Cebu governor for senator: Mindanao mayors to back Gwen Garcia

CEBU, Philippines — An official of the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Mindanao has assured Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia of their support if she plans to run for the Senate in the 2025 elections.

LMP-Mindanao Vice President Jason John Joyce, town mayor of Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, last Wednesday asked Garcia for a “favor” in that she would run for the Senate to represent Visayas and Mindanao in the national government.

“Naghangyo ko basin pwede siya mudagan pagka-senador to represent the Bisaya from Visayas and Mindanao,” Joyce said in his speech during the Capitol’s welcome dinner for the LPM-Mindanao Island Cluster Conference last Wednesday.

On the same day, Garcia told reporters that she will not run for a higher office.

Joyce, though, assured that should the Cebu governor change her mind, she can expect the support of the Mindanao mayors.

“Pero gov, kung mabag-o imong panghuna-huna, naa ang tanang Mindanao mayors, kung maabot ang panahon nga mudagan gyud ka og senador,” Joyce told Garcia, in his speech.

More than 200 Mindanao municipal mayors stayed in Cebu, it being the host province, last August 6 to 8 for their three-day conference, where they discussed their best practices and strategies for sustainable development.

In addition, LMP National President Joseph Blando Bernos also assured Garcia the same support, saying she can expect the Ilocanos to rally behind her should she seek such office.

“I won’t endorse you as senator, ma’am, as Mayor Joyce (did), but if the time comes na kailangan niyo po ang Ilocano vote, we are very much willing to help you out,” said Bernos, in his speech.

The La Paz, Abra mayor also said that they would do this as a “sign of gratitude,” to reciprocate what they Cebuanos did, when they delivered the highest votes for President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., who is an Ilocano.

“In the last election, Cebu delivered for our ka-Ilyan, our Ilocano president, Cebu delivered the most, so as a sign of gratitude, kami ron pong mga Ilocano we are very much willing to support you in whatever way you want in the near future,” Bernos said, in the same speech.

During the 2022 elections, Cebu province and its major cities delivered big for Marcos with 1.5 million votes, after Garcia and her One Cebu Party endorsed him.

Last Tuesday, Garcia and eight other Visayas governors pushed to form a “One Visayas bloc,” with her as its leader.

Garcia, however, shot down speculations that she would use it in running for a higher office, as she only intended it to forge a united front for the Visayas to show support for the president, just like what is going on now in Cebu.

The eight governors were Arthur Defensor, Jr. (Iloilo); Damian Mercado (Southern Leyte); Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar); Jake Villa (Siquijor); Joaquin Carlos “JC” Nava (Guimaras); Jose Enrique Miraflores (Aklan); Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson (Negros Occidental); and Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol).

They unanimously favored Garcia to lead them if the bloc will come into realization.

As reported by Sugbo News, the Cebu Provincial Government’s official media arm, the “One Visayas bloc” would address mutual challenges and raise the common interests of the region at the national level.(CEBU NEWS)