Gwen gives, receives on her birthday

ON her 56th birthday, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia gave to and received gifts from inmates, Capitol employees and officials and youth centers in Minglanilla town and Talisay City yesterday.

After prayers, the governor went to the Capitol where department heads rolled out a two-layer white fondant cake.

The Provincial Employees Association of Cebu issued her a check  for P30,000  to support the Capitol’s beautification campaign in Cebu city.

Garcia later went to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) to give toiletries, a prayer booklet, slippers and rosaries to the inmates.

Garcia received a bouquet of yellow roses from the inmates. She told them she would  study their proposal to allow their families to  visit them on Christmas Day.

The inmates sang a Visayan  medley to her and danced to  two of her favorite songs—“Buttercup” and “You’re 16, You’re Beautiful and You’re Mine.”

The governor also sang with the CPDRC band composed of inmates.

She then distributed checks to the Sisters of Mary Boys Town in barangay Tunghaan, Minglanilla, and Girls Town in Talisay City. The amount of more  than P50,000  represented her one month salary.

Garcia told Cebu Daily News that for her birthday wish she didn’t ask for anything for herself other than for Cebu to continue to develop and achieve economic progress.

TV host Boy Abunda greeted the governor in his regular show last Sunday afternoon.

The governor was scheduled to  have dinner with family, friends and guests at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel last night.

Senators Bongbong Marcos and Bong Revilla  confirmed their attendance in the dinner to which Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos was also invited. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus