While administration officials are crowing over the Lakas-Kampi CMD merger, the Nacionalista Party (NP) appears to be gaining headway in Bohol.

No less than 14 mayors took their oath before Sen. Manuel Villar, NP president in simple ceremonies at the Bohol Tropics Resort Club here Sunday.

A town mayor who declined to be named said yesterday’s oath-taking brought the total number of NP mayors in Bohol to 22 counting the eight local executives who composed the first batch of recruits.

This represents nearly half of Bohol’s 47 mayors.

The mayor said that as far as he knows, five came from the first district, five from the second and 12 from the third
Sunday’s affair was unusually quiet for such a normally high-profile political activity and was not leaked to the media.

Villar arrived at the Tagbilaran airport by private jet past 4 pm accompanied by Rep. Teofisto Guingona III.

Another source said ex-Rep. Gilbert Remulla was also with Villar’s party.

The oath-taking rites took place a day after Gov. Erico Aumentado left for South Korea with the party of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Aumentado was also out of Bohol during Villar’s visit last April.

The NP foray into Bohol is significant considering that it was one of the provinces that went solidly for President Arroyo in 2004.

It was largely because of this that Aumentado was handpicked by the President to lead the League of Provinces as president.

During the impeachment crisis, Aumentado who was also president of the Union of Local Administrators of the Philippines led local officials who came all out to support President Arroyo.

Bohol is considered an administration bailiwick with virtually all top officials aligned with Lakas.

Aside from Aumentado, Lakas counts on Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera and Representatives Edgar Chatto, Roberto Cajes and Adam Relson Jala.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap has also been very active particularly in Bohol’s third district where is reportedly eyeing a congressional seat against ex-Rep. Eladio Jala, the incumbent solon’s father.