Governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia is back at the Capitol after six years. | CDND PHOTO / Gerard Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Gwendolyn Garcia is officially back at the Capitol.
Accompanied by her campaign team and family members, Garcia arrived at the Capitol before 11:30 a.m. Thursday, May 15, wearing her signature white polo and dark denim jeans outfit paired with black chunk-heeled shoes.
On the way to the Capitol Social Hall, where the proclamation of winning candidates is held, Garcia passed through the Governor’s Hallway at the edifice’s right wing.
Garcia, who garnered 887,290 votes, was officially proclaimed as elected governor of Cebu by the Provincial Board of Canvassers at 11:30 a.m.
With 100 percent of Cebu’s votes already canvassed, Garcia defeated his rival, incumbent Vice Governor Agnes Magpale by 288,000 votes.
Right after her proclamation, Garcia took the podium and addressed her family, friends, political allies and staff who were in attendance.
Governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia says the people has spoken by the power of the ballots. | CDND PHOTO / Gerard Francisco
Garcia, in her speech, reminisced the 42-day stand-off at her office during her last term as governor in January 2013, when she was served with a six-month suspension from the Office of the President at the time, which was then held by Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Garcia said the power that was taken away during the suspension was claimed back when the Cebuanos have spoken “through the power of the ballots.”
Among those who attended Garcia’s proclamation was her 93-year-old father, former Cebu Governor Pablo “Pabling” Garcia.
The governor-elect’s brother, Pablo John, was also proclaimed as Cebu’s Third District Representative-elect around 11:25 a.m.
Governor-elect Garcia, who is the outgoing third district representative, said her mind is still awaiting for victory to sink in since she was also minding the results of the elections for other family members who ran for public office.
Aside from Garcia winning as governor and Pablo John as the third district representative, their brother Marlon Garcia was also reelected as mayor of Barili town.
Garcia’s daughter, Christina Garcia-Frasco, was reelected as mayor of Liloan while her son-in-law, Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco, was elected as the fifth district representative in Congress.
Cebu Governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia awaits her official proclamation at the Social Hall of the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Thursday, May 16. | CDND PHOTO / Gerard Francisco
Congressman-elect Frasco ended the 70-year reign of the Duranos of Danao City in the fifth district congressional scene.
Of the Garcias who run for public office in the May 13 polls, only Nelson Garcia, Gwen’s brother who sought for the seventh district congressional seat, failed.
He lost to incumbent Representative Peter John Calderon. / celr