Bohol town honors Aquinos; PNoy unveils new town hall

TRINIDAD, BOHOL ,Philippines  - The people of this northern bustling municipality led by Mayor Atty. Roberto C. Cajes have immortalized the Aquinos, the families of Roxas and Clarin after President Benigno Simeon Aquino III unveiled the new P28-million municipal hall building during his visit here last August 2.

Cajes described the presidential visit and inauguration a historic event for the townsfolk. First, it was the first time that the old municipal building was replaced with a new one after the New People's Army riddled it with bullets in an attack in the late 1980s.

Second, it was the first official visit of Aquino even if it took only less than two hours amid the yellow ribbon and flaglets carried by the people in greeting him.

The townsfolk, through their officials, expressed their respect to the Aquinos by installing inside the new building life-sized pictures of former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. and wife, then President Corazon Aquino and that of PNoy, as well as of then President Manuel A. Roxas and wife Trinidad, and former Senator Olegario Clarin.

The people honored the Aquinos when P-Noy caused the release of P17 million to complete the new town hall, and President Roxas for reinstating it to a municipality from Talibon town with the assistance of Clarin.

The former Ipil town was later changed to "Trinidad," in honor of Roxas' wife, Trinidad. President Roxas declared Trinidad as a municipality by virtue of an Executive Order No. 8 on September 1, 1947.

Visitors can very well view their big photos when climbing upstairs to the second floor where the air-conditioned offices of the mayor and Municipal Council and other offices are located. The Council's session hall is also named after Ninoy Aquino.

The old municipal building, now at the back door of the new one, will house other offices and now serves as additional classrooms for the only municipal-run college in the province, said tourism and information officer Jojie Ruiz-Buendia.