Bohol distributes P 1 million to 10 coops as support fund

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol - Gov. Erico Aumentado recently distributed some P 1 million, in checks of P 100,000 each, to 10 cooperatives in Bohol to infuse fresh funds and pump the economy in the countryside.

Aumentado distributed the checks during the convocation following the Monday flag - raising ceremony sponsored for the month by the Sangguniang Panllalawigan.

He said the amount is part of a lump sum the provincial government under hs watch allocates annually to support livelihood projects, as part of Bohol' s poverty reduction program.

The Bohol Poverty Reduction Management Office (BPRMO) under Antonieto Pernia organizes loose farmers' of fishermen associations into cooperatives, trains the members in the different aspects of cooperativism and as soon as they are capacitated of empowered, provides funds for project proposals that are feasible and viable.

This has been part of Aumentado's formula to pluck Bohol out of Club 20 - the country's 20 poorest provinces when the first assumed as governor in 2001 and when insurgency was still a major problem.

Using a multi-prolonged approach, the military, the civilian government, the police, the church and the private sector in the province - in what the governor likes to refer to as Team Bohol - soon deprived the rebels of their mass base and supporters, and reduced the insurgents into a mere ragtag band on the run.

Thus, in his second term as governor, the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) 2005 Human Development Report indicated that Bohol has berthed 41st among 79 provinces.

A year later, Aumentado took the province to 52nd place - 11 notches higher - according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) of the National Economic and Development Authority(NEDA).

"With peace and order comes development," the government said.

The recipients and their projects are Pagsa , Dimiao town - consumer store; Golden MPC in Bulawan, Mabini town - copra trading; Fatima Inabanga Bohol MPC in Fatima, Inaabanga town and Candaigan, Loon town - consumer stores;

Ubojan Sagbayan Progressive MPC in Ubojan, Sagbayan town and San Roque Wavers MPC in San Roque, Sagbayan town - basic food commodities trading; Fatima Cortes livelihood MPC in Fatima town - agricultural farm products trading.

By June S, Blanco, Manila Bulletin