2 veteran journalists to launch new book in Bohol Thursday

A book about the colorful life of Atty. Erico Boyles Aumentado, former governor and congressman of Bohol, will be launched at the Fortridge Hotel resort in Songkulan, Dauis in Bohol on Thursday. (Photo: Eugene Alvin Villar (seav)/ Wikipedia)

MANILA–A book about the colorful life of Atty. Erico Boyles Aumentado, former governor and congressman of Bohol, will be launched at the Fortridge Hotel resort in Songkulan, Dauis in Bohol on Thursday.

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio B. Evasco will grace the event as guest of honor and speaker.

The 158-page book, entitled Erico Boyles Aumentado, a great Boholano leader, is co-authored by veteran journalists Bingo Dejaresco, editor of the Bohol Chronicle, and Ben Cal, former acting executive editor and managing editor of the Philippines News Agency.

Former President Fidel V. Ramos and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wrote separate forewords for the book.

Both Ramos and Arroyo praised Aumentado for the latter’s dedication to public service as board member, governor and congressman, who also served deputy speaker for several years.

The book is published by Art Angel Printshop Commercial Quests, Inc. in Quezon City.

Expected to attend the book launching are some members of Congress and top public officials from Bohol.

Before entering politics in the ‘60s, Aumentado was a hard-hitting journalist of the Bohol Chronicle, Bohol’s pioneering community newspaper and news correspondent of Manila Times for the province of Bohol.

Poverty did not hinder Aumentado to pursue his studies, working his way to college.

Despite being a working student, Aumentado was always at the top of his class until he graduated from law school at the Rafael Palma College now Bohol University and passed the Bar.

As a journalist, Aumentado had a weekly column in the Bohol Chronicle which he labelled as “Between Extremes” that hit hard on corruption in government.

His greatest accomplishments as governor and as a congressman representing for the second district of Bohol were various infrastructure and agricultural projects.

During his term, Aumentado gave Bohol the district honor as the first province in the whole country to eradicate the nagging communist insurgency.

Among the bills he authored as congressman were the Limited Portability Scheme (RA 7699), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation Act of 1995 (RA 7875), Agricultural Tarification Act of 1998 (RA 8555), GSIS Act of 1997 (RA 8291), Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1998 (RA 8178), Home Guaranty Corporation Action of 2000 (RA 8763) and Fair Election Act (RA 9006).

Despite being busy and workaholic as a congressman and governor whose passion was how to bring about economic development for Bohol in particular and the Philippines in general, Aumentado, a civic leader, was a caring husband to his wife, Grenie, eight children and 21 grandchildren and great grandchildren.

On Dec. 25, 2012, Congressman died due to pneumonia with complication of diabetes at St. Luke’s Medical Center at Global City in Taguig, Metro Manila.

His unfinished vision and mission in life to serve the country is being pursued by his son, Congressman Aris C. Aumentado, who is currently serving his second term as congressman for Bohol’s second district.