Magpale leads Capitol flag raising

CEBU, Philippines - Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale yesterday led Capitol’s first flag ceremony for the year with members of the Provincial Board.

She also ordered to open Capitol’s doors which were closed when the controversy over the suspension of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia started 20 days ago.

“This is also our first day and it’s symbolic also that we open (the doors) for the first time, since the suspended governor locked herself in the Capitol building,” Magpale said in an interview after the ceremony.

Present during the flag raising ceremony were PB members Thadeo Ouano, Peter John Calderon, Arleigh Jay Sitoy, Jude Thaddeus Sybico and her son, Miguel Antonio Magpale.

Magpale was expected to deliver a message after the ceremony but she opted to just attend to her duties in the office.

Magpale admitted that there are “reassignments” in the different departments to promote efficiency as she realized that there are bickering in some offices.

She added she has to work with people who are more effective and those that she is comfortable with.

Magpale, in her letter to the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF), requested to reassign Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre as head of the Provincial Assessor’s Office.

Magpale said OIC Provincial Accountant Manuel Guial will replace Salubre as Provincial Treasurer.

Magpale also said she will appoint Eva Encabo as head of the General Services Office while Dr. Cristina Giango will continue to head the Integrated Provincial Health Office.

Magpale said she will be writing to Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman for the replacement of Provincial Social Welfare Officer Marivic Garces.

Magpale also planned to change the name of the program Expanded Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures (eGwen) to “Our Cebu” program.

Magpale, during her meeting with eGwen members yesterday, said that eGwen is a politicized program that needs to be replaced.

But Garcia explained she did not name the program and Magpale was the one who suggested the name eGwen during their meeting with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) team together with Dominic Chua and Bobby Aboitiz.

“She cannot deny that or maybe she will because given her track record, she always tells lies,” Garcia said

Garcia even complained to Magpale at that time because she feels her  name was already overused.

“Nireklamo ko kay overused na ang akong pangalan. Nagsugod adtong nangka,  Greening With the Environment Now, Government Working for Educational Needs, Goats for Wealth Enhancement Now,” Garcia said.

Garcia added Magpale insisted since the name eGwen has already acquired standard and brand equity and that her name stands for excellence.

“I will dare her because I remember very clearly.  Maybe siya kaha mo-examine sa iyang tanlag kay siya ra ni-suggest ani, ” Garcia said. (Maybe she should try to examine her conscience because she’s the one who suggested the name.) — Kristine B. Quintas, USJR Masscom Intern, AJ de la Torre-Orong/MBG (FREEMAN)