Saturday, February 23, 2008 Capitol admits Galing Pook loss
THE Cebu Provincial Government has accepted that fact that it was not included in the top 10 list of the 2007 Gantimpalang Panglingkod Pook Award, or Gawad Galing Pook.
Although disappointed with the result, Capitol consultant on security Byron Garcia dismissed insinuation that the Province lost because Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia got mad at the panel of judges for cutting her off while she was still in the middle of her presentation about Cebu.
It was not also true that the governor slammed the folder containing the documentation of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) on the table because she got irked, he said.
Byron explained that the panel of judges cut the governor off even though she still had two minutes remaining on her presentation.
Each contender was given 10 minutes to present their respective locality.
On the other hand, Cebu had prepared a 10-minute video presentation.
That same audio-video presentation was presented by the governor before the panel of judges, Byron said.
Province’s ranking
The Capitol was among 19 contenders for the Gawad Galing Pook, an annual awards program recognizing innovation and excellence of a program of governance of a local government.
The presentation was conducted last December wherein Garcia outlined her method and program in managing and promoting economic enterprise, and cultural and socio-economic resources of the province.
Byron said that an official of the Gawad Pook Award even called him up to inform him that Cebu was not included in the top 10 awardees.
The Provincial Government ranked 11th, said Byron during a forum.
Cebu City, at 10th place, dethroned the Provincial Government.
Byron said they respect the decision.
However, he said he was overwhelmed by the way the governor, his sister, fluently delivered her piece when interviewed by the panel of judges.
Unlike other contenders of the Gawad Galing Pook Award, Byron said Cebu province presented a unique audio-video presentation of the economic, cultural and socio-economic resources of province.
YouTube fame
One of the most-awaited presentations was of how the Capitol had able to initiate rehabilitation and discipline among erring inmates of the CPDRC.
Asked if he considered their lost as an unappreciated effort, Byron said he understood the situation. Sometimes, one can be ignored in his own hometown while foreigners acknowledged the undertaking, he said.
He said the inmates’ famed dance routine presented during the Sinulog Festival inside the jail facility was the most-viewed video in the YouTube among other dance numbers presented during the festival, with at least 15 million viewers.
For his part, Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district) said maybe the judges have their own priorities.
“That award is not everything. At least we were able to see to the entire Philippines and the world that rehabilitation works in the CPDRC,” said Pablo John, who is also the sibling of the governor and Bryon.
“It could have been good if we got the award. If not, we’re a bit disappointed but life goes on. The judges did not see the way the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) see it,” he said. GMD
