Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado of the 2nd District of Bohol appeals to the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) to focus on alleviating the hunger of the Boholanos, and address the lack of food and opportunities endured especially by the displaced workers in this time of the protracted Coronavirus disease (Covid) pandemic.
Available PGBh funds, Aris said, should be channelled to support those dislocated people and brought to hunger due to Covid.
“True, the PGBh needs to do many important things, but nothing should take priority over health,” the solon emphasized.
Without jobs, people scrimp on expenses – including food. The downside, he said, is poor nutrition that tends to weaken the immune system and makes people vulnerable to a plethora of health issues.
He said, once sick, hospitalization will cut further on an already stretched budget. This halts people’s productivity and source of income. When this happens, the economy drops, the solon explained.
To avert this, Aumentado suggests that the PGBh’s attention and focus should be attuned to Covid-related issues that stimulate and heal the economy.
Boracay was not spared from the disease, and yet it has moved towards reviving its tourism industry, he said.
“Bohol should not wait until Covid goes away before it moves to revitalize what it has gained tourism-wise. The province still had insurgency problems and poor infrastructure when it first mounted massive tourism promotions,” he observed.
The immediate concern today, he said, is helping sectors most affected by the pandemic.
For instance, he pointed out, habal-habal or motorcycle-for-hire drivers had their heydays as tourism peaked in the province.
When arrivals dropped, however, so did their income.
Yet, they have not received the much-needed help to get them back to business – except perhaps for eight kilos of rice.
The commentary of the 2nd district solon comes at the heels of the plans of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) to purchase 14 new vehicles for the board members and for Vice Gov. Rene Relampagos.
Senior Board Member Dionisio Victor Balite, in reports, has expressed his opposition to the plan of the SP to acquire new vehicles which he sees as something not needed at this time as the province still reels from the pandemic. (with reports from June Blanco)