“Governor Chatto is a very thoughtful “Servant Leader” who goes out of his way, untiringly, to serve his fellow leaders and constituents. By his record of accomplishments he is a transforming leader,” Jose “Pepe” Abueva wrote for a newspaper back in 2013.
A Boholano, former president and Professor Emeritus of the University of the Philippines (UP) and founder of Kalayaan College, Abueva was a member of the UP Advisory Council, a consultative body, formed by then governor Edgar Chatto, for policies relating to the development directions for the province.
One of planning meetings with the UP Advisory Council
Former governor and congressman Atty. Edgar Chatto was conferred the Governor’s Excellence Award in Public Service and Governance conferred upon Chatto during the Bohol Day Celebration on July 22, 2025, one more testament to his leadership and legacy in the years he spent as a public servant.
“Pinaagi sa imong liderato, daghang mga reporma, programa, ug kalambuan ang nasaksihan sa Bohol—sama sa imprastraktura, edukasyon, turismo, ug pagpalig-on sa lokal nga ekonomiya,” Governor Aris Aumentado stated of the enduring impacts of Chatto’s initiatives as a leader.
A path, perchance, paved by God’s purpose and will, Chatto began as a youth leader, a Kabataang Barangay provincial federated president and Ex-Officio Member of the Provincial Board at 20 years old.
His innovations and creative ideas are enshrined in Bohol’s vision statement and development plans, dating to when he was vice governor alongside then governor Rene Relampagos, the realization of which Boholanos and Filipinos now have the benefit of.
Health, Education, Agriculture, Tourism, Infrastructure and Information Technology (IT), widely known as HEAT IT Bohol, became the banner for the province’s growth.
These strategic pillars were determined to address specific challenges that were identified during a strategic executive-legislative planning session at the start of Chatto’s term as governor in 2010.
Among milestones are the expansion of the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Medical Center-Tagbilaran and the establishment of the Governor Celestino Gallares Multi Specialty Medical Center-Corter through Chatto-authored Republic Act No. 11883.
Chatto’s Purok Power Network, begun as an award winning health information system in Balilihan when he was mayor and was later expanded into a comprehensive in socio-economic tool, is now made a national program in the primary healthcare strategy PuroKalusugan of the Department of Health through the helm of Secretary Ted Herbosa.
To support the education sector, Chatto created the Carlos P. Garcia Scholarship Program through Provincial Ordinance No. 8, Series of 1996. In the same honor befitting the Most Illustrious Son of Bohol, Chatto also authored Republic Act No. 11987, renaming the Bohol Island Circumferential Road to the President Carlos P. Garcia Circumferential Road.
In partnership with the Department of Education and Ramon Magsaysay awardees Dr. Christoper Bernido and the late Dr. Maria Victoria Bernido, he pushed for the implementation of the Dynamic Learning Program, an innovative solution to combat learning loss through independent, resource-efficient learning. Along with this, partnerships with education stakeholders opened Turo Turismo, Eskwela Agricultura and IT Hub School.
Chatto legislated crucial education programs such as the Expanded Special Program for Employment of Students (ESPES) or the Summer Job Law, benefitting thousands of students across the country every year.
He is also recognized as the father of Bohol Island State University (BISU), his landmark law converting the state college into the only state university in the province. He further caused the opening of the BISU College of Criminology as well as the BISU School of Medicine, not only adding educational opportunities but also complementing efforts to improve health care delivery.
The Bohol First District Congressional District Library in Balilihan was also established through legislation by Chatto.
When Chatto was governor, Bohol recorded a high of 106% for rice self sufficiency. This was attributed to consistent agricultural support through programs such as BAHAY KUBO: FAITH (Food Always In The Home), HOPE (Herbal Organic Plants Enhancement), CHARITY (CHicken Always Ready In The Yard) Program in food security; also infrastructure and market linkage, including Farm to Market Roads, Irrigation Systems and Small Water Impounding Systems in partnership with the Department of Agriculture.
Funding for Rice and Corn Seeds, Fertilizers, Farm Machines, Farmers Allowances, Farm and Fishery Insurance and Farm as well as Fishery Financing, Fish Ports and Fish Cages were also made available.In the pursuit of becoming a prime eco-cultural tourism destination, Bohol tremendously made the most of Chatto’s landmark Tourism Act of 2009, Republic Act No. 959, the Bible of the industry.
The law strengthened the Department of Tourism (DOT), created the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) and Duty Free Philippines among others. It also ensured good mobility through the Tourism Roads Infrastructure Program (TRIPS) leading to tourism sites, ports and seaports under a DOT convergence with the Department of Public Works and Highways and Department of Transportation.
The establishment of the Abatan River Community Life Tour Project was through TIEZA and the Abatan River Development Management Council.
