Gwen and Junjun in cordial first Capitol meeting

It couldn’t have been more cordial.

Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia extended her hand in greeting, walked him through the Capitol’s offices for a short tour, then gave a sit-down briefing of the 12-point program of her outgoing administration.

Yesterday was the first time Garcia met with Governor-elect Hilario “Junjun” Davide III since the end of her six-month suspension and a bruising May 13 election.

Davide helped the lady governor to her seat by pulling the back of her chair, and thanked her for her efforts.

“I am just thankful that Governor Garcia is working hard for a smooth transition,” he told reporters later.

Davide said he was surprised when Garcia made the first move to contact his representatives to set up a meeting about the transition. He said he was thinking of reaching out to her when she called.

The two sat side by side, as Garcia went through Powerpoint slides highlighting her projects that ranged from roads, buildings, water supply, and the Museo Sugbo to “the best deal the Province ever had” in a Filinvest-financed BPO complex in Lahug.

Preparations for a smooth transition are underway leading to a Friday ceremonial turnover at the Capitol social hall and the official start of a new term at noontime of July 1.

TV cameras and reporters followed the unusual encounter between former election opponents, who were both very polite and interacting in an atmosphere free of tension.

“Don’t hesitate to tell them your concerns,” Garcia told Davide referring to the Capitol department heads gathered around the conference table.

“You can count on the department heads who will continue their service.”

Davide, however, already had one-on-one briefings with the office heads in previous visits to the Capitol shortly after his proclamation.

No mention was made yesterday of the bitter May 13 election, where Garcia’s brother Rep. Pablo John Garcia lost to Davide by a wide margin of close to 200,000 votes and how Gwen still faces a Sandiganbayan graft case over the underwater Balili property, a campaign issue used against her.

New term

Garcia, herself, is looking forward to start the new term as congresswoman of the 3rd district, her brother’s former seat.

Davide was accompanied by his transition team, lawyers Mark Tolentino and Ramil Abing, and Ethel Natera.

Before they parted, Garcia wished him success in his term as Cebu governor. “She assured me of her prayers for my term because after all, this is for the good of Cebu and the Cebuanos,” he said. To which he replied, “Likewise.”

“Of course, I congratulated her also on the victory. The bottom line here is what’s beneficial for our province,” added Davide.

His staff said they were pleasantly surprised to see Garcia very cooperative and “accommodating.”

Friday is the last working day of Garcia’s nine-year term which ends on June 30, a Sunday.

Dressed in a barong, Davide arrived at the Caitol at 9:50 a.m. and waited in the receiving area of the Governor’s Office.

After five minutes, Garcia emerged smiling and dressed in a black skirt, white blouse and a coral sweater.

She toured Davide and his transition team around the social hall, the Governor’s Gallery, function rooms and some of department offices on the second floor.

The briefing took place in a conference room with department representatives present. Davide approached each one and shook their hands.

At the end of the meeting, the department heads applauded as the two “governors” exchanged smiles.

Five department heads earlier filed leaves of absence on Monday, including the treasurer and accountant, to avoid Garcia’s return from her suspension. Garcia replaced them with OICs after firing the provincial administrator Eduardo Habin, a co-terminus official who had incurred her ire by carrying out an order to lock up the Governor’s Office when she slipped out on Jan. 30. The sealing of the office cut short her four-week stay-in protest against the suspension order issued against Garcia by the Office of the President. The suspension ended last June 17, or two weeks before the end of her term.