Bayanihan spirit in Bohol

The people of Bohol will rise from the ruins of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in no time.

And when they do, their province will become more progressive than it was before the quake in Oct. 15 that brought the province to its knees.

More tourists will come to Bohol not only to enjoy its natural beauty but the ruins of its centuries-old churches.

Many of the Catholic churches built by the Spaniards in the 1700s and 1800s were toppled by the earthquake.

The ruins of these churches would be vivid reminders of the country’s past, much like the ruins of Greece.

Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto intimated he would propose leaving the ruins as they are as the province’s tourist attraction, an opportunity arising from a crisis situation.

Practical people would agree with Chatto.

Rebuilding the ruined churches is like resurrecting the dead. Besides, the cost would be prohibitive.

And who would pay for the reconstruction of the ruined churches, but the Catholic Church.

The principle of the separation of Church and State prohiibits the government from rebuilding the toppled churches.

The only thing the government can do for those churches is for the National Historical Commission to put up historical markers on them.

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Air Force Capt. Juji Generalao, a helicopter pilot who saw a “thank you” marker on the ground that was clearly meant for him and his fellow airmen for bringing them relief goods, held back his tears at the expression of the gratitude of the Boholanos.

My staff at “Isumbong mo kay Tulfo” and I felt the same way as Capt. Generalao as we read posters on the roadside saying, “Daghang Salamat sa injjong tabang sa Bohol” (Thank you for helping Bohol).

The exhaustion we felt after each sortie to a devastated town disappeared after reading the thank-you posters written on cartons or discarded sacks.

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Bohol is on its way to a full recovery, thanks to the team effort of all Filipinos.

We moved, and are still moving, as one in helping our Filipino Boholanos get back on their feet.

All the airlines—Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Air Asia—as well as freight forwarding companies LBC and JRS gave free space for relief  meant for Bohol and the less devastated Cebu province.

And, of course, the Philippine Air Force, whose lone C-130 cargo plane has to rest for a while due to “engine fatigue” as a result of continuous sorties to the earthquake devastated provinces.

When this columnist appealed for donations to Bohol through this space and Bandera—as well as through radio station dwIZ—friends and people I didn’t know flooded my office at the Citystate Center building on Shaw Blvd., Pasig City, with relief items.

When I asked how I could bring these to Bohol, Ramon S. Ang, president of Philippine Airlines, gave my staff and me free fare to Bohol, not once but twice.

Another friend, Jimmie Policarpio, connected me to Emma Gomez, owner of a resort hotel in Panglao town, who told us where to go for our medical missions.

Doctors and nurses from St. Luke’s Medical Center and Chinese General Hospital composed my hastily organized medical missions.

While doing medical missions in many places in Bohol, I saw many civic groups, like the Chu Tzi Buddhists Association, taking part in relief work.

Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte, answering an appeal for help, flew to Bohol and Cebu and handed out several millions of pesos in cash to the earthquake victims through their mayors.

The list of donors and help is endless.

The Filipino’s bayanihan spirit (helping others) showed in the aftermath of the Bohol tragedy.