Latest news with #GwenGarcia
GMA Network
03-06-2025
- General
- GMA Network
Outgoing Cebu guv Garcia files electoral protest
Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia meets with the province's mayors on June 3, 2025. Screenshot from video on her official page Outgoing Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia has filed an election protest with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) challenging the results of Eleksyon 2025. At a meeting with Cebu mayors on Tuesday, Garcia questioned the recently concluded May polls, saying the results of the Cebu gubernatorial race 'did not reflect the honest will of the people.' 'We filed an electoral protest,' said Garcia. 'We hope that the Comelec will act with dispatch on this electoral protest and we have, as a sign of good faith to all of you mayors, we have decided to contest all of the clustered precincts and that's over 4,100. Why? Because as I said, I truly believe that the results for the gubernatorial election here in Cebu did not reflect the honest will of the people,' she added. Garcia, who served as Cebu governor from 2004, lost in the recent gubernatorial race, lagging behind closest rival Pam Baricuatro, who won with 1,107,728 votes. The outgoing official garnered 764,884 votes. Independent bet Valeriano Gingco garnered 33,545 votes. Meanwhile, Garcia's running mate Glenn Soco won as Cebu vice-governor with 1,089,957 votes. His closes rival Joselito Rizal garnered 414,341 votes. — BM, GMA Integrated News For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
GMA Network
02-06-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
NFA to ship 35,000 bags of rice to Cebu for P20/kilo program
The National Food Authority (NFA) is set to ship some 35,000 bags of rice from San Jose, Oriental Mindoro to Cebu, where they will be sold for P20 per kilogram, as part of the pilot implementation of the government's program aimed to lower prices of rice in the country. According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the latest shipment is part of the 100,000 50-kilo sacks ordered by Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia for distribution in the province. The first batch of 35,000 bags arrived three weeks ago. '(T)his effort is about more than just bringing down prices — it is about recognizing and supporting the people who make it possible,' Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., who also chairs the NFA Council, said in a statement. 'By clearing space in our NFA warehouses, we are making room to buy more palay from you, our beloved farmers. Here in Mindoro, a vital rice-producing province in Southern Tagalog, you deserve not just recognition, but fair prices that truly reflect your hard work and sacrifice,' he added. The NFA buys fresh palay or unmilled rice from farmers at P18 per kilo, and up to P24 per kilo for dry palay. This compares with the P13.50 to P18.00 per kilo buying price of private traders, against an estimated production cost of P12 to P14 per kilo. The rice shipments are then sent to local governments and Katuwang sa Diwa at Gawa para sa Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita (KADIWA) Centers of the DA to be sold to indigents, senior citizens, solo parents, and persons with disabilities at P20 per kilo. 'This subsidized rice program is for every Filipino family striving to put food on the table—and for every farmer who rises before dawn, rain or shine, to feed the nation. Thank you. You are the heartbeat of this program, and the reason it has meaning,' Tiu Laurel said. Tiu Laurel in January said the NFA is set to buy at least 300,000 metric tons of rice this year, with optimism that the country will hit a record for palay production. Under its mandate, the NFA is tasked to maintain sufficient rice buffer stocks to be sourced mainly from local farmers. The agency, for its part, said it is also mandated to keep and dispose of 99.9% of stocks in good and consumable condition. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
23-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Ombudsman issues show cause order vs outgoing Cebu guv
The outgoing governor of Cebu received a show cause order from the Office of the Ombudsman directing her to show cause within five days why she should not be cited for indirect contempt for "continuously defying an order" that places her under preventive suspension for six months. The show cause order was issued on May 22, 2025. The show cause order was signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires in relation to an order on Governor Gwendolyn Garcia's preventive suspension dated April 23, 2025. In a press statement posted on Sugbo News (Capitol's official news portal), Atty. Alex Avisado, legal counsel for Garcia, said that 'for the respectful information and guidance of the Honorable Ombudsman, there was no defiance, Gov. Gwen Garcia actually challenged the legality of the issuance of the Preventive Suspension Order before the Court of Appeals by way of a Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition.' 'On 15 May 2025, the Special Seventeenth (17th) Division of the Court of Appeals issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) prohibiting the Ombudsman and all officials under his authority from implementing the Order dated 23 April 2025. With the issuance of this TRO from the Court of Appeals, there is therefore no legal basis to cite Gov. Garcia for Indirect Contempt," he added. "Like any ordinary citizen, she merely availed of her legal remedies. Fortunately for Gov. Gwen Garcia, the Court of Appeals sustained her contention that this Preventive Suspension Order is patently illegal and was issued with grave abuse of discretion,' the rest of Avisado's statement reads.
GMA Network
22-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Ombudsman tells Cebu's Gwen Garcia, DILG to explain defiance of suspension order
The Office of the Ombudsman has directed Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia to explain her failure to heed its earlier suspension order. Ombudsman Samuel Martires also sought an explanation from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) why it has yet to implement the suspension, which was supposedly "immediately executory." In a communication dated May 19, 2025, the Ombudsman ordered Garcia "to show cause within five days from receipt thereof why you should not be cited for indirect contempt for continuously defying the 23 April 2025 Order of the Ombudsman preventively suspending you from office." The suspension does not exceed six months. It added that Garcia received a copy of the suspension order on April 29, 2025, and despite its "immediately executory nature" of the implementation, it said the governor "publicly avowed not to abide" by it. The order addressed to DILG Undersecretary Rolando Puno said that in a press conference held on May 9, 2025, the official said the agency will not act on the suspension order because it was still awaiting the response of the Commission on Elections to its query "as to the need to secure the Commission's approval for the suspension of elected officials during the campaign period." The Ombudsman said this was the DILG's response "when you office knows fully well that the Order has already been implemented and is immediately executory." "In view of this, you are hereby ordered to show cause within five days from receipt thereof why you should not be cited for indirect contempt for tolerating or consenting to the acts of defiance of respondent Garcia to the lawful order of preventive suspension issued against her..." Garcia is accused by a certain Moises Deiparine of granting a special permit to Shalom Construction, Inc. last May 14, 2024 without an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) or a Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC) issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) or prior study/consultation with other relevant government agencies. Garcia ran for a third consecutive three-year term as Cebu governor. However, she lost to Pamela Baricuatro. GMA News Online reached out to Garcia and the DILG for a comment. —LDF, GMA Integrated News
