Webster calls it brain-drain; many brand it governance plague… a failure of government to keep prime-movers from seeking greener pastures abroad. Not that the Philippines is not green, but many so-called leaders' interest does not go beyond their own pocket, making a gloomy landscape. The only consolation to this ignominy is the influx of dollar to keep the economy afloat.

Atty. Bernardo Mag-aso (BM) is a self-made man who labored hard to earn his keeps, compared to his peer who twice took the Bar at City Hall's expanse and failed miserably. Enticed to try his cards in the political cauldron, even while he was teaching and enjoying a private practice of his profession, he made it to the City Council in his first try, until a subsequent victory catapulted him to the top of the Sangguniang Panlungsod roster. From that moment on, he was predicted to be good material to become "the next Mayor of Tagbilaran City."

Until he decided to leave politics, left Bohol, and seek his cup of tea in New York. The first time he came back, and the few times he visited Tagbilaran, manifested a resolve that he made the right decision. On September 2 (a Saturday, New York time) I met him, among many other Boholanos, during the Despedida Party tendered by the Boholanos of the East Coast and parishioners of Our Lady of Martyrs in Long Island, New York for newly appointed Bishop Crispin Varquez. I cornered him for a snap interview amidst the music and noise of merrymaking. Nards Mag-aso has not changed his humble ways; although quite evident was his more pronounced wisdom in the acceptance of reality.

LMP: Unsay imong impression sa gathering karon?
B M: Solemn tungod kay gisugdan man kini sa usa ka santos nga misa ug makaingon pud ko nga dako ug kahulugan.

LMP: How long have you stayed here?
B M: Since 1992

LMP: Are there no regrets?
B M: Naay gamay… Uban sa pangandoy nga mouli, pero ang pamilya man gyud atong unahon.

LMP: As of now, kumusta ang mga bata?
B M: Kaluoy sa Ginoo maayo. Ang duha nahuman na.

LMP: Unsay mga nahumanan?
B M: Ang eldest, Information Technology ang nahuman pero more on banking. Ang ika-duha ga-parttime ug trabaho sa hospital, pero nag-eskuyla pa. Ang ika-tulo, nahuman na ug Nursing naa magtrabaho sa usa ka Hospital sa New York. Ang ika-upat nag-eskuyla pa ug Nursing.

LMP: Kanus-a mo-graduate?
B M: Mga 3 years pa from now.

LMP: Mao nay barometro sa atong pagkaginikanan; mopa-eskuyla ug mga anak, unya paghuman tapos ang responsibilidad. Are you planning to go home after all of them have finished their studies?
B M: Mouli pero mura ug tanda-tanda na lang siguro, kay na-discourage ko sa pagpadagan sa pamolitika sa ato, ilabina sa miaging eleksiyon nga gisundan pod sa eleksiyon sa Philippine Councilors League. Wala naman ko mag[-apil-apil sa pamolitika sa ato pero masakitan ko nga makadungog nga dili na ang responsibilidad, dili na ang dungog, dili na ang pag-serbisyo ang gibasihan karon, kuwarta na.

LMP: From the point of view of a Boholano, who is observing from here, duna pa bay remedyo nga mahitabo, o surrender na ta kay way mahitabo nga maayo?
B M: Ug mausob man galing, murag giagi na ug milagro. Ang nakapait man gud sa ato kay hasta ang Sangguniang Kabataan gitudloan man ug unsaon pagpanikas. They learned corruption at a very young age.

LMP: Sa akong nahinumduman, when you left Bohol ang mga tawo morag nanghinayang as far as the political scene was concerned, because people were expecting you will be the next Mayor. Until today, it is still the thought shared by many Boholanos. What can you comment about it?
B M: Magpasalamat ko ug tinuod man gani na nga naa pa na sa huna-huna sa mga katawhan. Daghan man tag mga panghuna-huna nga gipanglangtaw para sa kaayuhan sa Tagbilaran unta, pero ang akong pamilya ang akong priority pagkakaron.

LMP: Wa ka na bay plan of coming to Tagbilaran and enter politics even, if it is a quagmire?
B M: Ako sa nga panid-an kay taas-taas pa man pod ang panahon. Tingali kapangitaan ug paagi nga maulian ta, mahibalik ta sa nindot nga pamaagi. Naglantaw gihapon ko ana, pero only time knows.

LMP: Along that line, because it is already the thought, dili kay ikaw lang ang nagsulti ini, but everybody, even myself. Ngil-ad gyud ang pamolitika sa Pilipinas; that you need money in order to win. Even how good are you, you really cannot be of winning if you don't buy votes. Sa imong tan-aw wala na ba gyud ni kasulbaran?
B M: Ug ibasi nato na sa mga sitwasyon karon mura ug lisod na.

