Vice Govenor Rene Relampagos is back in the country after a vacation leave spent in the United States of America. With this, he is already assuming his post as the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Bohol.
The news about the return of Relampagos was announced by Gov. Arthur Yap in a press briefing on Friday, July 10, 2020 at the Capitol. The governor said that Relampagos formally reported back into office on Friday.
As a result of this development, Board Member Dionisio Victor Balite goes back to his post as the senior board member of the SP.
LETTER TO AÑO
In a phone interview conducted evening of Saturday (July 11) by The Bohol Tribune Managing Editor, Ardy Araneta Batoy with Relampagos, the latter told her that he wrote a letter dated July 10, 2020 to DILG Sec. Eduardo Año and kindly informed the secretary of Relampagos’ intention to continue with his duty as the elected vice governor of Bohol.
In his letter, Relampagos said, “I am pleased to inform the Honorable DILG Secretary that as of July 6, 2020, I have safely returned from the United States of America (kindly see attached document marked “A”) by virtue of a duly approved DILG Foreign Travel
Authority for a Vacation Leave dated February 8, 2020 up to February 17, 2020 (kindly see attached document marked “B”) and is currently in Manila and as such, effective today, July 10, 2020,I have resumed as the Provincial Vice Governor by availing the Alternative Work Arrangement in the conduct of my various duties, functions and responsibilities as the duly elected Vice Governor of Bohol, such as but not limited to, perform office functions and the conduct of Sessions and Committee Meetings with the use of Videoconferencing / Teleconferencing using the World Wide Web (Internet), pursuant to the Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 10, Series of 2020 (kindly see attached document marked (“Annex C”), as well as our Sangguniang Panlalawigan Internal Rules of Procedure (kindly see attached document marked (“Annex D”) and in adherence to the May 15, 2020 Memorandum of the Hon. Governor Arthur C. Yap addressed to all Provincial Officials, Employees and Workers of the Provincial Government of Bohol, in substantial compliance with the Revised Interim Guidelines for Alternative Work Arrangements and Support Mechanisms set forth in the Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 10, series of 2020 (kindly see attached document marked (“Annex E”).”
The vice governer, in his letter, continued by saing: “In addition, the undersigned would wish to inform the Honorable Secretary that in the duration of my vacation, I have sought a medical checkup for some physical discomfort that I have been experiencing and immediately underwent surgery to address such health concern. By God’s graces, the medical procedure was very successful. Anent hereto, attached herewith is my medical certificate attesting that I am fit for work and very much ready to effectively and efficiently serve my beloved Boholano constituents (kindly see attached document marked “Annex F”),”
The vice governor also wrote: “Moreover, since the 4th week of March 2020, I have been ready to return to the Philippines and resume to fulfill my duties and functions as the province’s duly elected Vice Governor, but unfortunately the existing Covid-19 caused and related lockdowns and flight restrictions in the U.S. and in the Philippines has caused the undersigned to be stranded in the U.S., hence, the delay of my return.”