Gwen marks last birthday as governor

Cebu provincial jail imates danced for her the latest Korean pop hit tune “Oppa Gangnam Style”.

School children came up on stage to receive her donation checks.

Family members, friends and supporters wished her a long life in a video of song-and-dance messages.

It was a memorable 57th birthday yesterday for Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia at the Capitol Social Hall, her last as Cebu governor.

Asked what was her personal wish on her natal day, Garcia said it was for Cebu’s continued progress and unity.

The governor said she considers 2012 her “lucky year” and explained a bit of numerology behind her hope that this would prove a charm for her and the One Cebu party in next year’s election.

“I started as governor in 2004 and I was 48 years old then. It struck me that I would celebrate my last birthday as governor of Cebu as a 57-year-old. If you add the two digits of 48, this equals 12. When you do the same to 57, it also equals to 12. So 12 must be a really lucky number for me. I hope it is also lucky for One Cebu,” she told reporters.

Gwen will run for Cebu’s 3rd congressional district which her younger brother Rep. Pablo John Garcia is vacating as he runs for governor under the One Cebu banner.

In his birthday message, Pablo John said he and sister Gwen could “spend enough time with each other” now that she would campaign closely with him for his 2013 Cebu gubernatorial bid.

He described Gwen as his “closest sibling” and a “multi-dimensional and diverse person.”

“My wish for Gwen is that she finds more time to do the things she really loves. She is an accomplished portrait painter and she has not created art for a while now,” he said.

She had a morning Mass celebrated by Msgr. Roberto Alesna at the Capitol and a luncheon with guests, some Capitol employees and the media.

The University of Cebu Chorus serenaded guests while a video was shown featuring short song-and-dance messages from Garcia’s family, friends and staff.

Boys and girls accompanied by nuns from the Sisters of Mary School Boystown Inc. and Sisters of Mary Girlstown Inc. went on stage after Garcia donated checks to their institutions.

Then Cebu provincial jail inmates danced to Garcia’s favorite songs like ‘You’re 16’ by Beatles star Ringo Starr and ‘Buttercup’ by The Foundations.

But it was their performance of “Oppa Gangnam Style” by Korean pop artist Psy that brought the house down. Garcia handed tokens of appreciation to each of the inmates.

Others who attended the celebration were Garcia family led by her father Rep. Pablo Garcia of Cebu’s 2nd district, Pablo John, brother Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia, daughter Cristina, son Paolo and son-in-law Liloan Mayor Duke Frasco.

What else does a three-term governor want for her birthday? Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos