OF THE several differences between a Cebu Provincial Government led by Gwen Garcia and Agnes Magpale, one will be obvious: 20 levels obvious.
If Congresswoman Garcia wins the gubernatorial election on May 13, it is highly likely the Province will no longer proceed to build a 20-story center that the current administration has started. But if Vice Governor Magpale wins, there’s a good chance the project will continue on one corner of the Capitol compound.
Both contenders discussed their plans and priorities in a session of the Mega Cebu Candidates’ Forum last Friday, April 5, in the University of San Carlos. But instead of appearing in one session together, the two women and their running mates attended separate sessions. An opportunity to see how well they would handle dissenting opinions was missed. As for seeing how well they would show grace under pressure, never mind. We never ask that of men who are running for office, do we?
In her session, Congresswoman Garcia questioned the wisdom of prioritizing a new building, when constituents in the towns would not benefit from it. “Mas kinahanglan ba nga maghimo sila’g office, nga pwerteng gubaa sa mga daan ug nga wala’y tubig labi na karon nga El Niño? (Does the Province need a new office more than its people need better roads and water supply?)”
Nearly two weeks ago, Garcia and Provincial Board (PB) Member Alex Binghay filed an injunction suit before the Toledo City Regional Trial Court, in effect asking it to stop the construction. In last Friday morning’s forum, she again explained that the project violates the National Cultural Heritage Act, the Government Procurement Reform Act and the Local Government Code. Worse, the Province has burdened itself with a P1.5-billion loan for it.
“When my term as governor ended, I left the Province without a single centavo of debt,” said Garcia, who served three terms as governor from 2004 to 2013.
This was one of the points Magpale and her running mate, Gov. Hilario Davide III, addressed in their session last Friday afternoon. When his term as governor started in July 2013, Davide said, the Province owed its contractors and suppliers nearly P800 million. (It was P788 million, Magpale interjects.) The new administration refused to pay for projects that were done without the PB’s authorization, but eventually ended up paying some P500 million as part of a compromise agreement. “Pungot kaayo maminaw ba nga wala kuno’y utang (It’s infuriating to hear her say the Province had no debt),” said Davide, who is running against Daphne Salimbangon for his first term as vice governor.
In politics, words are at their most malleable. When Garcia says the Province had no debt at the end of her term, she probably means it had no term loans. But for Davide and Magpale, who first ran together and won in 2013, the payables their administration inherited should count as “utang (debts),” too. The new resource center, Davide explained, will decongest the Capitol building and provide space for a command center for the disaster reduction and response office, with some spaces to be leased for the building to pay for itself.
Part of the challenge in choosing between Garcia and Magpale is that, in some ways, they are alike. They both have a track record in providing the public sector leadership that will inspire private sector involvement and support. They are both concerned with improving public health services and facilities, but will approach it in different ways. Garcia, for instance, defends her decision to outsource medical personnel. Magpale prefers hiring them directly to fill plantilla positions.
How, both were asked, would you promote tourism? Garcia mentioned how, as governor, she “literally brought tourists out of Cebu City” and into the towns, where they could see different attractions and festivals. Magpale said she believes in continuing the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo, but in a way that doesn’t make it “a burden to our towns.” “In Cebu,” the vice governor said, “the success of tourism is mostly because of the private sector.”