LMP: Let's talk about the economy, because it is important, as far as Tagbilaran is concerned, what is your observation from the point of view of a Boholano who becomes an American citizen, sa progress sa Tagbilaran economically. Have you seen any significance?
B M: The last time miuli ko naa man pud, pero sa kong tan-aw milambo ang Tagbilaran gumikan pud sa mga ayuda ug suporta sa mga trabahante nga mga Boholano gawas sa Pilipinas. Although ang turismo sa ato milambo, mangita unta pud ta ug laing pamaagi aside sa mga sustento gikan sa gawas. Naa unta poy mga industry nga makapalambo sa ekonomiya sa Bohol, dili lang kay magsalig sa mga remittances gikan sa gawas.

LMP: Ang Bohol is the first or second every year among the provinces sa Pilipinas nga daku ang OFW remittances. But the province or city is not productive. Along that line, what should be done?
B M: I-improve ang peace and order. Ilabina karon nga uso na ug tulis, mahadlok ang mga investors.

LMP: Unsa man untay mahimo sa governance along that line kon ang mga tawo dili magpakabana?
B M: Importante pud ng ang mga tawo mo-cooperate. Dili man mahimo ug magsalig lang sa gobyerno. Walay mahimo ang governance if there is no cooperation of the people.

LMP: And you believe this is one that is lacking?
B M: Yes.

LMP: What will happen if ang mga tawo na mismo mura ug frustrated na kayo sa governance, because of the way things are run, so, therefore wala na pud sila ma-inspire sa pagtabang?
B M: Mao pud nay butang nga tan-awon pag-ayo sa mga tawo nga naa sa gobyerno. They have to consider that naa sila diha tungod kay gisaligan sila sa mga tawo.

LMP: If we compare the economic stability sa mga tawo sa Bohol ug sa mga tawo sa States dako ba guod kayo ug kalainan?
B M: Sa Bohol, ibutang ta 8:00 o'clock AM ang schedule of duty, pero moabot sa trabahuan ug 8:30 na, mo-break…unya mu-dong sa kan-anan, hinay kaayo molakaw unya ug naay makatagbo nga amigo mag-istorya pa, mo-order pa unya mo-kaon pa, istorya na pud; inig balik sa office 11:30 na. Mogawas na pud kay maniudto. Walay output, dili man mahimo na diri sa States.

LMP: You would like to imply nga if possible i-istrikto unta ang pag-implement sa working schedule and working attitude?
B M: Yes.

LMP: Unsa may imong ikasulti sa CONBUSAC pagkakaron?
B M: CONBUSAC is growing. Nagkadaghan ug nagkalig-on.

LMP: How was your convention in San Francisco?
B M: Bibo and it was very successful.

LMP: Let's talk about TBTK. If you compare TBTK before and now?
B M: Magsugod ko nganong naa ang TBTK. Nahimo ng TBTK tungod kay sa panahon ni Dr. Nak Lopez in 1997, nagkasinabot nga adto mag-convention sa Bohol. Ang theme sa CONBUSAC sa convention is "Tigum Bol-Anon", pero tungod kay nagkasinabot nga adto sa Bohol mag-convention unya nangimbitar man pud ug daghang mga Bol-anon sa laing lugar, mao nga nahimong Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan in 1999. Daghang officials sa CONBUSAC ang nalain sa nagdala sa TBTK karon tungod kay mi-rehistro man ang TBTK sa SEC. I don't know how true. Ang concept unta sa TBTK is just a movement to spearhead a gathering of Boholanos.

LMP: Ang TBTK Gathering 2009, unsa may imong projections? Will it be successful?
B M: Basin pa pud ug ma-successful. Mag-convention man pud ang CONBUSAC karon 2009 adto sa Washington.

LMP: Same time?
B M: No, same month, una ang CONBUSAC ug one week.

LMP: Unsang petsaha ang CONBUSAC convention?
B M: July 9, 10, 11 and 12.

LMP: So, may panahon pa?
B M: Naa pa.

LMP: Kumusta man ron ang leadership sa TBTK? I remembered when there was an election in 2006. Unsa man ang update?
B M: Wala na ko ma-updated ana kay after sa election sa TBTK last year, wala naman pud ko mo-apil sa TBTK.

LMP: Was there really an election that took place?
B M: Wala ko kahibaw kay wala ko mitambong.

LMP: Unsay imong mensahe sa mga taga Bohol?
B M: It's time to wake up, ablihi ang inyong huna-huna ug ayaw na mo palalo ug kuwarta kana ug madala pa, hinaot pa unta.

During the first Sandugo celebration in 1988, as Over-All Chairman, I requested the then Councilor Bernardo Mag-aso to help in the preparation, representing the City Hall. I saw in him a consistent and passionate worker who forgot time when he was engrossed in a task. We even worked after five, when all others had gone home.

There are those who believe that Atty. Mag-aso move to migrate to the United States was a mistake. But true to his values of placing his family above politics, and not seek personal accolade, he made a crucial decision of leaving a flowering political career. He had to adjust to an entirely new environment, even professionally. But now, looking back, he knew he had made the right decision.