NOTE: THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
The nationally published move of a Bohol town mayor to resign this December gets a new twist.
Mayor Joseph Rañola of Jagna town broke his silence last night after hosting a major musical of the Cultural Center of the Phils. (CCP) at the newly completed classy, fully air-conditioned Jagna Cultural Center, jam packed with 1,700 spectators.
During an ambush interview with the Chronicle, he said that while he announced last June to be resigning this month as mayor, he changed his mind as he puts in place six “big stake” projects he wants to leave as his legacy to Jagnaanons. He wants to see these “big stake” projects rolled out while he still sits as town mayor.
Asked if he will really resign this December, the 75-year old mayor said, “not yet this December.”
In the pipeline under a World Bank grant is the town’s biggest ever waterworks project which will bring water service to the 30, out of 33 barangays by the year 2025.
This P260-million World Bank finance program will showcase a game-changer project which will bring potable water service to the majority of the people. Only the mountain barangays of Calabacita, Mayana and Odiong could not be reached by this waterworks project, the mayor said.
The high-performing town executive said he wants to see the start of these major projects by the first quarter of next year.
Rañola, who is considered as a national budget guru, has downloaded P1 billion worth of projects since he assumed as town mayor in 2019.
In his fourth year as mayor, Rañola will double time the commencement of a five-megawatt solar farm in barangay Cantagay. The funding of this P250 million solar power is under the natural energization program of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) .
In tandem with this gigantic project is the construction of a 300-unit housing, also in barangay Cantagay sprawling on a five-hectare lot. The subdivision to be supervised by PAG-IBIG is designed to allow starting couples to have a housing unit of their own. Initially under their study, they can sell at P20,000 per 100 square meters.
He said on-going is the construction of a sports oval with a gymnasium and an Olympic-size swimming pool costing some P100 million.
Meanwhile, he said the present town hall of Jagna will be extended to an adjacent building.
The town, he said, has started to develop an Eco Park where a dairy house and a swine multiplier farm will be part of its development.
The announcement of his resignation last June shocked town officials and residents knowing that he was performing well as a local town executive.
Friends close to the 75-year-old mayor said he was considering working back as president and CEO of the Philippine National Budget Legislation. He used to be the budget consultant of then Senator Ping Lacson and a few other senators and congressmen.