Cebu gov shrugs off claims she did not do enough to fight COVID-19

Gwendolyn Garcia

CEBU CITY––Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on Friday shrugged off claims by a political opponent that she did not do enough to fight COVID-19 in the province.

In an interview, Garcia downplayed the criticisms hurled by former tourism secretary Joseph Ace Durano, who, she said, was not around at the peak of the pandemic and came out only when the elections are near.

”It is an exercise in futility to respond to a Johnny-come-lately whom we have not seen or heard from all these months, in fact, a year and a half, while we were struggling in the pandemic,” Garcia said.

“I don’t think that deserves any comment at all. If this were coming from someone who had been working very hard in all of these months and had contributed several bags of rice or maybe even one kilo of rice or even one can of sardines, maybe I would respond.”

The governor filed Friday her certificate of candidacy under the One Cebu Party and PDP-Laban.

She was accompanied by her younger brother, Rep. Pablo John Garcia of Cebu’s third district, son Paulo, and daughter-in-law Michelle.

Governor Garcia, who will run against Durano, said she would continue her programs if given a fresh mandate in 2022.

She said she promised in 2019 that she would make Cebu number one again and that is what is happening now.

“We are the best, so don’t settle for just a better Cebu because Cebu right now is already the best,” Garcia said.

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