Philip champions selfless public service

By ZACHERY PER
W HEN he was left out of the list of Grade Six students of Moromaule Primary School in Gumine, Chimbu to proceed onto Grade Seven at Omkolai High School, Philip Towa Bomal was disappointed.
The Simbu Education Board had given the selection powers to the teachers and management boards for Grade Six students who should proceed to high school. They left Philip out although he claims he was one of the “bright” students in his class.
He comes from the Era tribe of Moromaule village. He was born in 1971 to parents Bomal and Dawagi. He has three wives and “many” children.
After he completed Grade Six in 1986, he was not included in the list of those to continue on to Grade Seven. But he did not want to give up on his education because he knew he was still young and could pursue other opportunities which he knew would come his way.
He enrolled at the Kundiawa Vocational School at Irpui (where the Sir Joseph Kundiawa Memorial Hospital now stands) and took up a plumbing course.
After a year, he got a job with the provincial health division as a plumber. Later he returned to the vocational school to undergo more training.
In 1989, Philip joined the PNG Water Board (now Water PNG), where he served for nine years in Mt Hagen.
In 1997, when one of his Era tribesman Joseph Alkuba Wamil won the Gumine seat, Philip left his job and returned home. He worked for Wamil until he lost the seat to current MP Nick Kuman.
Philip decided to start his own plumbing business called Diul Kuipre (DK) Plumbing Construction.
In 2007, he contested the council seat in Ward Two, Kumai-Bomai LLG and was elected unopposed.
“The councilors elected me president of the LLG. I was a member of the Simbu Provincial Assembly and Provincial Executive Council from 2007 to 2012 under then Governor Fr John Garia.
“I was chairman of the agriculture committee for four years when we introduced cocoa into Karamui which is having a huge impact on the economy today.”
He held various positions in the provincial government and served under three Chimbu governors.
He is today on Governor Michael Dua’s joint budget priority committee, assisting the Governor in drawing up budgets and allocating funds to development projects in the six districts of Chimbu.
“When Noah Kool became governor, I was the acting chairman for the education committee. I went to the Nazarene Teachers College in Jiwaka to negotiate with person to do a proposal for a Simbu Teachers College.
“When Governor Kool was sworn into office, I pushed the submission for Simbu Teachers College through.
“When I lost my seat in the 2018 LLG election, Governor Kool recommended to the national education board that I be on the Chimbu Teachers College board of governors. I became its chairman.”
Philip regained his seat in the LLG election and was re-elected president of the Kumai-Bomai LLG.
He helped build elementary schools and health posts. Recently he initiated reconciliations with the Digine people, in particular the Dom tribe, with Kuman’s tribe and the people of the Gumine LLG.
Providing services to the people remains his priority.
“I am here to ensure services continue to flow. I regard myself as one of the poorest LLG presidents. I have no vehicle, no house. I want to see the people do well first.”