GOVERNOR Aris Aumentado categorically pointed out that the planned sisterhood agreement has not been sealed or signed, yet, contrary to news reported by a weekly news outfit in the province.
This he told media interview after the meeting of the Regional Development Council he presided as chair in the Anda town on Dec. 5.
The provinces of Cebu and Bohol thru their respective provincial boards in a joint session agreed to come up with a Resolution for sisterhood agreement after the departure soon of the provinces Negros Oriental and Siquijor to become member-provinces of Negros Island Region (NIR) pursuant with the law signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.
In separate interview, Vice-Gov. Tita V. Baja expressed the same view, saying that the joint Resolution passed by Cebu and Bohol legislature in a joint session recently was just a preparatory move to come up with a formal agreement.
The governor bared that the planned Cebu-Bohol sisterhood pact would be signed sometime in February 2025 in Bohol, where the officials of Cebu, including Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia are expected to come here for the formal signing of said agreement.
The Cebu-Bohol joint session presided over by Cebu Vice-Gov. Hilario Davide and Bohol Vice-Gov. Baja passed the joint Resolution. It is forging a sisterhood agreement to strengthen and foster the bond of cooperation in the field of tourism, commerce, business and inter-economy and other shared benefits for growth of the region. The said Resolution was authored by Cebu’s Glenn Anthony Soco and Michael Joseph Villamor and Bohol’s Jiselle Rae A. Villamor and sponsored en masse.
The formation of new economic NIR has left Cebu and Bohol with P1.1+ trillion of gross regional domestic product (GRDP) from P1.3 trillion. The deduction of P179 billion GRDP was an offshoot of Negros Oriental and Siquijor exit from region 7.
Prior to the departure of N.O. and Siquijor, region 7, then composed of Cebu, Bohol, N.O. and Siquijor, boasts of its gross domestic product with Cebu province contributing the biggest (30.1%) chunk; Cebu City, 22%; Bohol, 13.3%; Lapu-Lapu, 11.8% and Mandaue City, 8.5%.
Gov. Garcia, in her speech, said that even without N.O. and Siquijor, Cebu and Bohol could still be an economic powerhouse hub in the region, if not in the entire country.
“Watch out! Bohol and Cebu will become a powerhouse in the Visayas and the entire country,” she added.
Bohol Gov. Aumentado said that sisterhood pact with Cebu would help boost the economic status of Bohol with the aim of reducing poverty incidence now at 14.8%.
“By joining forces, these two remaining provinces in Region 7 will prove to the nation that Central Visayas remains an economic powerhouse. This partnership will unlock new opportunities, foster mutual growth, and celebrate the rich historical kinship between the Boholanos and Cebuanos,” he added.
Both Gov. Garcia and Gov. Aumentado coined the term “SugBohol,” a combination of Sugbo and Bohol. (rvo)
