Monday, August 4, 2008

Bohol TBTK in Las Vegas, Nevada

Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan ( TBTK ) 2009 got off to an auspicious start in Las Vegas two weeks ago, as two visiting Philippine officials signified support to the triennial event which last episode was in July 2006 in Tagbilaran City.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Jose "Lito" Atienza and Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado told TBTK Chair Elizabeth Veloso-Garcia in a meeting that their respective offices are ready to extend support to ensure the success of the unique event that has gained the interest of Boholano expatriates around the world.

TBTK is a grand homecoming of immigrant Boholanos from all over the world held every three years in the month of July which coincides the Sandugo province's Sandugo Festival.

Atienza and Aumentado were the guests of honor of the family night, one of the two-day celebration of the 300 alumni of the defunct Bohol Provincial Hospital School of Nursing who gathered at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood Hotel and Resort to celebrate their 31st alumni homecoming.

In separate meetings, Garcia briefed the two officials on the progress of preparations for TBTK '09 wherein the theme in next year's Tigum is nature conservancy and its impact on the environment.

Unsurprisingly, Atienza readily accepted the honorary chairmanship of TBTK '09, saying that its theme is highly appropriate in the face of the looming threat of global warming to our planet.

"I laud the TBTK for doing its part in dealing with environmental issues facing our world today. I find it apt that an organization of worldwide reach like the TBTK would initiate awareness about the many perils to our environment today. It is an undertaking all organizations should emulate," Atienza said.

Atienza's many thrusts in his tenure as DENR secretary include the cleanup of the country's polluted rivers and the restoration of depleted forests.

Some of the few eco-oriented activities lined up in the green TBTK '09 are massive tree-planting in various municipalities of Bohol and creating mangrove forests along its selected shorelines.

For his part, Aumentado stressed the economic and cultural impact such events as TBTK '09 could bring to the province as he urged all the Boholano associations in North America and Canada to lend their support to the triennial event.

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