PAYING tribute to his late father’s graceful acceptance of defeat, Winston Garcia, former president and general manager of the Government Service Insurance System, has released a second public statement following the recent gubernatorial election.
Framed as a birthday tribute to his father, the late governor Pablo “Pabling” Garcia, the statement highlights the patriarch’s humility and statesmanship in both victory and defeat.
“In a world often defined by winners and losers, my father… stood as the kind of leader who never allowed either victory or defeat to cloud his sense of purpose or service,” Winston wrote.
He reflected on his father’s decades-long public service and recalled how the elder Garcia handled his loss in the May 2013 congressional race to then first-time candidate Wilfredo Caminero, after having won seven consecutive elections.
“To many, it was unexpected. To him, it was simply part of the rhythm of public service — the rise and fall, the give and take,” he said.
“He bore the defeat not with denial or resentment but with serenity and statesmanship. He accepted the people’s verdict with a humble heart,” the younger Garcia added.
Although Winston did not explicitly mention any current political developments or name any individuals, the timing of the message has led many to interpret it as an implicit contrast to recent events. His statement comes days after his sister, incumbent Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, filed an electoral protest before the Commission on Electiosn (Comelec) challenging the results of the May 12, 2025 polls.
Winston’s message emphasized that his father’s true legacy was not political power, but moral strength: “Because in the end, true greatness isn’t measured by how long we hold on to power — but by knowing when to let it go.”
He ended his statement with a personal note: “That is his legacy — not power but the quiet strength of a life lived with humility, integrity, and goodness. I miss him dearly.”
His earlier statement, issued shortly after the elections, acknowledged the victory of Governor-elect Pamela Baricuatro and expressed gratitude for the years of public service rendered by their family.
Winston’s sister Gwendolyn made history in 2004 as the first woman elected governor of Cebu Province, succeeding their father. She served three consecutive terms until 2013, then returned to the post in 2019.
After completing her initial three-term limit as governor, Gwendolyn was elected as the first female representative of Cebu’s 3rd District, serving from 2013 to 2019. During her time in Congress, she also held the role of House deputy speaker from 2016 to 2018.
In the May 12 polls, Baricuatro won the gubernatorial race with 1,107,924 votes against Gwendolyn’s 765,051, a margin of 342,873 votes.
The electoral protest Gwendolyn filed contests the results in over 4,100 clustered precincts, alleging technical issues in the transmission of votes and claiming discrepancies that may have affected the outcome. The case is pending before the Comelec. / CDF