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| The Tarsier |
Sometimes my siblings and I play "Mayor". It's not really a game but more like a discussion of "if I'm Mayor, I would..." and we'd enumerate out of this world, almost impossible implementations (almost, because there is still a slight chance of possibility) to our beloved province here in Bohol. More on those discussions later after the jump.
I came across this video by Time Travel on YouTube hosted by Susan Calo-Medina, it was uploaded in 2011 but a line in the About section of the video that struck me as similar to what my siblings and I have been discussing.
If Bohol will be properly managed by its leaders and successors, it has the potential to develop like Singapore, considering that Bohol has a strategic geographical location and has very rich natural resources.
The keywords are: if, leaders and successors, potential and Singapore.
If Only
If is introducing a condition. It is logic. It follows that law of the harvest or commonly known as the "what you sow, you reap" line. The result or future of Bohol will depend on the actions, ideas and dedication among its people. Yes, Bohol has greatly improved compared 10-15 years ago. Before, the spike of tourists is only seasonal, now it is a constant trend all year round. However, why should stop on pushing to improve Bohol to be a role model province of the Philippines?
There is always a possibility for Bohol to progress like any other province in the Philippines but again this is conditional which bring us to our second factor.
Leaders & Successors
Not only political leaders but also its people. To bring in a glorious Bohol will require a unified thrust with the people of Bohol here and abroad.
As mentioned in the video there two areas Bohol has considered as engine for development and those are: tourism and agriculture. But engines needed to be maintained and often upgraded if we want further development. So here are some of the wild thoughts we have during our "Mayor" discussions:
- LRT/MRT transit system that connects all of the municipalities in the province
- Have been to Changi airport in Singapore? Imagine a similar airport here in Bohol
- Reinvent the tricycle and the whole public transport system
- Independent water and power supply
- Research on solar and geothermal energy
- Introduce more universities scattered around the province and promote research and development
- A province wide wifi system for anyone can access for basic surfing needs
- A better tourism system
- Improve roads and traffic
Those are just some and they are mostly pretty wild an out of this world. Are they not possible? Bohol has the potential.
SEE ALSO: Perspective
Potential
The reasons why we say a lot of near impossible "what-ifs" is because Bohol has the potential. It has the two major areas to work upon to further other developments. It is hard because I believe it would require a reboot and a reformat of our culture as Boholanos and Filipino at the same time. Things, ideals, traditions may have to change or bring back old ideals.
Then this could be very well our battle cry: ‘idja-idja, aho-aho!’. With this, from ‘outside da Pilipins’ we may be able to rebuild the Philippines, flattened by financial crises, sucked dry by unscrupulous politicians, debased in its own eyes by cultural pollution and disoriented by a demented media that foists the ‘Wowowee’ mentality on Filipinos in massive daily noontime doses.
The bad news is, I think this potential is growing slimmer by the day. I have always said on my statuses that I hope Bohol would not become the abomination that is Boracay. Have you seen the place? No, not just the beach and the resorts. Have you seen the local people? God forbid Bohol should become such a place.
Singapore
You could say it is our second home where dad works for quite some time now. We love how efficient their governance are and how courteous they are during traffic. I love travelling using the public transportation system without the paranoia of being squished and pushed upon. I love how diverse the food and different interests people have. Imagine, that kind of implementation on Bohol. A eco-cultural destination with the sense of efficiency of Singapore standards and the same time preserving the Filipino - Boholano culture.
SEE ALSO: Paradise
Impossible you say? I don't think so.
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