Farmer, environmentalist among COC filers in Bohol

Bohol map. INQUIRER FILES

TAGBILARAN CITY — An environmentalist and a farmer were among those who went to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in this city to file their certificate of candidacy.

Santos Abella, a native of Dagohoy town in Bohol, submitted his COC for vice governor on Oct. 3

He said he would have filed his COC earlier but was delayed by difficulty in buying documentary stamps and notarizing his documents.

Former town mayor Doloreich Dumaluan, a physician by profession and an environment advocate, is running for vice mayor of Panglao, where he used to serve in different capacities.

“I want to serve more the people of Panglao since there are many things to do,” he said.

For Abella, it was New York City’s skywalk that inspired a 62-year-old farmer to seek an elective post to replicate it in Bohol province.

He said the skywalk is a popular symbol of successful and innovative urban renewal projects.

“I will have it built in Tagbilaran City to Panglao and Cebu City to boost tourism,” he said.

Other programs he would like to prioritize include lowering the price of rice and gasoline. He also wants to purchase an armored personnel carrier to protect the province’s security and sovereignty.

Abella expressed his desire to run for senator but ended up running for vice governor due to lack of funds for a national bid.

Abella had previously ran for the position of board member for Bohol’s second district in the 2016, 2019, and 2022 elections. In the 2022 elections, he garnered 6,905 votes out of 275,219. Although he did not win in any of those years, he considered himself a “graduate” for three terms.

He said the provincial government “owed” him for those nine years in “service.”

“If you really love Bohol you will not easily give up,” he said.

Dumaluan, of Probinsya Muna Development Initiative, abbreviated as Promdi (Abag-Promdi) said he would focus on tourism promotion, shoreline rehabilitation on the eroded white sand of Panglao, and the establishment of wastewater treatment facility.

“I will bring back small players for tourism sustainability.. and to tell our tourists and locals that Panglao is not an expensive place since there will be choices for all,” he said.

Panglao, a popular tourist destination in the country for its white sand beaches, has at least 41,000 residents.

Before Dumaluan became mayor of Panglao from 2004 to 2007, he was appointed Officer-in-Charge-councilor of Tagbilaran City from 1986 to 1988 and was elected city councilor, serving from 1988 to 1991. He became vice mayor of Panglao in 2001 – 2004.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he started “The Doctor Is In” on Facebook as a public health service. He became controversial when he appealed to the government to allow the use of the anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19.

As an environment advocate and board of the Panglao Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he proposed to the government to set a cap on the number of tourists allowed to visit Panglao — consisting of Dauis and Panglao towns — to sustain this premier tourist destination.

Dumaluan said tourist arrivals in Panglao should be regulated for sustainability.

READ: Environment advocate seeking Panglao, Bohol vice mayoral post