Gwen Garcia
Former congressman Pablo John Garcia yesterday said the people in the countryside want his sister, Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia, back as governor.
“I think this is the case anywhere I go, whenever I talk to leaders in the towns. That’s what they want. They tell me that it was better back then because a lot of things were happening in the province,” PJ told reporters yesterday.
Gwen, who represents Cebu’s 3rd district, served three terms as governor from 2004 to 2013. She was, however, suspended in the last six months of her last term for graft in connection with the controversial purchase of the Balili property in 2008.
READ: One Cebu ‘seriously’ thinking of Gwen for governor again
PJ, One Cebu’s secretary general, said the people “miss an administration with many visible projects.”
“Like what Gov. Gwen always said before, ‘Dili sulti ang pabuhaton. Buhat ang pasultihon. (Walk the talk)’,” he said.
During her three terms, Gwen pursued a 12-point agenda: infrastructure, water, power, health, education, agriculture and food production, women and children, business, tourism and the environment.
The P600-million Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), first used during the 12th Asean Summit and 2nd East Asia Summit, was considered Gwen’s biggest infrastructure project. It was condemned, however, after the 2013 earthquake.
Former Gov. Emilio Mario “Lito” Osmeña, in an earlier interview, cited the mountain barangay road concreting project as among those that endeared Gwen to the people.
PJ said One Cebu is seriously considering Gwen as gubernatorial candidate next year. He said Gwen wants to keep her options open for now.
“From what she told me, her idea is that she is keeping her options open. I don’t think she has closed the door to that option (running for governor),” he said.
He said that Gwen might also choose to run for re-election as Cebu’s third district representative.
“At this stage, I cannot say (what her chances of winning are). We still need to discuss with the leaders, especially with Gwen. For now, personally, I’d want her to consider running for governor,” he said.
He noted that Gwen “has not lost a single election.”
READ: WHY LITO WILL RUN
Gwen first entered politics in 2004, defeating former congressman Celestino Martinez, Jr. and then Cebu Vice Gov. John-John Osmeña.
She won reelection in 2007 over Antonio Yapha and defeated Gov. Hilario Davide III in the 2010 gubernatorial bout.
READ: Davide not threatened, looks forward to ‘fun’ 2016 polls