Gwen rails vs. critic over "abandoned" program

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday railed before the Provincial Development Council against University of the Philippines Los Baños Professor Romulo Davide, who accused her of pulling support from the Farmer-Scientists Training Program and asked him to do his research first before making his accusations.

Davide earlier wrote to Garcia expressing his dismay for her withdrawal of support from the FSTP which allegedly “punished the more than 20,000 FSTP-trained farmers for not voting her in the last election.”

Davide, a Cebuano, is the national program leader of the corn-based FSTP. He also happens to be the uncle of former Cebu City councilor Hilario “Junjun” Davide III who ran against Garcia in the May 2010 elections.

FSTP coordinators Anita Oblena and Sharon Mangadlao were also allegedly banished to Pilar in Camotes Island for not voting for Garcia.

But Garcia said what angered her most was that the letter of Davide was copy furnished to all members of the Provincial Board, all mayors and municipal agriculturists and officers of Cebu and to all Cebu FSTP farmers’ associations.

“The act of furnishing copies to all farmer beneficiaries smacks of political undertone,” Garcia said.

Garcia asked Davide to do proper research first before coming to his conclusions and sending his thoughts and biases to farmer beneficiaries.

“I found it rather strange if he really intended to be clarified on some of his baseless conclusions nga iyang gipada nako, pwede raman unta moatubang siya nako or ako ra iyang padad-an og suwat kay ako siyang tubagon,” Garcia said.  

Garcia wrote back to Davide and also furnished copies of her reply to the same parties Davide furnished his letter.

Capitol spokesman Rory Jon Sepulveda said that the Province did not withdraw its support to the FSTP.

Sepulveda also said that Oblena and Mangadlao’s reassignment was due to the needs of the isolated areas of the province, in this case they were assigned to the Integrated Agricultural Development Pilot Project in Pilar town.

Oblena was recalled back last month after showing satisfactory compliance with the work plan while Mangadlao found employment in Mandaue City.  (FREEMAN)