League of Provinces of the Philippines Website

A GLIMPSE OF BOHOL. Gov. Erico Aumentado (left) presents a laminated poster of the world renowned Chocolate Hills with a tarsier on the foreground to Jiangxi Gov. Huang Zhiquan shortly before the two signed an agreement of friendly-province relations in Nanchang City on May 8.

TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL – Gov. Erico Aumentado and his 40-strong delegation from Jiangxi, China returned home, bringing home the bacon, so to speak.

Aumentado, at a press conference for local media here, presented the physically tired but visibly elated delegates, as well as copies of the agreement he signed with Jiangxi Gov. Huang Zhiquan, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s congratulatory message to both provinces for the agreement, and of the trip sponsor’s letter to the President informing her of his promoting Bohol in the television campaign for his products all across China.

The two governors signed the agreement of friendly-province relations in Nanchang City on May 8. Huang is Jiangxi’s No. 2 citizen. Top is Chairman Meng Jian Zhu who signed with Aumentado an agreement of friendly exchange and cooperation on Sept. 6, 2005 that was the underpinning of the current agreement.

The diplomatic communiqué established between the two provinces is aimed at promoting the understanding and friendship between the Filipino and the Chinese peoples. Bohol and Jiangxi agreed to actively push forward the conduct of exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science and technology, culture, education, sports, public health and others.

“It was a physically taxing working trip. We had five top-level discussions across Jiangxi, a province of 43 million people. Our solace was in hearing the voices of the Loboc Children’s Choir who performed back to back concerts with their counterparts in Nanchang and Jiujiang cities,” Aumentado said.

His talk with Huang centered on implementing tourism- and agriculture-related projects after he told him that these are Bohol’s economic drivers.

They agreed to link tour operators of both provinces for easier arrangement of tour packages. Dolphins, whales, beaches and mangrove are novel adventure come-ons for the residents of the land-locked province.

Huang also offered technical assistance in the rice production. He expressed elation on knowing that Bohol has been propagating hybrid rice from that province, Aumentado said. Jiangxi is China’s top rice producer.

Meanwhile, Vice Gov. Wu expressed interest in geo-textiles and the sweet mangoes that Bohol can produce. They use geo-textiles from coconut coir fiber to check the erosion of sloping and steep agricultural land as well as for flood control. They also use the fiber to fill upholstered furniture and car seats.

Aumentado also informed Wu that Bohol has manganese, limestone, silica and fossil oil waiting to be mined as soon as changes in the Constitution are implemented to make exploration by foreign investors attractive.

Bohol has much to learn from the tourism on Mt. Lushan, Jiangxi’s Summer Capital. Villas for Europeans, Australians, Russians and others abound on the peak 1,400 meters above sea level. It has offered retreat to Mao Zedong and Deng Ziao Ping, Aumentado said. (June Blanco)