Panglao lawmakers have expressed their displeasure and have vehemently objected to the renaming of Panglao Island to Dauis-Panglao Island. According to the bill filed by Congress Representative Rene Relampagos, the renaming of Panglao Island is meant to correct what he termed as “a misleading geographical representation”.
As per Rene Relampagos, this island lies between two municipalities; Panglao and Dauis hence it is important to rename it to the Dauis–Panglao Island, under the 6241 house bill. It should be noted that Dauis is among the oldest towns found in Bohol Province, Philippines and it’s a renowned tourist destination.
However, a resolution that was filed last week by the Panglao’s Sangguniang-Bayan i.e. SB indicates that this move is bound to create immense confusion and lead to updating of official documents and records which is just unnecessary. The resolution further states that implement such proposal will not have any significant benefit to the Dauis Municipality more than it already did to the Panglao Municipality.
More information found in the resolution indicates that lawmakers failed to agree with the proposal because Relampagos failed to first consult with the Panglao Officials. “For reasons best known to him only, the first district of Bohol’s congressman filed a bill in the Congress to support the wish of the Dauis Municipality Officials.”
Members of the Sangguniang Bayan went ahead to point out that this move will lead to an unwarranted precedent that will cause other islands found within multiple units of local government to follow similar steps. A couple of weeks ago, the local government’s House Committee which was chaired by Representative Pedro Acharon approved the 6241 House Bill that was seeking to rename Panglao Island to Dauis-Panglao Island.
Relampagos says that this measure was only crafted to ensure that Dauis is also recognized in the geographical representation of Panglao Island. “For a very long time, the island in which the two municipalities are located is only known as Panglao Island”, He said. He added that renaming of this island so that the names of the two municipalities are included is aimed to reduce confusion.
The Dauis and Panglao towns are both located within Panglao Island, an area of ninety-one square-kilometer. The Panglao Municipality is one of the areas in the Philippines which is known to draw a large number of tourists, both local and international thanks to its stunning white sandy beaches, beautiful coral reefs, islets and diving spots which are popular to holidaymakers.
About the Author