TIEZA also funded the construction of the Albur Cluster Sanitary Landfill Project.
Moreover, Bohol is designated as an eco-cultural tourism zone in the Philippines, through Chatto-authored Republic Act No. 9446. This designation emphasizes the province’s commitment to balancing tourism development with the preservation of its natural environment and cultural heritage.
In line with this commitment to environmental sustainability, Chatto with the full support of various sectors worked on achieving its current designation as a UNESCO Global Geopark, the first and only one in the Philippines.
Bohol was also the first province to pass a local Environment Code through Chatto’s leadership in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The province also adopted a NO to COAL POLICY, among the first few provinces in the country to make the declaration, through the passage of Provincial Ordinance 2018-005.
This was a significant move that resulted from Chatto’s initiative of creating the Bohol Energy Development Advisory Group (BEDAG), formed to address Power Generation and Power Transmission and ensure resilient, cost efficient and environmentally sound power supply.
Today, the NGCP Cebu-Bohol Power Interconnection Project is operational and the One Bohol EDC backup Power Plant in Ubay is complete.
Just as power development was crucial, Behold Bohol, a post earthquake recovery catchphrase, was key to the province’s economic recovery.
Post earthquake, the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged old churches, towers and sites through the National Museum (NM) and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) was also undertaken.
The earthquake was one of major hurdles overcome in Chatto’s 9-year stint as governor, along with Typhoon Yolanda and the Inabanga siege.
These came with hard-earned lessons on preparedness that strengthened benchmark initiatives such as the creation of the Telephone and Radio Systems Integrated Emergency Response (TaRSIER117).
The post earthquake damage further saw through the rehabilitation and reconstruction of local and national infrastructures through the Earthquake Rehabilitation Plan, comprising Municipal and Barangay Halls, Health facilities, Multi purpose buildings, public markets, water systems, schools buildings, roads and bridges, among others.
Infrastructure formed part of Chatto’s development pillars.
His leadership was marked by substantial projects such as construction of the Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA), the new Bohol Provincial Capitol and the conversion of the old Capitol building into the National Museum of the Philippines-Bohol along with the rehabilitation of Plaza Rizal and Escuela de Niños; and construction of the Bohol Youth Home.
The implementation of the Conditional Matching Grant for Provinces (CMGP), originally the “Konkreto at Ayos na LanSAngan ang DAan Tungo sa Pangkalahatang Kaunlaran” (KALSADA) launched in Bohol, inspired by the Provincial Road Management Facility model of the Australian Agency for International Development (AUSAID) made Local Road Reforms through National Government funding possible for provinces nationwide.
Chatto lobbied for the KALSADA program through the League of Governors of the Philippines where he served as Secretary General, one of organizations in the umbrella, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), a name Chatto also coined.
These innovations were in addition to other crucial road link projects such as the Nationalization of Panglao Island Circumferential Road now Anos Fonacier Road through Republic Act No. 9345, which included Ambassador Pablo Suarez Bridge in Tagbilaran City; Nationalization of Antequera-Libertad, Tubigon via San Isidro Road through Republic Act No. 9992; and Nationalization of Balilihan – Batuan via Hanopol Road through Republic Act No. 10040.
Moreover, the Tagbilaran-Dauis via Borja Bridge Causeway was rehabilitated and expanded.
Another truly remarkable feat was putting Bohol on the digital map.
Lagging behind neighboring provinces in the IT-Business Process Outsourcing industry, Bohol in 2013 positioned itself as an IT hub by identifying IT as its third economic pillar, alongside Agriculture and Tourism.
Chatto’s lobbying with the private sector enabled fiber optic connectivity with the launch of DFON in 2014. The strong collaboration of the multi-sectoral membership of the Information and Communications Technology Council allowed the province to meet industry scorecards i.e. talent, infrastructure, cost effectiveness, business environment.
The first locators opened in 2019, growing to 5,000 seats now with prospects of doubling up in the medium term per reports.
Health, Education and Poverty Reduction through more job opportunities in Agriculture, Tourism as well as additional investments in Information Technology and renewable power brought Bohol to its present stature not only as an agro-industrial province and a leading tourism and investment destination.
Chatto explains that what Bohol has come to is not an accident.
“It is a product of clear vision, serious planning, and hard work through the years,” Chatto said of his leadership, recognizing both past leaders and people’s support.
In a turning point 43 years later, Chatto’s journey sparked the Kabataan for Change Movement.
The passionate spirit of the youth drew inspiration from Chatto’s legacy of leading with purpose. The movement is guided by Chatto’s belief that leadership is a gift from God for man to develop and share with others.
“Service is a lifetime commitment to help make a difference in the lives of others with or without titles, positions or recognitions,” Chatto, now in his foray into private citizenship, said.