BY: ELVIRA C. BONGOSIA
ANTEQUERA, Bohol, April 02
(PIA)--Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Bill Tweddell headed the
Parliamentary delegation’s visit here yesterday to see the progress of
Australian-supported development efforts in the province and met with local
officials to reiterate Australia’s support for Bohol’s development priorities
and continued engagement.
Five months after the devastating 7.2
magnitude earthquake that rocked Bohol, the Australian Government has provided
P366 million (A$9 million) for immediate relief needs and also to support
ongoing recovery and reconstruction activities in the province.
The delegation with Bohol Gov. Edgar
Chatto broke the ground for a P275-million rehabilitation project
involving 14 vital Bohol road sections with the aid of the foreign government.
The support, thru the Australian
Assistance for International Development (AusAID), does not only reconstruct a
total of 124.62 kilometers of roads but also present livelihood opportunities
for some 115,000 Boholanos in the beneficiary areas.
The ceremonial groundbreaking was done
at the middle of the road fronting the quake-damaged barangay hall of Bungahan
in Antequera, which is along the first of the 14 road sections to be worked,
the Antequera-Balilihan road via Dorol.
The 13 other road sections for
Australian-aided rehabilitation are the Poblacion Inabanga-Lawis road,
Inabanga-Lapacan-Magtangtang road, Candumayao-Cabanugan road, Poblacion
Catigbian-Rizal-Kagawasan (San Isidro) road, Cahayag
(Tubigon)-Banlasan-Cabanugan road, Calape-Pangangan road, Tajang-Sandingan
road, Alegria (Catigbian)-Baang-Jagbuaya-Janopol road,
Abatan-Agahay-Busao-Toril-Aghao road, Hinawanan (Loay)-Concepcion-Junction
(Loboc-Sikatuna) road, Cambuac (Sikatuna)-Lobgob (Sevilla) road, Jct
(LIR)-Quinoguitan-Sevilla-Janopol road, and Dimiao-Oac-Bilar road.
Prior to the ceremonial groundbreaking,
Chatto led the Australian officials to a quake victim shelter site visit in
barangay Tagubaas in Antequera. The transitional core house has been built with
the aid of the Australian government and Catholic Relief Services (Caritas
Australia and Caritas Manila) under Project BAROG.
Gov. Chatto thanked the visiting
officials that included Australian House of Representatives Deputy Speaker
Bruce Scott, Senator for South Australia Don Farrell, Senator for Victoria
Helen Kroger, Member of the Parliament for Bruce, Victoria Alan Griffin,
Member for Hasluck, Western Australia Ken Wyatt, Adviser to the Deputy Speaker
Elysia Ruttley, Peter Banson, who is the delegation secretary, and Scott’s wife
Joan.
The foreign officials distributed
school bags and supplies to Tagubaas Day Care children and Bungahan elementary
pupils, who waived Philippine and Australian flags in greeting the foreign
visitors.
The delegation was also briefed on the
progress of an integrated crop management project funded by the Australian
Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and implemented by the
Bohol Island State University.
They also visited the alumni of the
Australia Awards Scholarships, who are now using their skills and knowledge
gained from their Australian education to help in the province’s development.
Australian House of Representatives
Deputy Speaker Scott said Bohol was the only Philippine province they visited
outside Metro Manila as they “feel part of the Boholano community.”
While Ambassador Tweddell said the
Australian Government has a long-standing development partnership with the
province of Bohol – spanning more than 20 years.
"Australia is pleased to be able
to assist the Provincial Government of Bohol and communities recover from the
earthquake,” Tweddell added. (mbcn/PIA7-Bohol/ECB)