Davide officially turns over Capitol to Gwen

Outgoing Governor Hilario Davide III and Governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia sit beside each other at the Capitol Social Hall with DILG Provincial Director Jerome Gonzales before the turnover ceremony of the provincial government on Friday, June 28, 2019. CDN Digital photo | Rosalie Abatayo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The outgoing administration of Governor Hilario Davide III has turned over 27 sets of Capitol documents to Governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia during the formal turnover ceremony on Friday, June 28, 2019.

The turnover, which was meant to facilitate a smooth transition between the outgoing and incoming administrations, was led by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Provincial Director Jerome Gonzales.

Among the documents that Davide’s department heads handed to Garcia and her transition team were the inventory of properties of the province, financial statements, annual investment plans, liquidation of 2018 expenses and the DILG’s Governance Assessment Report which gauges LGU performances based on Seal of Good Local Governance criteria.

Davide, in his turnover speech, thanked the employees and department heads of the Capitol’s executive department for the “challenging and fulfilling” six years that he spent as Cebu governor.

“I would like to thank the department heads and employees for their cooperation. It has been a very challenging yet very fulfilling six years. I know with the incoming administration of Governor Garcia, mas molambo pa gyud ang lalawigan sa Sugbo (Cebu will be even more progressive).

Davide, who served two terms as governor since 2013, will be assuming office as vice governor starting June 30.

The turnover ceremony, however, was a familiar scene for both Garcia and Davide. On the same date in 2013, Garcia, who was then outgoing governor, also turned over Capitol documents to Davide, who won the governorship for his first term.

“Kung salida pa ni, moingon ta nga ‘Ah, kalisod man tuohan ana.’ We will perhaps say, the plot is very imaginative. But then, this is not a movie, this is [real] life,” Garcia said in her acceptance speech.

Garcia recalled the first turnover, which she held just days after she served a six-month suspension on charges of usurpation of authority.

“Though still hurting from what I have gone through, I resolved to offer the incoming administration with courtesy, respect and dignity that it deserved by holding a formal turnover ceremony,” Garcia said reminiscing the turnover that they had in 2013.

“I am reminded of the solemnity of this event as Governor Davide turns over to your incoming governor the leadership, the supervision and the administration of this beloved province,” she added.

On Friday afternoon, Garcia will be taking her oath of office as Cebu Governor at a hotel in Cebu City.

Garcia won in the May midterm elections against outgoing Cebu vice governor Agnes Magpale. /bmjo