Former Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John “PJ” Garcia stated he is considering another run for governor in 2028 during an interview on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026.
Garcia urged the Provincial Government to pursue structural measures such as reducing real property and transfer taxes and rationalizing quarry policies to ease financial pressures on Cebuanos.
He acknowledged that being passed over by his political party One Cebu or his family could affect his candidacy and noted that the opposition must unite to challenge the current Capitol administration under Gov. Pamela Baricuatro.
FORMER Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John “PJ” Garcia is considering another run for governor in 2028 while urging the Provincial Government to pursue tax and construction-related measures that he said could ease the impact of rising prices on Cebuanos.
“Ako nang giconsider kana nga posibilidad (I have been considering that possibility),|” Garcia said.
Garcia’s possible candidacy comes as One Cebu, the political party chaired by his sister, former governor Gwendolyn Garcia, reportedly weighs potential candidates for the 2028 gubernatorial race. Reports have linked Gwendolyn to an endorsement of Ako Bisaya Party-list Rep. Sonny Lagon, a possibility Garcia said he has not independently confirmed.
The former lawmaker discussed his political plans and economic proposals during an interview on vlogger Jason Monteclar’s Facebook page on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026.
The possible gubernatorial bid would be Garcia’s second. He ran for governor in 2013 but lost to then-incumbent Gov. Hilario Davide III. Gwendolyn, meanwhile, lost her bid for another term in the 2025 gubernatorial race to Gov. Pamela Baricuatro.
Before the 2025 elections, Garcia initially filed his certificate of candidacy for a third and final term on Oct. 1, 2024. However, he later withdrew his bid on Oct. 8. His wife, Karen Flores-Garcia, ran in his place and won the seat.
One Cebu and the 2028 race
Garcia said he had not independently confirmed reports that Gwendolyn was leaning toward Lagon.
“A person who claims to have been privy, present during the discussions leading to the supposed decision of Gwen ... I have not had independent confirmation, especially from Gwen,” Garcia said.
He acknowledged that being passed over by One Cebu or his own family could affect his political prospects if he decides to run.
“Yes, it’s true. If I run for governor, it will certainly affect my candidacy,” he said.
Several other political allies close to the Garcia family have also been mentioned as possible candidates for One Cebu’s 2028 slate. They include Vice Gov. Glenn Soco, Tabogon Mayor Siegfred “Dodong” Duterte and 5th District Rep. Duke Frasco.
Garcia’s relationship with One Cebu has also changed over the years. He resigned as the party’s secretary general after disagreeing with its support for Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the 2022 presidential election.
“Karon, medyo it’s not as united as before,” he said.
Garcia said an opposition campaign against Baricuatro would depend heavily on whether rival political groups could agree on a common candidate and strategy.
“Importante lang kung kinsay maka-unite ni ang opposition sa Kapitolyo karon. Kay kon dili pud ma-unite lisod lisod pagbangga sa Kapitolyo (What is important is who can unite the opposition in the Capitol now. If they cannot unite, it will be difficult to challenge the Capitol),” he said.
Measures beyond “ayuda”
Meanwhile, Garcia said the Provincial Government does not have to wait for the next election to address the financial pressures facing households.
He argued that Governor Baricuatro and the Provincial Board (PB) could pursue structural measures to reduce costs instead of relying mainly on cash assistance, or ayuda.
“The governor has to intervene in other ways,” Garcia said.
One of his proposals is to reduce real property taxes. Real property tax is an annual levy on land, buildings and other taxable property, so lowering it could directly reduce the amount property owners pay.
Garcia said such a move would require action from both the governor and the PB.
He also questioned whether high property assessments should be used to portray Cebu as the country’s wealthiest province.
“We don’t have to be the richest, but we have to be able to take care of our fellow Cebuanos,” he said.
Garcia also proposed lowering transfer taxes on property transactions, including sales, donations and inherited land.
Construction costs tied to quarry fees
Garcia also focused on the cost of construction materials, particularly sand and gravel.
He called for changes to the Province’s policies on quarry materials, arguing that local fees and taxes add to construction costs.
Among his proposals is to rationalize the fair market value used for sand and gravel and remove the 10 percent environmental monitoring fee imposed on materials extracted outside Cebu.
Garcia said high permit fees and taxes on quarry materials can increase construction costs and affect other local industries that depend on those materials.
He argued that reducing additional charges on materials brought into Cebu could make construction cheaper. He also said it could lessen the pressure to extract sand, gravel and other resources from the province’s mountains.
For Garcia, those measures are not tied to whether he eventually becomes governor. He said the administration already has the authority to consider policies aimed at reducing some of the costs faced by Cebuanos.
“Dili kinahanglan magpaabot nga magobernador ko, kinsang laing tawo mahimong gobernador, dunay mahimo ang atong gobernador karun aron nga mahatagan og alibyo ang mga Sugboanon (There is no need to wait for me to become governor, or for someone else to become governor. Our governor today can do something to provide relief to Cebuanos),” he said. / CDF