proposal, as it would bring sex tourism to Bohol. I told the nun, “I would be lying to you if foreign tourists would come for sex tours. But then today, since Bohol doesn’t have a tourism industry, the poor women have no choice but become prostitutes due to lack of any other jobs. But I assure you Sister that you will not see prostitutes in Tagbilaran because in truth and honesty… the prostitutes from Bohol do not do their trade in their hometown. They are prostitutes in Cebu City.”

Mr. Peter and Zara Dejaresco invited our group to lunch in Gerry’s Grill in Bohol Quality and later we went into their beautiful palatial home across the Tagbilaran Bay, where I finished this column. I told Peter Dejaresco, who is also the publisher of the Bohol Chronicle, that if I’m happy with the way Bohol’s tourism industry has grown exponentially, I have an ulterior motive… because it means there would be fewer Boholanos seeking jobs in Cebu and relocating themselves in our squatter colonies. Bohol’s tourism success is undoubtedly linked by an umbilical cord that is the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA).

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