Garcia: 'Gwen College' not my idea

CEBU, Philippines - Governor Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday clarified that the naming of a proposed Capitol-funded college after her was not her idea.

The governor admitted that she was not comfortable with it, saying it was Provincial Board Member Juan Bolo, chairman of the committee on education, who presented the idea of putting up a college, which dubbed as Government World Class Education Novelty (Gwen).

 “It was Provincial Board Member Bolo who first presented the draft ordinance to me asking for my approval for a college that he wanted to set up. I immediately saw the glaring name ‘GWEN’ and my immediate reaction was ‘GWEN na sad.’ I’m not comfortable with this John (referring to Bolo) practically all programs named after me, I will feel very squeamish of naming a college after me,” Garcia said.

She explained to Bolo that putting up a college entails a lot of formal planning because it needs a huge budget.

Garcia also told the board member that “ato lang na storyahan because we have scholars, so John let me study this much and to my surprise a few weeks later, I only read in newspaper that he had already filed it and caught other PB members by surprise.”

The ordinance was scheduled for final reading on July 20, but it was deferred after several board members, particularly Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong, raised questions.

But Bolo reportedly claimed in the session that the governor already approved it.

The governor said she accorded the provincial board the respect by not dealing Bolo to the media but directly contradicted his statement in a closed door meeting.

“I will categorically deny that with all due respect to John Bolo. I have never approved the filing of ordinance to create a so called Gwen college,” Garcia said. — Garry B. Lao/WAB(THE FREEMAN)